The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-12-07
THE SOUTH CAROLINA OUT
-as RAGE!
PROTEST OF A LEADING REPUBLI-
CAN PAPER AGAINST MILITARY In
RTERENCE.

/ PROTEST OF A LEADING REPUBLI-
CAN PAPER AGAINST MILITARY In
TERFERENCE.
! On the Doth ult., the New York Eve.
ming Post. leading Republican Jour-
nal contained the following editorial:
MILITARY INTERFERENCE III PoIITI-
CAL QUEsTIoNs.--We can not let armed
occupation of the South Carolina
State House and the act of the Feder-
al troops taking upon themselves to
determine who shall constitute the
Legislature of that State pass without
protest OF the utmost possible solemni-
ty and energy. According to all ac-
counts from that quarter Federal
troops were yesterday in possession
of the building, a military garrison
with its sentinels posted at the doors,
and 10 member of the Legislature
was admitted except those who
brought pass from one of the parti-
sans of the present Governor. Mem
bers who brought the certificate of
their election from the Clerk of the
Supreme Court, under the broad seal
of the Court, were refused admittance
by armed men. A person named
Dennis, who gave the written orders
without which no person was allowed
to enter, claimed that he was acting
under direction of a superior whose
name he declined to give. or course
that superior is Governor Chamber
lain, under whose orders the Federal
troops appear to have been put by
President Grant, aud who has taken
this method of determining what per-
sons are members Of the South Caro-
lima Legislature. We protest against
this proceeding, not only in the name
of liberty and justice, but in behalf Of
the Republican party, whose name
and worthy record are brought in
question by this resort to military
force on question purely political.
Here is already incorporated into the
history of our Republic proceeding
of as arbitrary a nature as the act of
Crom we'll when he turned the British
Parliament out of doors. The rule Of
all representative bodies that they are
the judges of the election and qualifi.
cation of their members has been set
aside, and Mr.. Dennis, the furniture
dealer, with Federal troops at his back,
usurps that office. Even the excuse
that disturbance and bloodshed were
|
midable that Governor Chamberlain
would lack the means to quell it, does
not appear TO have been made. The
usurpation is not masked with any
plausible pretext. 1t sweeps away
every restraint of us .ge and precedent
and law, and substitutes simple force
for the quiet formali:ies of ordinary
Iegis'atio The republican party is
not powerful enough in comparison
with the Opposition to sustain the re-
sponsibility of such mea :ures, and it
becomes every member of it who de-
sires its predominance and its -useful-
ness TO disclaim all part in such pro-
ceedings. But it is said that no viO-
lence has been done. Whose, then, is
the merit of avoiding violence? 1t is
not due to Mr.. Dennis, nor to Gov
ernor Chamberlain. nor to the Admin
istration at Washington. 1t is the
merit of the people of South Carolina.
They have seen one of their dearest
rights wrested from them, that of the
peaceable assembly of those whom
they have elected as their Legislature
and the organization of their Leglsla-
ture according to the lawful and re.
ceived usages, and have endured this
outrage without resistance. Ii they
had persisted in seeking an entrance
into their State house there would
have been thrust back by bayonets; if
the crowd about the building had
shouted, s.Break open the door,p and
rushed forward they would haye been
fired into. They took the wiser course
They preferred to leave the response
bility of resorting to the bsyonet upon
those who used it to decide political
question. They preferred an appeal
to good sense aud just intentions of
the people of the Uuited States, and
in this the people will sustain them.
We mean the people of all parties, for
the Republicans, if they are wise, will
make haste to dfsclaim all connivance
with an act which, il not condemned
by the general voice of their party,
will be quoted against them as long
as that party shall have an existence.
THE origin of the expression "Up
Salt River" as applied to q defeated
political party, was as follows: Davy
Crockett, the famous Kentucky Con-
gressman, while a Whig candidate,
was challenged by his Democratic op-
ponent to meet him on the stump in
joint discussion. Crockett accepted,
and the day and place were fixed; but
Crockett did not appear, and the peo-
pie, thinking him afraid to do SO, rail-
lied for his opponent and elected him.
1t af,erward turned out that Crockett,
who had started for the place in a Ca
noe propelled by a negro, had been
landed in the forest at the head
waters OF Salt River by his treacher-
ons guide, who then swiftly padded
oTdown the stream. Crockett was