Wilmington journal., 1875-01-29
FIXED BAYONETS.

When President Grant saw that his
party was not prepared TO endorse
Sheridan's dispatch and conduct, and
that his Cabinet was about to dissolve,
he sent to Congress q Special Mes
sage, patchwork Of apology and de-
fance, in which by military ''feint, ;"
he pretended to give way before the
popular indignation. In this Message
he said /:
81 am well aware that any military
interference by the officers or troops
of the United States with the organic
ation of State Legislature or any Of
its proceedings, or with any civil de-
partment of the government, is repug-
nant to our ideas of government. l
: can conceive Of no case not involving
rebellion or insurrection where such
Interference by authority of the Gen
eraiI Government ought to be permit
ted or can be Justified"
Declarations like these saved the
threatened rupture OF his Cabinet, and
{ caused some of the Northern papers to
texcuse his conduct.
But few days elapsed af-
ter these apologctic disclaimers
before his honesty in making
them was put to the test. Gov
ernor Ames, of Mississippi, desired
the removal of a Sheriff, and called
upon the President for troops. Aud,
although the President had pTcmis cd
Congress and the country that he
would only use the army IN cases IN
volying rebellion and insurrecti0n. "
he ordered his soldiers to interfere
with the civil department Of the Gov
ernment, not only when the Courts
were open, but III the very presence Of
the Court The facts as now fully de-
veloped are as follows: It seems that
there was Constitutional question as
to the legality Of the election, some
three weeks ago. of A. j. Flanagan, as
Sheriff of Warren county. The negro
Crosby, whose failure to procure sus-
ficient bonds led to the demand for his
removal, and whose determination to
hold his office in spite of law produced
the attack upon Vicksburg by his in
fatuated colored adherents, had re-
signed, under compulsion, as he as
serts. Flanagan had been elected in
his place, had given bonds which the
Supervisor accepted and was duly in
stalled in Office. But Ames' Legisla-
ture, in the recent called session, lad
repealed the law authorizing special
elections in certain cases, and there
was therefore a legal question as to
the validity of the choice OF the new
Sheriff, proper for judicial settlement.
This was the situation, peaceful and
decorous and involving only the tech
nical construction of point Of law, n
which Federal troops were called 20
interfere. Tie manner IL which it was
done is a bold aff.ront TO the idea OF
civil government. Gov. Ames, having
determined that Flanagan's certificate
of election from the proper civil an
thorities was invalid, telegraphed
Grant for troops to turn out the Sheriff.
The President transmitted his order tC
Sheridan. and the Lieutenant General
forthwith directed his subordinate8 al
Vicksburg to do the will OF Ames. The
whole affair was conducted with the
simple and open directness of absolu,
ton. Ames only expressed the wish
that a certain Sheriff should be dis.
possessed of his Office without a Judi
cial proceeding, and the President
promptly sent troops to carry out the
design.
This interference though less grelt
in its consequences than the dispersal
of the Louisiana Legislature, it is
quite as alarming. Coming SO soon
after Grants apparent apology for the
other, it is even more significant and
disregardful of public sentiment. 1t
demonstrates that he intends to make
and unmake Governors and Legisla
lures and to use force to determine who
shall hold municipal and county Off
ces.
And to what end