, 1876-12-15

| cd by moderate men OF both partjcs,
Who think 1t of more Importance to save tho
country than to secure tho Offices. Tic danger
OF the situation, Lc Sioyne thinks, is TINT
neither party IS willing to ta';c any stera wlcl,
| may preclude tllo;n frum insisting that their
| candidate is elected.
MILITARY INTERFERENCE.
4 PROMINENT srEC1MEs.
WASHINGTON. D. G. Dec. 14.-Thc following
Is the Presidents message received by the Senate
| to-duy:
70 the Senate Of Tie InI'<d s.o,<.; In answer
70 INC resolution OF the Connie Of the 9th tns re-
qncattng Information as II whether troops Of The
United States were stationed in the City Of Peters.
hurs In tho State of Virginia, on the 9Th OF No
scmbcF 1876, and II no, under what authority and
for what purpose, l snllu1it the incloscd letter
from tho Secretary Of War, to whom The resoIu-
ton "aa referred, together with tho 1erort Of the
Genera' Of the Army, and accompanying papers,
The Enclosures will give alt the Information called
for BY tic rcrolutton. and, confidently believe.
Will justify tho act!on taken It Ia we'll understood
that tue presence Of United States troops
at pol!Ing-plaecs never prevents thc full
exercise Of the franchise by any citizen OF
whatever political faith II, then, they hare had
any elect whatoScr upon the ballots cast 1t hns
been to Insure protection to the citizen casting II,
In giving 1t 10 the candidate OF ita unbiased cholce
wtthoHt fear, and this securing tic very essence
OF liberty It may he that tho presence Of twenty
four United State. soldiers Under command Of
cnptain md Lieutenant quartcrcd in the Custom.
loarc At Petersburg, Va., on the 7th Of Noycm-
hcr. At considerable distance from, any pulling.
place, without any Interference on their part
whatever. and without going the 10 pulls dnr.
Ing tic election, may hnvo secured different re.
suit from what won'a havc hcrn obtained II they
hau nut been tiers ito maintain tho pcace
In ea4o Of Eotr-on tho face ot the returns, nut II
such u tue caro It Is on1y proof that in this one
Congressional district In tho State of yl,ctn,n Tho
legal aud constitutional y1tcrs have hccn able to
seturn, as elected. the candidates Of their cho!cr
T.. S. uH4sT.
EXECUTIVE MAsstox, Dec. II, 1870,
SECRETARY cAMEltoN's LETTER.
The letter OF tho Secretary of War is dated
Dee. H., 1916, and lncosus thu report OF the Cen
cral of The Army, ut,d communication, will.
Its Enclosures, received from tic Attorncy-Ger-
cra'. The letter OF the litter lncluscs copies Of
papers On tlc IN his ut!lec, containing infoyma-
tlon whltlI, he states, shows tho necessity for
scnding troops to Petersburg, W., on the 7th
Of November last, the lay Ut tho election. Thu
following Is
oKS. s1ERMAx's REroRr:
HEAnquAnTEns Array or THE Us1rEu SrArr..
~.
Cameron, Secretary of Nar-Stn: In compliance
With your reference OF tho 9Th Inst. of tic rcso3Q.
lion OF tho scnato calling for report whether
troops OF tho United States were stationed in tho
CITY OF Petersburg, In the Stats oF yrgtnia on tho
7th Of November. 1876, md, II 80, under what
authority and for what purpose, hayo tho honor
10 report that Company u, Capt. Breckenridge, Of
mt second United States Artillery, was posted at
Petersburg, Va. from Nov. 4 10 Nor. Ii, when II
was recalled to fta proper station, Fort Footc,
MatJlantl. To a moro complete understanding OF
tho case l wilt add that, on tic I'd
day OF November. gentleman cap,u 10
ma from tho Attorney. .(lcnc.nl, rcnre.cnt,ne
that thcra was reason to apprchend broacl OF tho
peace at Petersburg. Va, nnl asking detachment
Ut troops to b. sent them. rou being then ab-
sent. saw Judge Taft In persou, and ho a.lyfned
that company Of soaltcrs bo sent to Petersburg,
II practicable. md the next day, bplug fu New |
York City, saw Gen Hancock Ia person, and at. |
ter some Inquiries 10 troops available ordered
him to send tho ab0ye designated company to
Petersburg to remain during tho clactun Of Nov. |
:, and then rctarn to fts post. tncoao copy Of |
hls orders. also copIca Of GcncrAl Orders Eos, III
and W, which tnc'ndc all nrders and instructions
made to troops arriving In districts where disturb
ances were apprel.ondsd, harn tho l,uuor to bo,
Four obed!ent seryant, fsIgnettJ
". 4. SHERMAN. General.
THE lSCLosrNEs
sihhracc al'dayits, ctc., relative to The ucccs-
'ity for troops at Petersburg, covering some
thirty pages of manuscript. Tl.u 1lrst Is thu
Iworn statement of Geosgu II. Marblt, to tIe
:lfcct that o. tho e5th day OF May lust lie was
''lgngcd In d building stlurt dtstulco from this
1olls distributing Republican, tickets, when au
lrncd ludy Ut tic opposition, With officers,
marching III ltnc, assaulted u few ct1torcd men
n front Of his building wlt!l clubs and ktoues,