Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-12

Secretary OF war.
Two days after, Commissioner" oi
the Nel0 York Herald called on the va.
riOus members of the Cabinet, to learn
their views on the New Orleans coup
de main. Secretary Fish distinctly de-
MES hearing Of or seeing the above
dispatch from Belknap until it was
shown to him in the newspapers. Sec
rotary BristOw was equally emphatic,
saying: "The dispatch sent to Gen.
Sheridan by the Secretary of War say
ing that the President and the Cabi-
net approved Of his course, was never
seen by me until I saw it in the news
papers, and I had not been called on,
therefore, to approve or disapprove it. "
Postmaster Jewel answeredto the same
effect IN the following words:
Il never saw the dispatches of the
Secretary of War to Gen. Sheridan
saying that the President and all Of
the Cabinet approved of his course,
until saw them in the newspapers.
do not doubt the legal right of the
President to send troops into any
State; but l view with apprehension
any armed interference by the Execu.
tive, even Of State, to dispense a leg
islative body, if it has not, by violence
toward other citizens, become q mob.
But, whether there was actual disorder
and riotOus conduct in the Legislature
at New Orleans, is not officially known
here. am no lawyer; but / had sup
posed that a Legislature is the sole
Judge of the rights and qualifications
of its memners as members. and that
redress for It's action must be sought
through the judicial, rather than from
the Excessive department of the gov.
eminent. l had supposed that the
connection of the Chief Executive of a
State with the Legislative branch of a
State was to approve or disapprove its
acts and enforce its laws, when not |
forbidden by adverse decisions of the |
Judiciary"
Secretary Delano was absent, but he |
is understood to endorse the Presi- |
dents course. When Belknap him
self was approached, he stated simply: |
81 will not say a word on the subject"
This is perhaps as much as could be
expected from the author Of the dis.
patch. The queerest response, how
ever, was that elected from Robson,
of the Navy, who summed up his opin-
ion Of Louisiana affairs thus: "You
may say in answer to your questions,
that Secretary Robson says he is a
law-abiding citizen" This response
recalls the willy wisdom of the ancient |
Delphic Oracle. Attorney General
Williams professed to have no precise |
or official information about the inter |
ference with the Legislature, and felt, |
rs the law officer of the Crown (Gov-
eminent, we mean that he could ex-
press no opinion In advance.
From the above, it will be seen that
Belknap's phrase call of us" certain
y does not include Fish nor Bristow
nor Jewell Robson deliberately |
mounts the fence by his ambiguous
answer. Delano, being Secretary of
the Interior only, was less likely to be
consulted than Fish or Bristow. Thus
Belknap's comprehensive expression,
the President and all Of US" actually
includes only one third party, VII
iams. "All Of us, then, consists of
he Triumvirate Grant, Williams and
Belknap. 1t will be remembered that,
asst fall, Grant placed Belknap and the
whole War Department under the con-
srol of Attorney Williams. If we are
living under a Triumvirate, and of this
it Is well enough that the
people should know it.
Vice President Wilson and Speaker
Blaine speak plainly in condemnation
# the dispersion of the Legislature.
Other leading Republicans entertain
similar views; yet all of them would
10 doubt rejoice if the people of New
Orleans should lose patience under op-
Ariot, a solitary murder, or
attempt at murder, mere street brawl,
would be GOd-send to the party. The
Iilent waiting of Louisiana, the calm
less that brOOds over her borders,
whether born Of despair or of hope,
,af1es President and partisan alike.
Iet us, by the manifestation of our
hold up the hands of that
people, while they pray for
Ieliverance. We cannot do less.