The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-01-21
XIII. CONGRESS.
i. +, THE LOUISIANA PROBLEM.
Senator SchurZ Gives His Views
g.d,' at Length, y, w,
WASHINGTON, January IL, 1915.
THE SENATE. ''


THE SENATE.
Mr.. Clayton moved that the Senate
proceed to the consideration Of his reso-
luton calling upon the Secretary of War
for the repart of Major Lewis Merrill, &c.
Agreed to. ''
He then moved to amend the resolu-
ton by striking out the concluding por-
ton in reference to the Coushatta trou-
bles and inserting the words relating to
certain disorders in Louisiana"
Mr.. West said while Congress was con-
sidering events in Louisiana, it might as
well give some attention to events near
at home. Itshould not forget that here
in the city of Washington, in the CdpitdJ
of yesterday was II direct proposition for
the assassination of the President.
Mr.. Thurman-Which Capital, Dom
Piatt's Capital or this Capitol? Laugh
ter.
Mr.. West then sent to the Clerks desk
and had read the article from the capital
of Yesterday commenting on the recent
anonymous letters threatening assassina-
ton and stating that such course would
be deplorable, but lawless violence is u
dangerous game and sometimes ends III
the destruction of its instigators He al
so had read communication signed }.
ii. H., published in the New York Trl-
bune on Saturday last, concluding as fol-
lows: @t.tU a.. ...U aUt 80
"Some one will play Brutus to Grants
Caesar without fail, which by the way
would be great blessing to the counr
try" },y moa lt y' ..ma = %,
Resuming his arguments, Mr. WeaF
said there was an atmosphere OF assas7
sination not only in Washington, but in
the metropolis Of the country, and asked
if the Senator from Ohio. Thurman, }
would be faceti0us over this He( (West)
knew the Senator would rise III his seat
and condemn the assassination, ,1sH
b Mr.. Clayton said-When tire Senator
(West) asked if anySenator here defend
ed assassination he put an lmperllnept
and insolent question. This was not the
country for assassination, There never
was an assassination in America which
the whole American people did not con-
demn. The attempt ofthe Senator Vest
to create an impression here that assas-
sination was in the air was about the
airiest bubble ever found in an empty
head. Great Laughter.
The amendment submitted by Mr..
Clayton to strike out the words in refer
ence to Coushatta md insert the words
relating to certain disorders in Louis
lana" was agreed to.
| nf M, nolI
ing for the official report of General
Emory in regard to disorders in any way
connected with the late election was also
agreed to and the resolution as amended
adopted.
sCHURz ON LOUISIANA.
Mr.. Schurz then called up the resolu-
ton submittec by him on Friday last
instructing the Judiciary Committee to
inquire what legislation of Congress is
necessary to secure to the people of Louis.
lana their rights of self-government un.
der the Constitution and report with the
least possible delay by bill or otherwise
He said he had approached the sub.
! ject in no party spirit, About to retire
10 private life, the success of no party
would benefit him nor the defeat of any
injure him. 1t is said in extenuation Of
the interference of the military power Of
the United States that the persons eject
ed from the Legislature by the Fedora
soldiery were not legally elected mem
bers. Suppose that had been so, but
that is not the question. The question
is where is the constitutional principe
where the law authorizing United STAGES
soldiers, with muskets in their hands
to deter nine who is legally a lnember o.
the State Legislature and who not? Il
is said that the mode of organizing thai
Legislature was not in accordance with
the statute of the Stale; also, that the
Governor requested the aid of United
States soldiers to purge the Legislature
of illegal members; also, that trouble
4 was threatened between the Contendinl
parties in Louisiana. These are not the
questions at issue. The question is where
is the law from which the national gov
ernment, in case Of threatened trouble in
State rives its power to invade the
4 Legislative body by an armed force, tc
+, drag out persons seated as members OF q
State Legislature that others may take
their places? 1t is my deliberate judg
ment that the deed done on the 4th o
January in Louisiana constitutes gross
and manifest violation of the Constitu
ton and law, ..i...e ..if. ru.f a
/ No American citizen can have reaC
without profound regrets and equally
profound apprehension the recent dis
patch of General Sheridan to the Secre
tary of War in which he suggests that 1
numerous class of citizens should by
wholesale be Outlawed as banditti by
mere proclamation of the President TO bt
delivered over to the military comman
der for summary judgment by military
commission. On all sides we hear ques
tions asked, if this can be done i'll Louis
iana-if such things be sustained by Con
gress-how long will it be before it cal
be done in Massachusetts and Ohio
How long before the constitutional right
of all States, self-government of all peo
pie will be trampled under foot? How
long before General Of the army ma,
sit in the chair you occupy to decide con
tested elections in order to make majori
} ty in the Senate? And before soldie
will stalk into the House of the nation
Representatives and pointing to th,
Speakers mall say" "Take away tina
bauble?" He contemplated the presen
crisis with grave apprehensions that ou
time-honored constitutional principles b,
gradually obliterated by repeated abuse,
of power establishing themselves, ant
that the machinery of the administra
ton may become more and more a mer,
instrument of ring rule,
DEPLoRABLE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS
He commented upon the condition o
affairs in the South, and said ongres,
passed laws comforting upon the Nationa
Government dangerous powers of very
doubtful constitutionality. The effcc
was most deplorable in several ways
Your partizans in the Southern States
and among them the greediest and cor
ruptest of the kind began to look upor
Congress and the National Executive a.
a