The New York herald., 1876-12-05
President Grants Interference
south Carolina.


ers of any purpose to interfere with the
Legislature of South Carolina, and his
denials that he has done So his conduct re-
mains open to censure. 1t is no secret that
there was difference of opinion in the
Cabinet, and that the point in dispute re-
lated to the action of the troops at Colum-
bia last Tuesday and tho three follow
ing days. Ii President Grants inten-
tion in the beginning conceded with
the Cabinet decision of Friday it is difficult
to conceive what the dissension in the Cabi-
net was about, or what occasion there could
have been for protest by some of the
members. After the Cabinet decision had
away his previous conduct and to reconcile
it with the view finally adopted. But that
was too evidently an afterthought. Had
his first purpose been what he now claims
there would have been no room for n dis
pute among his official advisers. After
all his explanations and excuses the
fact remains that the State House at Colum-
bia was taken possession by federal troops
twelve hours in advance Of the time ap-
pointed for tho meeting of the Legislature !;
that members were refused admission and
the passage blocked against them by federal
soldiers, and that their credentials were
scrutinzed and passed upon by persons
having no other authority than the federal
bayonets which protected them. These facts
must have been known in Washing
ton within half an hour after they oc-
Cured but no countermanding order
was sent to General Ruger. The whole
country was kept in excitement and alarm
for three days before any attempt was made
to quiet and reassure it, when, after n long
Cabinet consultation, u lame attempt was
made to explain away the facts. A purpose
to interfere with tho organization of the
Legislature was only then disavowed. The
public naturally believes that ''change of
base" was forced on the President by the in
dignant rebukes of the press and the pro-
tests of dissenting members of the Cabinet
At first the President listened to bad ad-
visers. 1t is true that no blood has been shed
by General Ruger's troops; but can it be
said that they have practised no CO
ercon? They were standing menace to
the Legislature and seemed to court pre-
text for converting menace into fact. They
have acted like tall bully unwilling to
strike the first blow lest he should be prose-
cuted for assault and battery, but eager for
provocation to pitch in. What took
place yesterday looked like a deliberate
plan to get up a scene of violence
in order that the federal troops
might have an excuse for intervening
Governor Chamberlain's special constables
had assembled in the State House in large
force ready to pounce on democratic men,
bers and drag them out, and his minions
pretended that federal troops were in
readiness to support them if resistance
should be made. 1t was expected that
the special constables would succeed in pro-
voking scufle, pretend that they were
overpowered and call on the troops for
help. The democrats were too wary
to be caught in this cunning trap.
Their Speaker gave them notice Of
the stratagem, and they adjourned to
another place. This attempt to provoke
breach Of the peace for the mere purpose Of
creating an occasion for military inter
ference deserves to be denounced, and if
| any officer abetted it he should share the
| denunciation. Tho democratic members
wisely avoided furnishing the pretext for,
the ice once broken, the soldiers would not
stop. AS soon as. they had on excuse for
interposing to ''restore order they would
be masters of the situation and would not
loosen their grip. Chamberlain's satellites
were seeking breach through which the
soldiers might enter.
| 1t is assumed by the President and his
apologists that his right to intervene to keep
the local peace is unauestionable. This is
fundamental error. 1t is no part Of the
business of the federal government to do
police duty in the States. This function
belongs to the State governments. 1t is only
when their power has been exerted and
| has failed that the federal authority
can interpose, and then only in a
manner which is strictly marked out by law
Any interference to maintain the local peace
in State is illegal and unwarranted until
all the conditions prescribed by the federal
statutes shall have been complied with.
The law does not permit the President to
give military assistance in every case in
which q State Governor may apply to him,
but only ''in case of an insurrection in any
State against the government thereof" As
yet there is no .insurrection in the State
of South Carolina against the govern
ment thereof" There is, in fact, no
insurrection at all nor any likelihood Of one,
and a mere scufile or bro!l between two po-
litical parties in the streets Of Columbia, or
even in the State House, would not be an
insurrection against the government" of
the State. A thousand applications from