, 1875-03-27
Senator Johnson Speaks.


day, and when The Senate was called
TO order there was net even standing
room IN them, while on the floor OF
The Senate there were many members
and Others entitled 10 the privilege.
At l2:lO P NJ, johnson, OF IrnneS
see. took the fioor and began a speech
on The resolution for tie admission Ut
Pmchhack.
He first referred TO he trouble IN
the Tennessee Legislature in 1906 and
the action OF the Federal Government
at that time, the instruction to Gen
Thomas, in command of the Federal
forces, To strictly abstain from any IN
reference. In quoting the dispatch
conveying such instruction |" General
Thomas be said the dispatch was
signed by the Secretary OF War and
the present President. He declared
1t WAS not his intention TO give ntler-
ance 10 single personal matter, but
to speak of pubIic aGls.
lie then referred 10 the removal OF
Gen. Sheridan from The command ot
the Fifth Military District in 1867,
and said it was in consequence ct a
wall which came up from the people
of that section. Why vas IL that
this man Sheridan had been selected
TO 90 back 10 those people who before
condemned him and prayel for his re
movai? He tJuhn>un) krew the de
termination The people sorsht. Their
greatest object Was TO he restored 10
the Union. He would tell some Of
those who We're acting behind the cur
tain that If they expected 10 stlr up
another civil war and amid lie war
cry and strife have one ride into power
for the third term, then they might
bld farewell TO liberty. [ Applause Ill
the galleries
He then proceeded TO argue at
length against the lhlrd term. In
>praking Of gift taking by u. ). Off
Gals, he said Ibis question would be
just as legitimate a su6jecI TO consider
here 10 day As The one now under
consideration.
! Returning to the action of the Pres
idrnl in Louisiana affairs, he referred
To the provision of The conSIuuIlun
that the United States shall guarantee
every Srare IN the Uulou a republican
fum OF government. and said he did
mol understand the President 10 ba the
! United States. That provision did not
authorize The Executive of hi~ own
voii5ioh 10 TAKE. charge III p'.r>on or by
agent selected from The army OF q
Sla!" government.
He declared The time had been IN
this country within his recollection
when if an act of u>urparlon like thi~
had been attempted, it would nave
produced ii shock throughout the ma
ton and storm of Indignation would
have been ready to huil the pc petra
Tor from power Now We zee things
/ differently. We had gone outside Tie
COn>tltulluu III way lhAt wonil bring
rhi> government tu an ehd or change
lis character entirely.
| Again, referring 10 the orders sent
Sheridan, thr speaker raid here WAS 4
general OF the amy sent with author
ny tu 20 and look over this country
and mark himself Uui an empire. pre-
scribe ilIr lines Of hlS gnvernrHeut or
le'Iilury he should control, and in
which hi power is absolute aS that Of
AN emperor. Where, he asked, did
this power OF u>urpAIIon and tyranny
come from? Upon what meat doth
This Opr Caesar feed that he ha'h
grown 50 great" that be can mark out
the boundaries of empires and place
military commanders over them? He
thought 1t time that the country was
awakened to consider thrse things.
The Senator described the organi
zation of the Louisiana Legislature,
and declared the action of tie mill
tary III the case was unconstitutional.
He would vote against the resolution,
not because II WAS republican meas
ure, hut OH tn principle That if Pre>i-
DENTAL interference WITH the affairs Of
a State were sanctioned III this case,
why not apply II 10 all olher>?
He referred 10 and denounced the
action of the President IN Arkansas
affairs, and speaking Of the growth of
federal power a. evInced in the action
IN Louisiana and Arkan>as affairs, the
force bill and The pending resolution
he declared there must be sumclklng
behind all this, and continued, I'VE
can only look at 1t in the light of
events that viii trhnsplre in The ap-
preaching Presidential election, when
we may have a conquerOr and u>urper
installed III the government, and he
has gone on extending his military
power until he has accomplished his
purpose. The time mag come when
sune member of the other House
may Introduce a resolution like this
HheleaS, 4 great disturbance aud
dissatisfaction exists III the country,
aud for the sake Of preservation OF
peace and harmony IN The Country
ReSolc,d d, That a or b. is declared
! President" | don't care whether You
call him King or President, for The
next term or the next eighr years.
What would you do then? Where Is
the power to prevent, and where /,
the army, and where is the navy:
What could You do i'll the impotency
and weakness Of An unarmed reop!e