National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-02-18
WHITE LEAGUE TREASON.
The Law in the Case and a Few Presidents.

WHITE LEAGUE TREASON.
The Law in the Case and Few Presidents.
THE LAW. When any considerable body
of the citizens of any State, monarchical or
republican, band themselves together, form
military organization unknown to and in de-
fiance of the laws, and arm themselves for the
purpose of overthrowing the existing govern
ment, and do attempt its overthrow by mill
tary force, such citizens are clearly in q state
of insurrection, or, if their numbers are too
inconsiderable for them to be considered and
treated as insurrectionists, then they are to all
intents and purposes "bandittf' or outlaws.
The White League that has been organized in
several of the Southern States is an armed
military organization, whose open and avowed
intention is to overthrow the existing govern
ments in several of these States, and the Or
ganization is in such force and numbers as to
entitle it to be classed and treated as an in
surrection.
2. In the United States the instruction of
such bodies of citizens in or against the gov
eminent of any one of the States has always
been regarded and treated as an instruction
against the Government of the United States,
as well as against the government of the pal
ticular State, and the aid of the military
power of the General Government has always
been invoked and given for the suppression of
such uprisings in accordance with the guar
antee of section four, article four, of the Ma
tional Constitution.
PRECEDENTs.-"In the summer of the year
1874 arose one of those remarkable ebullitions
of popular feeling which, though rare, are yet
always to be dreaded. 1t is known historically
as the ichiSky rebellion. In Pennsyl-
vania the popular feeling was irrepressible for
a time, and great OUtrdgeS Irere committed, I'M
til, finally, the President issued his proclama-
ton to the Governors of Virginia, Maryland,
Pennsylvania and New Jersey for fifteen thou
sand men. 1t was estimated that the insur-
gents could muster sixteen thousand we'll
trained men, and Il lUds deemed most j,tGlicious
By the Executive to send sufficient force to break
dorm all attempts at resistance to the LdW Peace
full measures were, however, not overlooked.
Commissioners were appointed by the Presi.
dent-Bradford, recently appointed Attorney
General; Ross, q United States Senator, and
Judge Yates, Of the Supreme Court of Penn
sylvania-to visit the insurgent counties, with
discretionary powers, to arrange any time
prior to the 14th of September for a submis-
sion to the laws. The invasion of a sovereign
State by United States troops is always to be
dreaded. 1t had, however, the effect of re-
storing quiet, and at the Parkinson Ferry con-
Vention (of the insurgents) resolutions were
adopted submitting to civil law and recon-
mending all delinquents who had not already
secured indemnity to surrender for trial, and
agreeing that the excise duty may be COL
lected. The charges Of this instruction upon
the National Treasury amounted to one million
one hundred thousand dollars ."-( Constitu
tional History of the United Stntes, vol 1, D.
129 ct seq
On the 18th of August of that year, the pro-
clamation of President Washington vas issued,
warning the insurgents to return to their
homes and pursue their peaceful avocations,
and in case of refusal on their part, that he
'ro'rld sustain the lGIUS by force. In his private
correspondence he spoke in terms OF "indigna-
ton and adherence of the "daring infrac-
tion of law and order" perpetrated by the in
surgents, and charged them with being "the
first formidable fruits of Democratic societies."
established by Monsieur Genet. President
Grant and General Sheridan have strictly fol-
lowed the precedent of the Father of the
Country, in acts and language, and the abuse
heaped upon them is an equal reproach to the
memory of Washington.
2. In the year 1860 an insurrection occurred
on the Rio Grande frontier of Texas, led by
Juan n. Cortjna, who was then the chairman
of the Democratic Executive Committe of
Cameron county, and the most influential man
in that section of the State, and who is now the
president of the City Council of the heroic city
of Matamoras, and a Brigadier- General in the
Mexican army. This instruction is known
historically as the "Cortina raid"
The following is an extract from pron,sncia-
nleHto issued by Cortina to the inhabitants of
Texas of Mexican origin, and it presents a
strange family likeness to similar documents
of his fellow Democrats of the White League
order:
When the State of Texas began to receive the
new organization which its soUeFeiQntV required
as an integrant part Of the Union, tiocks Of vam-
piTes. democratic carpet-baggers,) in the guise
Of men, came and scattered themselves in the
settlements without any capital except the cor
rupt heart and the most perverse Intentions.
Some, orimtul Of laws, pledged to US their pro-
assembled in shadoWy councils, attempted and
excited the robbery and burning OF the houses Of
while others, to the abusing Of our unlimited con-
hdence, when we entrusted them with our land |
titles, which secured the future of our families,
refused TO return them, under false and frivolous
preteXts-all, in short, with q smile on their
faces, giving the lie to that which their black |
entrails were meditating. Many OF you have |
chased, murdered, and hunted like wild beasts,
because your labor was fruitful, and because |
them. voice Internal said from the bottom Of |
their soul, XIII them; the greater will be our |
gain"
By such appeals Cortina rallied around him |
about 500 men, who spread terror along the |
entire Rio Grande border of Texas. The Fed |
eral troops had been removed from that State |
by traitor Twiggs in anticipation of the rebel |
lion, which was then being initiated by the |
Democratic politicians of the South with the |
and connivsnce of the Democratic |
national administration. But as the period for |
this had not arrived, there went up lusty call |
from Texas to the National Government to
send troops to suppress the Instruction. The |
troops were hurried to The Rio Grande frontier |
under the gallant Heintzleman, and they soon |
crushed out Cortina and his "banditti," aud |
they remained on the Rio Grande until they |
were in the next year basely surrendered by |
the traitor Twiggs to a more formidable rebel |
lion. We heard then no deRunciation of the |
National Administration for sending troops to |
suppress the insurrection against the peace |
and dignity of the "sovereign" State of Texas,
no tender appeals to the sacred guarantees of |
the Constitution in favor of men in arms and |
attempting tc control the affairs of the coun-
try by a military organization. If there be any |
difference between General Cortina and Gen |
eral Ogden, as a question of law, fail to per-
ceive it. They both resorted to arms instead |
of the laws for redress of grievances real or |
pretended, and they equally subjected them
selves to the same responsibilities and the |
same cNsstisement for their illegal and insur-
acts. These are the precedents, but |
these two are sufficient.
REMARKs.-The existence of an armed mil |
itary organization of any political party in this
country is an overthrow of republican govern
ment, because If one political party arms itself |
the other is necessarily compelled TO arm in
If the armed organization Of the /
White League is suffered to continue, then |
the Loyal League and the Grand Army of the
Republic will be compelled to arm or to sur
render all voice as citizens of the country in /
the government of the country. The White
League must be suppressed by the enforce
ment of the laws against such organizations of