The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-03-18

DlSIflCI OOuTJ OI Jub OHlI6u pIilSS Huu
assumed jurisdiction of the question in
the same or any other way and to decide
who was elected, and undertaken to de-
eide upon the election of members of the
Legislature, and the President had sent
the military to enforce this decision OF
the Federal Court and to place in power
and sustain the candidate in whose favor
the Court had decided. While the peo-
pie of Michigan might not object to the
action of the military in preserving the
lives of citizens against insurrection and
violence, would they be likely to recog-
nize the validity of the government thus
imposed upon them2 Would they be
likely quietly to submit to it? The peo'
pie of Michigan are law-abiding peo'
pie, but | know them well enough to
venture the assertion that it would take
several REGIMENTS of soldiers to keep
them quiet under government thus inn
posed, and more than all the armies OF
the United States to make them love OF
respect it. They would see, as know
they do to-day see and feel, that the cleo
ton ofa State Governor or State Legis-
lature was not to be decided, nor the State
government run, or prevented from run
ming, by the flat of Federal court, and
that even the Executive of this Federal
Government had no right to decide the
question for the State or to institute or es-
tablish State government for them. The
argument here urged in behalf Of Mr..
Pinchback involves this very principle-a
principle which would place in the hands
ofthe Executive Department ofthis Gov
ernment the right and the power to rev.
olutionize every State government in the
Union, and bind not only the States but
both branches of Congress to recognize
that revolution. Such a principle cannot
be sound. The arguments in favor of 1t
begin in fallacy and end in absurdity.
A WARNING TO CONGRESS-
Speaking of the Presidents action in
this matter Mr.. Christiancy said; In al
this see no evidence Of that deliberate
usurpation or intention to establish any
irresponsible despotism which has been
charged and | repel the charge as one of
the extravagances Of heated partisanship
which often leads men to believe what
in aiteryears and upon due reflection they
discover 10 have been wild and absurd,
But here and now We are endeayoring to
discover and apply the truest principle
which should govern the question of the
admission of Mr.. Pinchback as a aSenator;
and if we are wise we shall act upon no
principle which we should not be willing
to see applied to our own State. For as
in the case of individuals no man can vi
olate the rights of another without en-.
dangering his own, so we, as the repre-
scntatives Of States and their people, can
not violate the constitutional rights of
another State or its people without en-
dangering our own States and our own
people. The time may come when our
present positions may be reserved, and
when those now in a minority may
hold the power of enforcing their
own views of government. and the
poisoned chalice we now present
to the State and people of Louisiana may
be commended to our own lips. Let rs,
therefore, disregard all mere partisanship,
and actupon the broad principles of equal
Justice, which is the highest statesman
ship, and refuse to establish new and,
al least, questionable principle, which
may return to plague the inventors.
LOUISIANA OPPOSED TO KELLOGG,
According to my reading of the evil
dence, and according to the report made
to this Senate in 1873 and those recently
made to the House, the majority of the
people of Louisiana are opposed to the
kellogg government and to Mr.. Pinch
back as their representative in the Sen
ate, and they would of course prefer be-
ing unrepresented to being misrepre-
sented, and are not, therefore, likely to
complain ofany special grievance arising
from his rejection.
The Senate then, at 2:30 p. M, on mo-
ton of Mr.. Cameron, rep, Pa.) went
into Executive session, At 3:45 the
doors were reopened, and the Senate ad-
journed till tomorrow.