The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-01-09
FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON, January $.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Mr.. Sargent moved the Senate proceed
TO the consideration of House bill making
appropriations for naval services for the
year ending June 80, 1875. Agreed to.
The bill was then read and the amend
ments reported by the committee were
concurred in.
Mr.. Lewis, Of Virginia, introduced II
bill to aid the Washington and ONO
Railroad Company in the construction OF
its road to the Ohio river. Referred.
The Senate then resumed the considera-
ton of unfinished business being the
resolution of Mr.. Thurman in regard to
| Louisiana.
Mr.. Bayard Favors the Resolution.
Mr.. .Bayard said that the two years ago
he offered the reslutien calling
for report from the President for ntor-
nation in regard to the conduct of Ma
ior Lewis Merrill, of the United States
Army in South Carolina Then as now
the Senator from New York, Mr.. Conk-
ling. offered an amendment leaving 1t
discretionary with the President to ans
wer that resolution which as amended
passed the Senate March Sd, 1873, and to
tbis day the President had treated it
with contemptuous silence With full
knowledge of the conduct of Major Mer-
rjl in South Carolina. he had been sent
to green fields, and pastures new IN
Louisiana. Never since the time when
American colonies had parted themsel-
YES from England had people i'll this
country been brought face to face with
greater questions than those Of to-day.
The Issue was whether:We should
hayea Free GOycrnemnt or Mill
tary Dictatorship.
The remarks from the Senator from
Indiana, Mr.. Morton; Vermont Edwards
and Illinois Logan, were calculated to
obscure the question, by partisan appeals:
to divert the minds of the people from
the true merits of the case. Mr.. Bayard
then spoke of the Circumstances attending
the organization of the legislature Of
Louisiana, the Returning Board, &c. He
asked the Senate and the American pcO-
ME if President Grant had II legal war
rant to interfere in the organization of
that legislature. and declared that this
debate would close and no lawyer would
be able to produce any statute showing {"
warrant tor any such action. Mr.. Bay
ard then quoted from the speech deliver
ed by him in the Senate on the ith OF
February. 1873, in which he
argued the dangers which were
menacing the liberties ofthc people from
Louisiana. Had the policy Of the Pres-
/ dent been modified since then? No,
sir There was not one case where the
/ displeasure of the President had been
! signiiied by the removal of an improper
/ official. Not single instance of rcbukc.
! Sheridan had been sent to New Orleans
secretly to dragoon the people OF LoulSI-
ana. He arrived there only thrccsdays
before the meeting of the Legislature;
! he conferred with none of those who had
the welfare of the State ut hand, but
only with Kellogg and his adhercnts,
and then produced from his own pockets
the authority to assume command;
other officers of the army higher and
lower than Sheridan had been passed
/ over. and he was personally selected t"
| interfere thus with the organization of
the State Legislature. He Mr. Bayard)
/ did not wish to detract from the glorles
/ of this officcr-they were won III Il ca
reer of rough war; but he was an officer
of the army of the United States, fed
and clothed by the people and the SER
want of the people, IN no way their mas
| ter. He then read from the Constitution
| of the United States, and said, if this
cavalry officer, with whatever glory he
/ NAV have attained by his sword, l.
! stronger than our guarantees OF liberty,
then let us know it now. Theis cannot
be raised too soon. Mr.. Bavard then
quoted from the dispatches Of Sheridan,
to the Secretary of War, and asked, who
would say that this officer. Sheridan was
even fit to breath the air of Il Republican
government. He next quoted from Il
| dispatch of Sheridan urging that certain
persons be declared banditti, and SAID
| il there was now the tone III the EXecu-
tive Department of this country that
there once was, officer Sheridan would
never sign his name again as ldeuten-
ant. General of the United States army.
! Ifthat officer had been in hostile coun.
try, he could not have made more bru-
tai or bloody threat. Such language AS
that used in his dispatch, was like that
used by the captain of band of Jmnnis-
saries asking for instructions from some
Oriental dcspot. Gen. Sheridan had no
quality to fit him for the duties to COM
mand Louisiana. His first quality
should be good will towards the people of
/ the State.
Mr.. Bayard then read the dispatch of
Secretary Bclknap approving the course
of General Sheridan, and SAID the disgust
which he Mr. Bayardl felt at the Ian
cuage of General Sheridan was rather
Increased towards him who would pen
such an answer He believed the
American people wouli rcpudIatr Bel
khan and all those who undertook to en-
dnrse this action of General Sheridan.
The proposition was here presented for
the first time that the President
of the United States could,
of his own motion, adJudSe the
fact that such domestic violence existed
in the State ms would justify him in in
terfering in the organization OF the state
! Legislature. The powers vi Wv ''"'c
Legislature to judge Of the qualification
and election of its own members were
lust ms secure us the powers Of the
Congress of the United States
to Judge its ombcrs. If Congress per
miitted such power as this to be exercised
by the President in Louisiana to-day, 1t
might be exercised in New York to-mor-
row and Massachusetts next day,
and to the Congress of the United
States on the 4th of March next.
A single brigade could take
charge Of the capital on the 4th of March
next and shut out the people and give
the seats to the friends Of ths dominant
party. Only to-day was the Anniversary
Of the battle of New Orleans, battle
which covered the American armies with
glory. Should the glory OF 1913 be dim
med or clouded by the shame OF 1879;
WAS il TO be that those who fought against
fearful odds to defend that city IN 1910,
fought for nothing? 1t may have been
tbat mistakes were made, and that mis-