The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-01-21
THE CASTLE BUILDER.
BYH. W. LoNGFELLow.

With greater marvels and more gIoriiied.
Build on, and make thy castles high and fair,
Rising and reaching upward to the skies;
Listen to voices in the upper air.
Nor lose thy simple faith in mysteries.
SPEECH OF
|SEN NATOR SCHURZ
On the Louisiana Outrage.
In the United States Senate. on the
l1th inst, Senator Schurz called up
the resolution submitted by him the
Friday previous, instructing the Ju-
dietary Committee to inquire what
legislation of Congress is necessary to
secure to the people of Louisiana
their rights of self-government under
the Constitution, and report with the
least possible delay by bill or other
wise.
The telegraph furnishes the follow
ing synopsis of his speech on the occa-
sion:
Mr.. Schurz then spoke in favor of
the resolution submitted by him. He
said he approached the subject in no
party spirit. About to retire to pri :
vate life, the success of no party would
| benefit him, nor tho defeat of any iu-
jure him. The subject now before the
Senate was so great that passion or
prejudice should find no place in the
| breasts Of Senators in discussing it..
He did not think the debate of last
| week premature or in advance of the
facts. All the important facts of the
case were in the possession OF the Sem
ators.
He then reviewed the scenes in
Louisiana of Monday last attending
the organization. of the Legislature,
the interference of the military, &C.,
and said: What provision of the Con-
stitution, what laws are there on the
statute book furnishing a warrant for
such proceedings 1t is said, in extern
uation of the interference of the mill.
tary power OF the United States, that
the persons elected from the Legisla-
ture by the Federal soldiery were not
legally-elected members of that Legis-
lature. Suppose that had been so;
but that is not the question. The
question is, Where is theConstitution
al principle-where the law authoriz.
ing United States soldiers with mus
kets in their hands to determine who
is legally elected member of State
Legislature and who not? 1t is said
that the mode of organizing that Leg
islature was not in accordance with
the statutes of that State. Suppose
that to have been SO; but that is not
the question. The question is, Where
is the Constitutional or legal warrant
for the bayonets of Federal soldiery to
interpret the statutes of States, and to
decide for and in a Legislature points
of parliamentary law?
It is said that the Governor request
ed the aid of United States soldiers TO
purge the Legislature of illegal men,
bers. That may be SO but that is NOT
the question. The questioh is, Where
is the law authorizing United States
soldiers to do the bidding of State
Governor who attempts to decide who
arc to be members of Legislature
regularly convened at the place and at
the time fixed by law? 1t is said that
trouble was threatened between the
contending parties in Louisiana. Sup
pose that had been so; but that is not
the question. The question is. Where
is the law from which the National
Government, in case of threatened
trouble in State, derives its power
to enter Legislative body by armed
force, to drag out persons seated as
members of the State Legislature, that
others may take their places Where
is the law, 1 ask? You will search
Constitution and statutes in vain.
1t is my deliberate judgment, con-
scientiously formed, that the deed
done on the 4th of January in Louisi-
ana constitutes a gross and manifest
violation of the Constitution and laws.
We have an act before us indicating
spirit in our Government which is
either ignorant of the Constitution or
laws, or SO interprets them that they
cease to be safeguard OF the inde-
pendence of legislation, the rights and
liberties of the people and that spirit
shows itself more alarming still in the
instrument the Executive has chosen
to carry out his will. No American
citizen can have read without profound
regret, and equally profound appre-
hension, the recent dispatch of Gener-
al Sheridan TO the Secretary of War,
In which he suggests that numerous
class of citizens should by wholesale
be outlawed as bandit by mere pro-
clamation Of the President, to be de-
livered over to the Military Com.
mander for summary punishment by
a Military Commission. Nobody re-
spects General Sheridan more than /
do for his brilliant deeds OIL the field
of battle. The Nation has delighted
in honoring his name, and the Nation
would sincerely deplore to see the he
70 of the Ride of Winchester" and
tho "Charge at Five-forks" stain his
I,xr Oft n
laws and lead charge against the con-
1t is another illustration how great u
man may be as soldier, and how
conspicuously unable to understand
what civil law and a Constitution
mean how glorious in fighting for
you, but how little fit to govern you.
On all sides we hear questions ask
ed: If this can be done in Louisiana,
if such things be sustained by Con-
gress, now long will it be before it can
be done in Massachusetts and Ohio
How long before the constitutional
rights of all the States, the self-gov-
ernment OF all the people will be
trampled under foot? How long be-
fore General of the army may sit i'm
the chair you occupy to decide con-
tested elections in order to make a
majority in the Senate, and before a
soldier will stalk into the House of the
Nation'sRepresentatives, and pointing
to the Speakers mall, say, "Take away
than bauble?"
Mr.. Schurz said he contemplated
the present crisis with grave appre-
tensions that our t;me-honored con-
stitu,ional principles would be grad
ually obliterated by repeated abuses
of power, establishing themselves as
precedents, and that the machinery of
| The Administration may become more