New-York tribune., 1876-12-04
STRONG REPUBLICAN VIEWS.
WHAT GEN. sICKLEs THINKS OF THE
ELECTION.

r,xrN-APPRoyAL OF GEN. RUGERs COURSE
WHAT CONGRESS WILL DO ABOUT THE ELEC-
uoN-soUTH CAROLINA, FLORIDA AND LoUlsI-
ANA RIGHTFUILY HAYES sTATEs-DEMoCRATIc
AcQUIEscENCE IN THE RESULT.
General" said TRIBUNE reporter on Saturday
last to Maior-Gcn. Daniel E. Sickes, you have re-
Gently visited Washington; what impressions have
you in regard to the present political situation
Gen. Sicklcs-I found much less excitement IN
Washington than appears to exist elsewhere The
President maintains his usual calmneSS. lie seems
to be FREQ from pressure from any quarter lie ana
all his family are looking forward with muca
pleasure to the termination of his official career and
their anticipated visit to Europe 1t is natural he
should desire Gen. Hayes as his successor, and to
leave the Republican party in power, but am sat-
isfcd le will not exceed his duty hairs breadth IN
any step he may take respecting the result.
Reporter-Do you think Gen. Grant has in any
respect exceeded his duty in the assembling of troops
in Washington OF in sending them to the disputed
Statesi
Cen Sickles-I do not. Touching the presence
of troops in Washington, for example, am surprised
Mt the comments made upon it. Soon after the cleo
ton of Mr. Lincoln in 1860, Floyd in compliance
with instructions from President Buchanan, began
10 assemble troops in Washington. remember well
that in the January and February prior to the lnau-
guration of Mr. Lincoln there larger force OF reg
ular troops in Washington than had ever been seen IN
that city, SO large and imposing was this force that
Gen Scott, with his well-knOwn fOndness for such
displays, ordered a parade of the whole body ana
perhaps 10000 or 10000 people witnessed
the show. They came from New-YOrk, Philadelphia
baltimore Richmond, and other cities. Now it seems
10 Inc that If Buchanan and Floyd could assemble
large force of regulars in Washington without crlt
oism Grant and Cameron may do the same thlhg
with approval. AS regards sending troops 10 the
DISPUTED States j can DO fair ground Ior colh-
plaint The State Rights critic must remember
that in each instance the President has acteu upon
a constitutional reQuisitiOn made by the otato
authorities themselves. Gov. Chamberlain OF South
Carolina universally recognized as the Governor
made formal requsitiOn upon the President asking
him TO send troops to that State to protect II from
domestic violence. Section of the IYth Article
TO the Constitution says "The United States shall
guarantee to every State in this Union republic
can form of government, and shall protect each of
them against invasion, and on application OF the
Legislature or of the Executive when the Legsla-
ture cannot be convened against domestic violence
1t must be observed that the same obligation exists
to protect q State against domestic violence as
against invasion. Now what would be SAID OF ihc
President if he refused Co respond TO an application
made In him bv the Governor of New-York to pro-
tect this State from an invasion from Canala OF Dy
"a foreign feet Yet he is under the same Obligation
no more no less, to respond to the call made upon
him by Gov. Chamberlain. 1t President Grant had
failed TO respond to Gov. Chamberlains demand, he
would have made himself liable To- Impeachment
So much i'm answer to the State Rights criticism.
But it must not be supposed that the army OF Ule
United States Is trespaSsGr on AluerSai SOL ANY any
where There rs spot, whether III STATE OF ielT'
tory within boundaries, where the Unlted States
troops may not be stationed, whenever the interests
of public order Of the service suggest ther presence
in any particular locality. Many people have ac-
oured the habit of speaking OF the United states
forces as hey would Of some foreign army eneamp-
IN, ham / observed
illustration of this III leading Democratic journal
which III commenting upon the waning interest
shown in New-YoTk in the celebration OF Evacuation
Day, said "The people now look with much more
solictude for the evacuation OF New-Orleans ny
Grants soldiers than the ceebrauon 4i the cvacHa-
tion of New-1Ork by the Buush: oeheVe tlat
the Governors of Louisiana and Florida have ooth
made requests of the President to send troops 10
those States to assist the State authorities III man
taiainq order. What is certain Is that 10 complaint
has come from either Of them, and when the author
tiles of State invite and welcome the presence OF
soldiers within Jhcn DOuhuaIleS, "no hds
Reporter-What do You think has been the effect
OF the presence of troops IN the disputed StatesI
Gen. SicIes-Exeelent: They have maintained
order and except for their presence there is every
reason TO believe eonfhcU between .Do iui,elrlnS
parties would have been unavoidable. LII general
the officers of the army are not part ans ana What-
ever may be their preferences they are never SHOWN
In command. The greater part are opposed 10 negro
suffrage and are likely TO sympath1e with the Dem
Ocratic party of the South on that point. thmk
fhs arises partly from their reluctance to col
ored troops and colored officers admitted into the
army, against which there is still strong pIeJudlce
in army circles.
Occupying the State House in Columbiaf
Gen Sickles-The instructions sent to the General
by tie Secretary of War to support Gov. Cham
beTlain against any domestic violence when might
be attempted, and IT was Tor Gov Chamberlain 10
Indicate as no doubt he did, where and when the
public peace was likely to be disturbed, and to
point out to Gen. Ruger the locality in which his
force ought 10 he placed to preserve order. Gov
Chamberlain, il seems apprelended that the legls-
lative chamber would be occupied Dy aIihed hieh
whose presence would interfere with the peaceful
organization of the Legislature and he accordingly
requested Gen. Ruger to guard the entrance ana al
nit only those dulyelected members or the Leglsa-
ture who had right to occupy the 0Or OF TIE nalI
The members of the Legislature had night 70 look
to Gov. Chamberlain for protection. Indeed they
upon the only force within his reach adequate 10
meet the emergency, and IN my opinion
Gen. RugeT was entirely Justhed IN MS ac-
lion. must again remind the state Rights critics
that the United States troops, In occupying the
State House at Columbia, did so in compliance with
the request of the lawful Governor OF South Car
Ollna.
HAYES LEGALLY ENTITLED TO THE CONTESTED
STATES.
Reporter-Do you think, General, that Gov
Hayes will lawfully get the 1s5 votes necessary
to his election7
Gen. Sickles-Yes, / think he will. / have the
best reasons to know that during tue can
.vass all the letters addressed to the Repub-
Ecan National Committee from Florida, LOuis-
ana and South Carolina expressed the utmost
confidence IN carrying those States for Gov.
Hayes No well-infOrmed Republican in either
of them entertained doubt about their electoral
vote. The danger of intimidation and violence
from armed Democratic organizations was the
only apprehension expressed. These feaps have
been, unfortunately, to a considerable extent
realized, and the Republican vote has certainly
.HoI In oh of