New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-06-19
UORE DOMESTIC yIOLENCE.

A statement winch recently appeared in
TIE TRIBUNE, to the effect that the General
Government had no power to arrest and pun
ish for violations of State law, such as murder,
has provoked the following outburst from an
aniable friend in South Carolina. Like other
advocates of Federal despotism. he will not
stop 10 meet the reasons or weigh the passag 5
of the Constitution and the decisions Of the
Supreme Court by which the authority of the
General Government is so clearly and 80
strictly limited but he flies off into a crude
disquisition of his owu, which SO fatty dcles
The rules of logic and common sense that it is
not easy TO submit it To the test of argument.
However, here is bis letter:
10 me Edtt0r Of The Tri6une.
SIR: Ia your issue OF Juno yOu say, I'm to d.
NJ. jackson. OHIO: president Hayes has more au-
thouty to punish the Clsom murderos than has our
loose thinking friend j. NJ, who appears TO THINK that
the Executive can choose for himself what powers he
will exercise without the slightest regard 10 the pro
visions of the Constitution"
Now Mr. Editor point Of fact is it not the that
Mr. Hayes has done CHS very thing" chosen for him
self what powers he will exercise. without the slightest
regard b. the provisions of the Constitution
viii you any else presume 10 deny that is tho
sworn duty Of the President TO protect State from
domestic violence and that ui so d0Hg JoiiowS as
necessary consequence That he must decide which dd
hich ,Snot me legitimate gopernmcnt Just his prcdeccs
sOrS in IKE cases hare dome bcfo,cf
Has Mr.. Hayes refused 10 perform his duty
and sustain GOV. Chamberlain Aye has he not gone
further and sent to do The dirty work Of subvertng
and destroying tho legitimate State Government Of
louisiana
Allow to suggest, what You doubtless already
well aware Of. that the readers of The TRIBUNE are in
te1geut thinking people. and that If policy born Of
wanton treachcry and bringing cowardce must be de-
Tended they prefer would not base your argument
The assumption that they and their fathers aye the
whole American people, for the last ninety years. IN their
understanding OF the plain letter Of the Const tuition
have all along been nothing but blind laundering idiots
waiting for Ohio Pccksnin to enlighten them. Truly
yours, MOuLToN EMERY.
RiroSide Farm. charleston Co.. s. O., June II, 1s77.
The confusion Of ideas displayed in the
middle part of this letter is good illustration
of the mischief which has been done by the
wild abuse of a certain phrase in the Consli-
tuition. There is Il class of rhetorical p0iti-
clans who have harped upon the passage re-
lating TO domestic violence" until they have
lost all memory of its actual language and all
comprehension of its meaning, and have come
TO believe that it gives the President juris-
diction over all manner of oncnscs and dis
tuTbances, from n civil war to "a price fight
Mr. Emery doubtless Will be very much sur
pIised TO learn that the Constitution does not
make it "tho sworn duty of the President TO
"protect State from domestic violcnce.r
The passage which he and others so strangely
twist from its natural meaning is the fol-
lowing:
The United States shall guarantee TO every state in
tins Union "a republican form Of government and shall
protect eao Of them against invasion and appca-
ton Of the Legislature Of the Executive lwheD the
Legislature cannot DO convened, against domestic
lence.
10 provide for the performance Of this duty