The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-04-01

Thomas, to which L call the attentioh ol
the Senate:, N@. -. ~
"Washington,D ID, G., Julyl7. 1865.
"Gen. Grantlwill instruct Gen. Thomas
that the facts stated in his telegram do
not warrant the interference of the milf
tary. The administration Nof the laws
and the preservation Of peace in Nash-p
vile belong properly to the State au..
thorities, and the duty of the United
States authorities is not to Interfere III
any wav in the controversy between the
public authorities of the State, and Gen.
Thomas will strictly abstain from any IN
reference with them"
We see, then. that the present Presi'
dent of the United States was familiar
with and understood what was the acton
of the Government in cases OF this KIND,
al d of the duty of the military and civil
authorities. Wesee, then, that the ques-
ton was not unknown to him, and he
has not acted without proper and suttl-
cient information upon the subject. If
he had been informed of, ard acted and
carried out the order or telegram that l
have read. he must have understood 1t,
and have known that it was the true doc
trine and principles upon which cases OF
this kind should be managed by the
military.
sHERIDANs REMOVAL.
But there is another fact, or another
circumstance, in this line of thought--a
great fact as conceive it-and that is in
1867 Gen. Sheridan was in command Of
the Fifth Military District, as it was
called at that time. In consequence OF
his mismanagement of that district, he
produced so much dissatisfaction, and
such was his ofiicious interference, and
such were his opposive acts, that there
was one general wall; one unanimous
murmur came up from that section of the
country, and that was for his removal.
He was removed from the command. l
merely refer to this fact to show that
these parties now engaged in the work OF
usurpaton in the work of tyranny, IN
the work of violating the organic law OF
the land-that it is not new thing to
them. In consequence of this wall that
came up from the people, 1t was deter
mined by the President then that tins
man should be removed, and his removal
was ordered. In the order dated Aug
26, 1867, it was stated that Maj. Gen. T.
II. Sheridan will at once turn over his
present command to the officer next IN
rank to himself, and proceed without de,
Law to Fort LeavenwOrth, Kansas, ard
relieve Gen. Winfield S. Hancock in com
mand of the Department OF the Missouri,
and Gen. Geo. H. Thomas will take com
rnand in his place. This order was after
ward changed and Gen. Hancock sent to
take command of the Department of
Louisiana on account Of the indisposltlon
and sickness OF Gen. Thomas. 1t vii be
remembered, | know, by most persons,
and especially by Senators here, that
when Gen. Hancock took command some
of the persons who had been removed
from office by Gen. Sheridan were rem
stated, that peace and quiet were re-
stored, general satisfaction was given,
and Gen. Hancock, in an order addressed
to the people of that State, laid down the
true dividing line between military and
civil supremacy.
JoHNsONs FIRST CONTROVERSY WITH GEN.
GRANT.
When this order was made, there
sprung up Il controversy between the
Executive and the General of the Army,
the later protesting against the removal
of Gen. Sheridan, saying he was very
popular man, and was following the will
of the people; but Notwithstanding this
assertion, which was mere assertion, he
was not reinstated, At that time the
people of Louisian appeared to BEN
disturbed condition, and most OF the an
tagonism seems to have resulted from
Gen. Sheridan's management. lie rem
dered himself exceedingly obnoxious by
the manner in which he exercised the
powers conferred by Congress, and still
more so by resorting to authority not
granted by law, nor necessary to its etli-
cient execution. His rule, in fact, was
one of absolute tyranny, without refer
enCe to the principles of our Government
nor the nature Of our free institutions.
This state of affairs, which resulted from
the course which he pursued, seriously
interfered with the harmonious, satistac-
tory and speedy execution OF the acts OF
Congress, and was sufficient to justify his
removal. 1t therefore could not be re-
garded as an effort to defeat the laws OF
Congress, for the object was to facilitate
their execution through an officer who
had never failed to obey the statutes of
the land, and to exact within his lurls-
diction a like obeyanCe from Others.
This was what then said to the General
of the Army. Upon the transfer OF Gen,
Hancock, and after he took command OF
the department, he issued the circular |
have alluded to, giving general satisiac-
ton. and showing and acknowledging the
supremacy of the civil over the military
au horities of the United States. Well,
then. you see how we travel in that line.
WHY WAS SHERIDAN SENT BACK?
Now the query comes up in this dis
tracted condition of affairs in Louisiana,
why is it, ask. has this man been Sc
ected and sent back to this people, who
before condemned him and prayed for
his removal? Why is it that he was sent
back there? 1t was known that he was
the source of irritation and dissatifaction
Mlltu lt Wdb llCIO' 'uClOlCf anu gSO ~
was sent again. A man VINO was OBJ
noxious to the wholecountry, except a
few persons who may have been inter-
ested in particular line of policy or
measure, or something they wanted to
accomplish. Why has he been sent
there? Was it for the purpose of irri-
tating them? Was it for the purpose of
driving the people to acts of violence?
Was it for the purpose of getting up in
surrections, mobs and riots, and the cry
was to 0e raised that the Southern peo
pie were in revolt, and in the midst of
that cry, and the prejudice of one part of
the country being melted against an
other, to go into Presidential election? :?
1t is very easy to see what the results
would he No, let us have peace. |
know the determination of that people.
Their great object is to be restored back
into the Union upon an equal footing
with all the other States, and that is all
they desire, fair participation in the