The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-01-21
A1pGhfal
RL uNpERS THAT ARE CRIMES.

ment to the Republican party-a party
whose labors logically ended with he
abolition of slavery-because they were
told that it was the only party which
could guaranty the results of the war, and
make good the assurance Of peace and
restoration. And now, as the ten years
are rounding to close, they find that the
most intelligent and liberal policy"
which the Republican party aas to offer,
iSsomething in the shape of "a bill de-
claring'' or a Presidents proclamation
declarfng''the members of the opposition
party in great Southern State "banditti," J"
and providing for their trial by mill
tary commission This lis the latest as
pect ofthe peace and a restored Union"
which we were promised ten years ago,
The people are inclined to indulgent
treatment of Lieutenant General Sheri-
dan. who come to the front as the latest
leader of the Republican party, bearing
the pTon,tnciamento of this freshest devel-
opment of the "peace policy" on the
noint of his sword. He has never pre-
tended to be anything but soldier and
a rGaeh one at that. He has affected no
knowledge ofpublic affairs off the field or
outside the camp or the barack ROOM
He has not even talked politics, hut evil
IDENTIFY takes u sodierly pride in a certain
indifference to and contempt for the mild
methods which prevail ina '"weak. pip!
ing time of peace" When there are no
great campaigns to be made his fancy
Naturally turns 10 Indian warfare, and il
~ not sbrprisihgl thre61re, that finding
himselfunder orders In Louisiana, lh6
bBlieves that he is there to fight Moaocs
or Piegans 1t is true that if he had added
TO the military virtues something of the
broader gculture which has ihefet9ore
made great captains eminent III civil life
without dimming his military renown,
he would never have proposed that, in
purely political struggle, citizens ola free
State.citizens representing amGbrity 81
the neople of that State-shOuld be out
lawed as "banditti," and brought to the
summary Judgment, of the drpmhead,
with sH6rtShift and avoley ofNmpsketry.
But let us remember that he is, as we
have said, only a soldier rand let us not
be too hard upon him for acting on inn
pulses born of the continuous conviction
th.,t he is lighting sayages'
The essential shameof the thing is that
for this rough soldier stands for the time
being as the political leader Of the party
which controls theg egovernmentand forces
mon the country his monstrous "ban-
ditti' proposition as the spirit, if not at
least the policy Of the Federal Govern
ment towards a great State, ,lfor Lieuten-
ant General Sheridan is substantially the
Federal Government IN Louisiana to-day.
To be sure there isa Congressional COM
mittee there laboriousy taking evidence,
but what does it amount to? What evil
dence is needed? Is it not clear enough
that the Kellogg Government is in pow
erthere with scarcely pretense of pop
ular authority Butevidence was not even
waited for. While the excellent members
Of the committee were patiently examin-
inO witnesses, with whose testimony they
exnected by and by leisurely to return to
Washington, the President, in scorn of
the very committed appointed in obedi-
ence to his own suggestion, sends to New
Orleans the Lieutenant General, who
Whins out his sword, unseats the officers
Of the Legislature, carries off "irregularly
elected" members, aud threatens citizens
with outlawry and death. Some time
AGO we predicted that this new investi-
cation of the affairs OF Louisiana by Con-
sress would be pro6tless, and the predic-
t;on has already been verified.
The action of the executive branch OF
the Federal Government, which thus su-
bordinates the civil authority of d State
To the Federal military arm, is bad
enough-but, perhaps, taught as we have
heen by experience, we ought not to be
greatly surprised. What is great deal
.Torse is the action of Congress, or rather
its refusal to act on the subject. The
leaders of the majority in both of its
bSxnches have recently received some
sharp lessons Many Of them have gone
hack to Washington as legislators for the
last time. So far as the people had the
power to do so, they have overthrown
that majority. These leaders, however,
refuse to accept the mandate. In the
whole record of political crimes and po-
litical blunders committed by the Repub-
li,an party, there is nothing which sur
nasses in laundering criminality yester-
DAVIS proceedings of the Senate and
House of Representatives. News had
heen received from New Orleans which
startled and shocked even persons who
had thought they could be shocked or
startled by nothing that could happen
nnder the Kellogg usurpation. In the
Senate resolution was offered calling
anon the President for information-a
resolution which should have been adopt
ed eyenlif it had referred to'a matter of
comparatively trihing importance. In
stead of allowing tito pass, the Republi
can Senators opposed 1t on wretched
audible, but opposed it in such a way
that they forced themselves and the Re-
publican party into the position of de
lending the, Louisiana wrong-defending
the action of the President and the Lieu
tenant General, and adopting he drum
Kead "banditti" policy Il IKE temper
was shown by the Republicans in the
House. Va, 5,.
OF course there will be scarcely dis
senting voice in the popular verdict rem
dered upon the situation thus apparent to
the country. After yesterdays proceed
ings, it seems vain to- hope for any good
thing from the Forty-third Congress, ex-
cept its final adjournment, But that adj
iournment brings up very serious ques-
lion. We have heretofore urged an early
meeting of the Forty-fourth Congress on
the ground of the necessity ofaction upon
financial questions and other matters
affecting the business interests of the
country. The graver inquiry now pre-
Sents ITSELF whether it is sprudent to leave
the Federal Government during the in
btsryal from March to December, in the
hands of it's Executive branch--whether
the liberties Of the country are safe in
the absence of Congress. so long as inn
s-portant political concerns are turned over
10 a military officer who dbposes of them
ssif he were fighting Piegips. ~ ,
The course Of the Republicans in Con-
eress yesterday, considered merely from
o. q party point of view, was fatuons. II
1.-The leaders desired to protect themselves,