Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-04-06


says
ain view Of the record OF law and facts
which is here presented, ask the Congress
20 right these WrODSs, 70 rebuke revolution,
70 protect all our citizens IN all their
rights, 70 put its condemnation upon the
illegal sCts Of dislOysl men, Of marsudeTs
and 'b2ndilti,' who have o0nspired TO over
throw the work Of reconstruction By set
ting up the present government Of Ar
kansas.
"If the proceedings in Arkansas are 70 90
Unrebuked and the result 10 stand as q pre-
cedent in American history and law, then
constitutions may be OyerthrOwn, and the
rights Of mInOrities trampled upon BY par
ties for any purpose in times Ofexcitement,
and there is 10 Smedy. Il is revolution
localized and secession made easy. This
precedent viii apply as well TO the National
as to q State government The fearful
consequences to flow from such principle
incorporated into our law l need not pre-
die, or speculate upon. There can be no
stability in the State or the nation on any
such basis; no protection or security for
minOrities, no safety for liberty. In this
case every form Of constitutional and
statute law was violated. The American
people cannot indOTse the result
And yet the majority Of the committee
on Arkansas affairs report in stronger Ian
guRge than does Mr.. Ward, that there is
peace. Notwithstanding the fact that you
and | know that life is as safe and property
as secure in Alabama, Mississippi and Ar
kansas, as it is to-day in the city of Boston
or New York, these gentlemen deliberately
report that banditti controlled the legisla-
tr1ras If fbOSa States
Now, then, 1 pass over to Gen. Sheridan
CONFIDENTIAL MISSION
10 New Orleans. He arrived there about
the first Of January, 1915, and on the very
night before the Legislature elected By the
people was to meet, he telegraphed to the
President, through the Secretary Of War,
in this way:
HEADQUARTERS DIVISION OF THE
MISSOURI, NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 1,
1S75.-W. W. Belknap, Secretary Of War,
Washington, d. c.: Il is with deep re-
gret that have to announce to you the ex-
iStence in this State Of a spirit Of defiance
to all lawful authority and IN insecurity of
life which is hardly realized by the Gen
eral Government or the country az large.
The lives of citizens have become so jeOp-
added, that unless something is done TO
give protection TO the people, all security
usually afforded by law will be Overridden.
Defiance TO the laws and the murder Of in
dividuals seem to be looked upon by the
community here from a standpoint which
gives impunity 10 all who choose 10 in
dulge in either, and the civil government
appears pOwerleSs to punish or even arrest.
l have tonight assumed control over the
nanarHroartF Of n Er,1F
"P. II. SHERIDAN,
"Lieutenant General United States Army"
War exists according TO Gen. Sheridan:
civil connection aud civil disturbances ex-
list; no protection for life or property, &C
cording to Gen. Sheridan. Turn then to
Gen. Butler and you will find the explana-
ton Of all this. Now here is Sheridan's
second telegram:
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION
OF MISSOURI, New ORLEANS, La, Jan.
5.-Hon. W. w. Belknap, Secretary Of
War, Washington, d. c.: | think the ter
rOrism now existing in Louisiana, MiSslsip-
pi and Arkansas could be entirely removed
and confidence and fair-dealing established,
by the arrest and trial Of the ring-leaders
of the armed White Leagues. If Congress
would pass bill declaring them banditti
they could be tried by military commits
sion. The leaders Of this banditti who
murdered men here on the 18th of last
September, and also more recently at
NicksbuTg, Miss, should, in justice 10 law
and order and the peace and prosperity Of
this southern part Of the country, be pun
ished. Il is possible that if the President
would issue a proclamation declaring them
banditti, that no further action need be
taken except that which would deyOlye
upon me. Z. Ii. SHERIDAN,
Lieutenant General L. ). Army
at is possible that if the President
would issue a proclamation, declaring them
banditti, no further action need be taken,
except that which would devOlve upon
me.7 No necessity Of suspending the writ
Of hGbeIS corpus 10 necessity 10 appeal 70
the people, who cherish their constitution
al rights as they do the virtue and manhood
Of their sons and daughters. Gentlemen,
you old men Of the Democratic party and
ole men Of the Wing party, retrospect with
me, If you please, to the canvass Of 1910.
Do you remember how this cOuatry was
startled by a proposition, made by Van
Buren's Secretary Of War, to organize the
militia Of the country? Il was called a
standing army People were aroused
for fear their liberties might be put
in the hanGs Of a military dictator. Now
here we have lived to see Il, that a party
charged with confidential mission asks
for quasi authority TO walk sCver the local
judiciary tribunal, aud take in his own
hands the lives and property Of its people.
Great God gentlemen, are You surprised
that the Vice President Of the United,
States, and such men as William Cullen
Bryant and William Eyerts, leading Re
publicans, should rouse the people in their
might and bid them call upon their imme-
di2te representatives to arrest this tendency
in the Republican administration of the
Government?
THE ARKANSAS GOVERNORS.
Then look at Gen. Grants two messages
relative to the Governorship Of Arkansas.
After having declared Baxter the lawful
Governor, he sends to Congress a message
in which he states that Joseph Brooks is
the legal, duly elected Governor, and saws
to Congress, "If YOU don't DO something
the Executive will In che State Of Ar
kansas amendments TO the Constitution
are made as they are in Tennessee, and had
this threat to overthrow the Arkansas State
Government been carried into execution,
that Of every Southern State could have
likewise been OverthrOwn.
THAT CONGRESSIONAL DEAD LOCK.
Gov. Whitthorne here gave a detailed &C
count Of the parliamentary fillibustering 10y
which the Democratic minority sought ito
defeat the passage by a large Republican
majority Of the Civil Rights bill-which
struggle occupied a continuous session of
fOrty-nine hours, and the Force bill, over
which measure the fight lasted twenty-nine
hours.
He then explained his position on the
Texas and Pacific railroad question, saying
that although the bill, granting 4 govern
ment subsidy TO that road had not reached
a final vote, in the preliminary votes had
he had voted against it, as he had in
Dictated he would when making the
canvass last fall. He was opposed,
on principle, to Government or State aid
being extended private corporations, and in
this case it was proposed to loan to the
road $4,000 a mile for portion Of road
that is already built. lie did not consider
that the road, as proposed TO be built, would
Re Of any decided advantage to this State.
He held that if this region Of our country
is to be lifted up, it can be done c0nstitu-
tioually and much more ellectually by i'm
proving that great highway which God
Almighty himself had opened up-the Mis-.
sissippi river. Improve that and wealth
will flood in upon not only Tennessee, but
r1r,ou fyvaIvp or fFfaan Of bar sister X afae