The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-11-23
PLAIN WORDS.

! PLAIN WORDS.
What Two Gallant Ex-Federal Sol-
! diers Say of the Proclamation.
| Speaking of the Presidents proclama-
ton, yesterday, General james McQuade,
who served with distinction in the late
war, said: General Frank Blair was a
prophet when he said that if Grant once
got into the White House he would not
get out again, and that he would not
hesitate to use the army and navy of the
! United States to perpetuate his authority.
There is not the slightest doubt that
Louisiana and Florida have gone Demo
cratic by decisive majorities, and the
troops have been sent down there to up.
hold the Louisiana Returning Board and
the Board of Canvassers in Florida in
carrying out the intended fraud of giving
their electoral vote to the Republicans.
Now, if Louisiana and Florida had
squarely gone Republican, with the can
vassing power in their own hands, no
troops would have been sent. 1t is a
q very significant fact that there has been
no change in the Republican situation
since Wednesday morning. AS soon as
Zach Chandler and his confedera!es
found that Mr.. Tilden had 1874 votes sure,
lacking only one of majority, they pro-
claimed that all the doubtful States, lin-
Guiding Louisiana and Florida 1.-THE two
latter States have never been doubtful
for Dir. Tilden,) had gone for Hayes
This claim, which they made on Wednes-
day morning, when they had not single
return from these States, was simply a
cover to gross outrage which they then
coucocted, and are now endeavorlng to
consummate with the aid of the army.
"But," continued the General, with
strong emphasis, "there is one thing
which has not entered into the calcula-
ton of these gentlemen, and that is that
the soldiers Of the army are Democrats,
and may not permit themselves to be
made the tools for maintaining despotic
power in this country. Let it be. remem-
bered that during the French revolution
the troops fraternized with the people,
and, Notwithstanding that obedience is
the first duty of a soldier, it is not impos-
sible that the troops now, instead of al
lowing themselves to be made the instru-
ments of defrauding the people of their
choice for President, may become a power
to confirm that choice. Of course l do
not mean to convey that the soldiers will
disobey their officers, but they are getting
tired of being used as mercenaries to fur.
ther the ends of dishonorable politicians
There is a point at which endurance
ceases to be virtue, and e-en the dis
cipline of soldier may not be strong
enough to withstand the strain put upon
it by disreputable men. This sending of
troops, not only to control elections, but
to aid in defrauding the people by pro-
tecting false count after the votes have
been cast, is a sad commentary upon our
Republican institutions. 1t may be pos
sible that the majority Of 100000 free
Americans who have voted for Mr.. Tilden
may submit to the outrage, but very
much doubt it. am sure the people Of
England would not submit to it, and I
am positive that the people of the great
United States of America ought not, and
will not.
"I do not think there has been so much
popular excitement since the days of 1861,
and believe the feelings that prompted
the young men of this country to take up
arms for the maintenance of the Union
would animate them to make some~efec-
tice protest against this arbitrary act of
the party in power, which seeks to per-
petuate itself by gross violation of the
fundamental principle of Republican
form of government, which declares that
the majority should rule. The Republi-
can party claims that it is justified in
resorting to keep those it calls the
''rebels" out of power. If the end justi-
| fed the means in any case, it cannot GER
tainly be set up in this, for, so far from
putting the rebels in power, the States of
the North which furnished the great bulk
of troops for the Union army have given
large maiorities for Tilden and Hendricks.
l believe that the people of the North
have determined that this outrageous at
tempt at fraud shall not succeed. For
my own part I am not surprised at the
action of the ffice-holders, for antici-
pated this movement in few words /
uttered at meeting held a few evenings
| previous to the election. Now, if ma
iority of the Presidential electors shall be
chosen in Mr.. Tilden's favor, in the words
of the great Democrat, Andrew Jackson,
BY the eternal, we'll put him in the
Presidential chair"
Col. Frederick A. Conkling, who also
served in the Federal army during the
civil war, was very outspoken in regard
to the proclamation. "There is" said
Col. Conkling, IAN analogy between
Grant and Louis Napoleon, who always
appealed to the votes of the people, but
took care to surround the polls with SOL
diers. 1t was in this way he generally
carried his plebiscites. We have suffered
the same degradation of public morals,
the same perversions Of the powers OF
government, and the same embezzlements
and misrepresentation OF the public reve-
nues that marked the history of France
under the Third Napoleon, and this proc
lamation would seem to indicate that
Grant is prepared to erect the same mill
tary despotism in this country which ex-
listed in France before the overthrow OF
the lover empire"
The reporter asked Mr.. Conkling if he
thought this serious business.
II have once marched at the head OF
a regiment which raised myself and at
my own expense, to defend the Capital
was the reply, "and I feel at this moment
as if / ought to raise another regiment for
the defense of constitutional liberty in
this country" ."-Ne,o York World.
| T,rcrJrRE ON SCOLDING.- Scoldino