The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-01-10

city. II this be so, notify the leaders OF
such organization that they must desist,
on pain Of coming in conflict with the
United States authority, sustained by the
military power Of the Government. Re.
port At once the situation and your ac.
ton, keeping in mind the fact that this
order has no reference To the recognition
Of either Of the claimants Tor the Gov.
ernorship or either Legislature.
lSigned J, ID. CAMERON,
Secretary Of War.
A STATEMENT WITHOUT TRUTH.
Representatives DunnelI, Of Minneso.
Ia, and Woodburne, OF Nevada, say that
there is no truth whatever in the pub.
lished statement that they have agreed to
unite with the Democratic members of
the Investigating Committee, in report
that Florida was carried by the
Democratic Presidential electors. They
say no member Of the committee has az
yet heard or seen the report Of it,
as it has been taken by the Sub.Commit.
tee, and not yet transcribed from the
sLenographers notes. They Dunnell ard
Woodburne believe that the State was
fairly carried by Hayes and Wheeler.
NOMINATIONS CONFIRMED.
The Senate in executive session to-day
confirmed the following naval nomina-
tions: Commodore Edward Donaldson,
Geo. II. Preble and Edward Middleton,
to be rear admirals.
FOREIGN Affairs.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs took
up the case OF Venezuelan claims and
heard the testimony Of VIM. Henry
White, Of Piedmont, New York, who was
agent or attorney for the prosecuting Of
what is known as the ldler claim, on
which certificates to the amount OF $3.50.
900 were issued. The testimony was de.
signed to contradict the assumption that
there has been improper conduct on the
part Of Mr.. Talmage, Commissioner, or
Mr.. Stillwell, United States Minister 10
Venezuela, in regard to that claim.
White said he had never spoke 10, or
corresponded with either Of them on the
subject, and neither OF them had ever re.
ceived the slightest confederation in con-
nection with it. TAlmage had Withdrawn
the certificate under the power Of the
attorney, sent to him for that purpose
and had handed them all over to the
parties in interest. The witness furnish
ed the documentary evidence Of the vail
dity Of the Idler claim.
ATTORNEY GENERALS REPORT.
The following is tho conclusion Of the
annual report Of Attorney-G General Taft,
communicated 10 Congress to-day:
The state Of the country, in Rnticipa.
Lion OF the recent Presidential election,
has thrown upon the National Govern.
ment an unusual responsibility. Evidence
which could not be discredited came to
the President and to the Department Of
Justice showing that intimidation and
violence prevailed in several States 10
such an extent AZ to prevent freedom Of
opinion, and that in South Carolina un.
lawful military companies known US rifle
clubs were organized, and that they rode
through the country armed, doing vio-
lence to peaceful people and menacing
good citizens who differed with them in
political opinion.
l communicated TO the marshals of
those districts which seemed in special
danger from intimidation or fraud, the
instructions enclosed. These are string
ent in character and designed to secure
voters in the exercise OF their rights,
The interest which the people have in
the purity Of the ballot for Federal off.
GERS 10 be elected by the popular vote,
and the acts Of Congress intended to
guard the ballots for Congressional can,
didates from fraud, justified and required
these instructions. Such were the de.
monstrations Of domestic violence in
South Carolina few weeks before the
the election, SO defiant and uncontrolla.
BILE by the civil power, that the Governor
Of that State applied under the Constitu.
tion to the President, stating that he was
unable TO suppress the domestic violence
that existed in the State; that armed or
ganizations contrary TO law, known IA
"rihe clubs" continually rOamed over
the country doing violence, and that they
were altogether beyond his control. The
breaking up OF the peace OF the State
and tie terrifying OF the citizens, the
declaration Of the Governor, supported BY
ample evidence from other sources LETT
the President no choice but to comply
with his Constitutional demand, by issu.
ing an appropriate proclamation and by
ordering to that State such military
force as seemed to bc necessary and was
within his control. The troops were not
intended TO interfere and did not inter.
fere with any citizens right to vote, but
on the contrary their endeavor was to
make II safe for citizens 10 vote accord.
ing 10 their political opinions. There is
no authentic evidence that any man has
been deprived Of his right to vote or Of
his freedom Of opinion by the presence Of
small military force in South Carolina.
The spirit Of insurrection in South
Carolina and in some other States in
which colored voters arc numerous
seemed TO be founded on the idea that
the fifteenth amendment to the Constitu.
tion, prohibiting the deprivation Of
citizens OF their right to vote on ac-
count Of race or previous condition Of
servitude, was 6lunder and that the
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