St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-04-16
From the st. lbans Advertiser.l
A Letter From Judge Poland.

The somewhat swelling cOngratula
lions that certain papers in Vermont
and outside of it heap upon Judge PO-
land and Senator Edmunds, represent
ing their recent political actions in
Congress as something in excess of their
ordinary party conduct, and us Il sort
of new departure that nobody naturally
would have expected from either of
these gentlemen, seems to us very alb
surd. A recent private letter from
Judge Poland, written to one of his in
quiring political and personal friends,
states the whole matter so simply that
we publish this portion of the letter for
the benefit of those Republicans who
wonder whether Judge Poland isn't
drifting into Democracy" and whether
his "Arkansas speech doesn't mean
that ..he has broken with President
Grant,"
| do not understand that Mr.. Ed
munds' action in the Pinchback case is
at all in conflict with any action the
President has taken, or in conflict with
any position the Republican party has
ever assumed in that case or any other
Kellogg and McEnery both claim to
he elected governor of Louisiana. Each
was try ing to yet into possession of the
office by every legal device, or by force,
if necessary. In this condition Kellogg
was put in possession of an order of the
L. 5. Judge. \ conflict of arms was
imminent. and both sides appealed to
the President. and he must either inter
ferc to keep the peace. or let them fight
it out He could not well wait to re-
view the legal proceedings before act
ing. and so for the time. he decided to
uphold Kellogg in the place. He. how
ever. treated this as Il mere temporary
thing. and called ut once OF Congress to
act in the matter, and decide what ought
10 he done: until Congress took action
the President could hardly do otherwise
than he did. He did not undertake To
decide anything; he merely upheld the
main in possession until il should he de
cided. When the question WAS up III amy
form for decision i'll Congress. taking one
side or the other of it. wHs III no conflict
with anything the President had done.
The President acted on the same princi-
pie in recognizing Baxter rs governor
OF Arkansas. hrcau>e he WAS in posses
sion under the form of legal induction.
The committee express their approval
bI lllil dtlitIl. anu lli'll ''lh i'l~I'll~
were in entire harmony with the Prr>i
dents original action.
But the Arkansas case hIanchcd oft
into another channel. and the great
question WAS whether the new con>titu-
ton adopted 10y the people of that state
WAS. So far either fraudulent or rcvoiu-
tionary as to Justify the National Gov
eminent in stepping in and setting ii
aside. and overthrow ing Il p'aceahlr
government existing under it.
The committee were clearly OF the
opinion that il WAS wholly on of the
proper jurisdiction of the national go,
eminent. The President WAS made Ia
think otherwise. nuh there. of c"Iirsr
differed with the President. But oar
action WIS Wholly in harmony with his
first action. and as believe in entire
harmony with the general sentiment of
the Republican party. think the Pies
ident was entirely deceived III regard
to the facts of the Arkansas raSc. Wash
iugtou was fUll of Arkansas refugees
al winter. and II was matter OF pnliti
cal life 81 death with them, aud they
were 10y lao means Scrupuluu> as To-
what thcN said. My action in the M It
ter was. | think, required by the plain
est principles of constitutional law. and
10y the principles of the Republican,
party. 50 fan rs the President held
different views. think the; were caus-
ed 10y an erroneous view of the facts,
and that most unweaIicd and persistent
and wicked efforts WcIc USED to deceive
him. As soon rs the opinion of even
one House of Congress WIS expressed.
he acqnicSccd at once. and directed
the departments Ia recognize Garland
as Governor. LIKE L. POLAND.