New-York tribune., 1875-01-14


"terized the leaders of the White League In
:" severe terms, and suggested summary modes
of procedure against them, which. though
they cannot be adopted,yould. IL legal soon
"put an end to the troubles and disoraerS oi
"the State. Gen. Sheridan was LOOKING ~
I" facts and possibly not thinking OF proceed
"ings, which would be the only proper ones 10
"pursue in time of peace.' In other words, 1t
would be a good thing to do, and he would be
clad 70 approve of it, if it were not for the
drawback of its being just now time OF
peace. Well, let us be thankful for even so
much of q back down."
So far as the message can be considered an
answer to the call of the Senate, it Will be
seen that 1t contributes no new information
and only undertakes to escape responsibility
Respecting the alleged interference by the
military with the organization OF the Lesis-
"lature of Louisiana he says
"I have no knowledge orinfermatop which has not
been received By me since that time and published MY
first information from the papers OF tho morning OF
the 9Th OF January did not know that any such thiDg
was anticipated and orders nor suggestions were
ever given any military officer In that State upon snat
subject prior to the occurrence"
He admits that military Intervention is re-
pugnant to our ideas of government, and that
he can conceive of no case not involving
rebellion or insurrectiOn where it can be justi-
fed. But he goes on then to describe the
condition of affairs in the State and the appre-
tensions of disturbance, under which detach-
ments of troops were put under the orders OF
the United States Marshal and stationed at
points where they were supposed to be needed.
Under these circumstances, he says, "the oih-
" GERS and troops of the United States may
:" well have supposed that it was their duty
" to act when called upon for that purpose
pretty plain intimatiOn that If there was
anything wrong the blame belongs to " the
" officers and troops" who misapprehended
their authority. Ingenious, but certainly not
candid, and, we have strong reasons for
believing, not honest.
Having pushed off the responsibility for the
acts done by bis command upon Congress and
the officers and troops, and in slight degree
upon Kellogg, he proceeds to defend the
whole transaction, first saying that 1t Is per-
chaps q debatable question whether 1t was
"wrong for the Governor to call in the mill
"tary to defeat the lawlcss and revolution
cary proceedings" of the Conservatives. Ana
this is his summing up of it: "When those
" who ipaugurate disorder and anarchy dis
"avow such proceedings, it will be time
"enough to condemn those who, by such
"means as they have, prevent the success OF
"their lawless and desperate schemes" In
other words, if the President considers the
organization of Conservative Legislature the
Inauguration of disorder and anarchy, he is at
liberty to send troops to eject enough mem
bers to leave the body without a quorum, and
he is not to be condemned till they " "d5ayow
"such proceedings
The message throughout is partisan, one
sided document-a very weak defense OF
wrong and illegal transaction. 1t might be
summarized as recital of the partisan and
false statements of the Kellogg usurpation;
charge, without foundation, against the white
people of the State; a disavowal of response
bility on the part of the President. and
transfer and division of the same between
Congress, the officers and troops, and Kellogg
and mild explanation of Sheridan's infamous
dispatch with the comment that his sugGes-
ton would be excellent if it were not illegal
in time of peace to declare whole commu-
nifty banditti and Try them by military COM
mission. In the whole document he has not
admitted a single statement that did not come
directly and without proof from the upholders
of the Kellogg usurpatiOn. He does intimate
that Sheridan is no lawyer and is not tit for
the place he holds. Why does he not recall
him1