Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-12-20

disclaimers ofany purpose 10 interfere
y-i.r .hc Lecislsturl Of South Carolina,
s&;aSSa riiaiss iasls.sss}s2 - &~aSs. "a ~s ~
ssddnct rc1rr'. u < :, ~,
is no secret that there was u ditfcrenc,
of opinion in the Cabinet, and that ,h,
point in Cispuie related to the action
of the troops at Columbia last Tuesday
and the three following days. II
President Grants intention in the be.
ginning coincidcd with the Cabinet de
cision Of Friday il is difficult to con
ccivS what the discussion in the Cabi
net was about, or what occasion there
could have been for n protest by som,
Of the members. After the Cabinet
decision had been reached the Pfcsi
dent tried TO explain away hisprcviou'
conduct and to reconcile il with the
view finally adopted. But that was
too evidently an aiterthought. Had
his first purpose been what he now
claims there would have been no room
for dispute among his official advisers
After all his explanations and EXCUSES
the fact remains that the State House
at Columbia was taken possession by
federal troops twelve hours in advance
of the time appointed for the meeting
ofthc Legislature that members were
refused admission and the passage
blocked against them by federal sol
diers, and that their credentials were
scrutinized and passed upon by per-
sons having no other authority than
the federal bayonets which protected
them. These facts must have been
known in Washington s::h:;: :.!:;;: .:;!: As!s al,
hour afterthey occurred but no coun.
termanding order was sent to General
Ruger The whole country was kept
in excitement and alarm tor three days
before any attempt was made to quiet
and reassure it, when, after long
Cabinet consultation, a lame attempt
was made to explain away the facts,
A purpose TO interfere with the organ.
ization of the Legislature was only
then dIsavowed. The public naturally
believes that "change of base" was
forced on the President by the indig.
nant rebukes of the press and the pro.
tests of dissenting members of the
Cabinet.
AT first the President listened TO bad
advisers. 1t is true that no blood has
been shed by General Rogers troops
but can it be said that they have prac-
ticed no coercion? They were stand
ing menace to the Legislature and
seemed TO court protcxt for convert
ing menace into fact. They have acted
like tall bully unwilling to string the
first blow lest he should be prosecuted
for assault and battery, but eager for
a proyocation 10 pitch in What took
place yesterday looked like dcliber-
ate plan to get up scene OF violence
IN order that the federal troops
might have an excuse for intervening.
Governor Chamberlainss special consta.
bles had assembled in the State House
in large force ready to pounce on Dem
ocratic members and drag them out,
and his minions pretended that federal
troops were in readiness TO support
them il resistance should be made. IL
was expected that the special consta-
bles would succeed in provoking n
scuflle, pretend that they were over.
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 pro
yoke breach of the peace for the
mere purpose Of creating an occasion
for military interference deserves to be
denounced, and if any officer abetted
II he should share the dcnunciation.
The Democratic members wisely avoid
ed furnishing the pretext, for, the ice
once broken, the soldiers would not
stop. As soon as they had an excuse
Tor interposing TO "restorc order
they would be masters of the situation
md would not loosen their grip. Cham.
berlains satellites were seeking n
breach through which the soldiers
night enter.
1t is assumed by tho President and
his apologists that his right to inter
'ene to keep the local peace is unques-
lionablc. This q fundamental error.
It is no part Of the business of the
edcral government to do police duty
n the States. This function belongs
o the State governments. 1t is only
when their power has boen cxerted
md has failed that the federal authori.
y can interpose, and then only in
manner which is strictly marked out
" law Any interference to maintain
he local peace in a State is illegal and
nwarrantcd until all .hc conditions
Prescribed by the federal status shall
ave been complied with. Tho law |
ocs not permit the President to give |
Military assistance in every case in
which a State Governor may apply TO (
i'm, but only sin case of an insurrec.
ion in any State against the govern.
lcnt thereof" As yet there is no in.
direction in the State of South Caro-.
ma against the government thereof
here is, in fact, no resurrection at all
or any likelihood Of one, and a mere
rnfilc or broil between two political
artics in the streets Of Columbia, or
venin the State House, would not be an
'surrcction against the government"