The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1875-02-25

49,
NO 70 arrest d inoDibe = .
Gcrmsn eongress;sbut who, be It said
to the honor Of even the German En-
pirc, was Immediately released and
Bismarck thus rebuked.
But what is more painful, mortify-
ing, and alarming is the following
telegram to Sheridan, dated Wash
ton City, January 7,1S75, from the
Secretary of War:
Your kilograms allrceeivcd. The
President and all Of us have full con-
fidcncc, and thoroughly approve your
course.
Up to the date Of this dispatch
what had he done? What "coursc"
had he taken which gthe President
and all of us-approre?n The legisla-
tive halls Of a sovereign State had
been entered by.one Of his subordi-
mates commanding squadof United
States troops, some of the members
of that body ruthlcssly arrested and
dragged from their seats, and the
Legislature dispersed at the point Of
the bayonet. And all this is ap-
proved by the President! The con-
stitution of Louisiana provides in
article 81 that
Each house of the General Assem-
bly, shall Judge of the qualification,
elections, and returns Of its mem
bers.
Such 4 provision is ingraftcd in
the constitution of nearly every
State of the Union. The same PIC
vision is found in article l section 5
of the Constitution of the United
States in regard to the Congress of
the United States.
In the name of liberty, in the
name of Il violated Constitution, !
demand by what right, warrant, or
authority has the President and his
sLicrtepar-G thus diSbandcd
4 legislative body of sovereign
State? The Legislatures Of the
S!atcsin their sphere are as much
sovereign as the Congress of the Uni
ted States. SO sacrcdly are they re-
gardcd that it is forbidden by the
Articles Of War 70. any officer Of the
Amy to even use contcmptuous or
di>respcctful words against the Leg
islaturc Of any of the United States.
On page 2Sl. article 10, title "Arti-
clc> of War;" Of the Revised Statues
of the United States, we find the fol-
lowing explicit language; Icommend
its pcrusal to the President and his
Licutcnant-Gencral:
Any officer who uses contcmptu-
ouS or diSrcSpectful words against the
President, the Vice-Prcsident, the
Congress of the United States, or the
chief magistrate or Legislature Of
any Of the United States, in which
he is quartcrcd. shall be dismissed
from the service or otherwise punish
ed as 4 court-martial may direct.
Any soldier who 50 ofends shall be
punished Us court-martial may di-
rect.
How much less, then, had they the
power to arrest and dispersc a Legis-
lature. The house had organized
and elected a speaker and clerk, a
quorum being present: Two years
ago Il like act of usupation was
committed by the military. The
military was called to enforce the in
famous military midnight order of
Judge Durcll, the capitol taken poss,:
ession Of, and the legally elected
members driven out. SAll this was
done under the order of President
Grant, under the fimsy prctcxt OF
enforcing a decree Of a court. And
what has been done at.this very sess-
ion of Congress? The Judiciary
Committee, composed n large ma
jority of republicans, reported artlc-
les Of impeachment against this
same Judge for the issuance of this
order, and this House passed the
resolutions. But the deed was done,
the object of theor accomplished;
Kellogg and his legislature placed in
power and retained to this day
That infamous proceeding went un-
punished and the same parties, en-
boldencd by this act, seek in more
highhanded and arbitrary manner
again to takcand continue in possess
ion by military power. How long,
gentlemen of the House of Reprcsen-
tatives, will You permit a sovereign
State to lay prostratc under the heels
Of military despotism?
But 1t IS pretended tnat IN thc iifsI
act Of usurpation Durell acted upon
his own motion. In this way it is
sought to relieve the Administration
from the odium and responsibility OF
the act. But this is not true. Du-
rell did not do it upon his motion; he
did it at the bcqest of the President.
This. order of Durell was issued at
midnight, in his own room, on De
ccmber ), 1872. On December 5,
1872, cEfytwo days before, the fol-
lowing telegram was sent 10 the
United States Marshal ct New Or
leans: