Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-08-24
SECRETARY sHEaMANs SPEECH
MANSFIELD, Ohio, Aug. II.

Fellow Citizens, Ladies' and Gentlemen;
In response to your invitation am here
tonight to state TO you my views OF what has
thus TAR been done by the Administration in
its conduct of public affairs. In doing so
wish IL distinctly understood that speak for
myself alone, as citizen of Ohio, to you my
fellow. citizens and my neighbOrs, to whom
am under the highest obligations OF gratl-
tude and duty.
The President authorized me to say one
thing, ands one thing only, for him, and in
his name, and that is: all reports that impute
TO him any participation whatever In the
nomination of candidates on your State
ticket, or any desire or purpose to influence
in any way the Senatorial contestin ono, are
utterly groundless. These are your matters,
and can assure you for him that he has not
and will not interpose in any such contest
between political friends. For all else say
to you, neither he nor my old and honored
friend, Judge West, is responsible.
You all know that l am now, and have
been, warmly attached to the Republican
party. believe in its principles and honor
its work. With my strong convictions l
could not conceal my partisan bias, or my
earnest hope for the success of the Repub.
lican party, but the subiecton which intend
to speak 10 you tonight will not lead me to
saw much of former political struggles, or to
fight our old battles over again, but chiefly
to discuss the actual administrative ques-
'tions of the day as they have arisen since the
4th of March last and in all of which you are
alike interested, whether you may call your
selves Republicans or Democrats. AS to
these questions l wish fairly to appeal to the
eandor and good Judgment of honest men Of
both parties, only asking for the Administra-
ton of President Hayes that considerate
charity of judgment which must be extended
to all human agents.
When he was inaugurated he found thirty
six States in full and uncontested exercise
of all the powers of States in the Union. In
two States only there were contests as to
who was Governor. Both contests had ex-
listed from January to March, 1877, while
Gen. Grant was President.
IN SOUTH CAROLINA,
Gov. Chamberlain claimed to have been
elected on the Republican ticket, and Gen.
Hampton on the Democratic ticket The
President is not made the judge OF who is
elected Governor of State; an attempt to
exercise such power would be plain usur-
patton The Constitution of South Carolina
is much like that of Ohio. The count of the
vote was to be made by the General Assem-
bly, of the State. Unfortunately for Cham
berlain, q controlling question in the contest
had been decided against him by q Republic
an court, aud he was only kept in posses
sion of the State. House by the actual pres
cnce of U. s. troops in the building. He had
appealed again and again to President Grant
10 recognize him as Governor and to give
him the aid of Federal troops in the enforce
ment of his claim, which Gen. Grant had re-
fused, and sought only to preserve the pub
lie peace. When President Hayes was inaug-
urated both contestants were called TO
Washington and both were patiently heard
and the questions presented were patiently
and carefully examined. The President held
that case was not presented in which under
the Constitution and the laws, he was justi-
fled in using the army of the United States
in deciding purely local election contest.
The soldiers and bayonets of the United
States were then withdrawn from the State
House-not from the State, nor the capital
of the State-but from the building in which
the Legislature, that alone'could lawfully dc
eide the contest, must meet. This was all
that was done by the President, and Gov.
Chamberlain, without further contesLing his
claim, abandoned 1t and left the State.
say to you now that, strongly as desired
the success of Gov. Chamberlain and the Re
publican party in South Carolina, the Presi
dent had not shadow of right to irtcrpose
the power of the army in this contest, and
his attempt to do SO would be rash and abor
tive as well as without legal right.
THE CASE OF LOUISIANA
was far more difficult. The local returning
officers of that State had, after a full exam
ination, certified to the election of the Legis
lature, showing a Republican majority IL
both houses. This had been done by eX
Guiding from their return the votes of Ger
tain parishes and c;unties where intimida
ton, violence and fraud had prevailed to al
extent sufficient to change the result of the
election. / was present, at the request o
Gen. Grant, to witness the count, and as
sure you, as l have said officially, that tn
proof OF this intimidation, violence anC
fraud, extending to murder, cruelty and out
rage in every form, was absolutely conclu
sive, showing degree of violence in some o
those parishes that was more revolving ant
barbarous than anything could conceive of
1t was plain that the returning officers ha'
the legal right to pass upon and certify II
the first instance who were elected member
of the Legislature, and that they were just
fled by the evidence in excluding bull-doZet
parishes, but 1t was equally clear that thei
return was not conclusive upon the member
elected, and that each house had the const
tutional right to pass upon the returns, ant
elections of its members, and to set aside tn
action of the Returning Board. The tw
houses, when organized, had also the powe
to pass upon the returns Of the election TO
Governor, and they alone and no one else
Neither the President of the United State
nor the Returning Board had any power O
right to pass upon the election of Governor
And here the difficulty in the Louisiana cas-
commences.
GOV. Packard contends that majority @
the two houses, as duly returned, did pas
upon the election of the Governor, and di
return that he was duly elected, but this wa
stoutly denied by Gov. Nichols. This vita
point was strongly asserted and denied b
the adverse parties, and the Legislature q
Louisiana divided into two hostile bodies
holding separate sessions, each asserting 1t
legal power and denouncing the other q
rebels and traitors. Gov. Packard and hi
Legislature called upon President Grant TO
the aid OF the army to put down insurrectiol
and domestic violence, and here l confes
that IL Ihad been President, instead of Gen
Grant, would have recognized Packard an
sustained him with the full power of tn
General Government. Ny intense feeling
caused by the atrocities in Louisiana ma,
have unduly influenced me. But Gen. Gran
did not think this was his duty. l do no
criticise his action, but only state the facts
He would only maintain the peace Ill
would not recognize Packard as Governor
but know, what is now an open secret, thu
strong bent of his mind, and at one time hi
decision was TO withdraw the troops, to rec
ognize Nichols and thus end this dangerou
contest. He did not do this, but kept th
peace. But during these two months th
whole condition of affairs had slowly changed
in Louisiana,
The Government of Packard had dwindlet
away until it had scarcely a shadow o
strength of authority, except at the State
House, where it was upheld by Federal bay
onets. The Government of Nichols had ex
tended its authority over the State and wa
in full existence as the de fdctO Government
of Louisiana, supported by the great body o.
the white men aud nearly all the wealth anC
intelligence of the State, and by the tired ac
quiescence of large portion of the coloreC
people, somo of whom deserted his Legisla
ture and entered that of Gov. Nichols. The
delay and hesitation of Gen. Grant had beeI
fatal to Packard, and when Hayes became
President the practical question was greatly
changed. One thing was clear: that Legis
lature had been duly elected in Novembe
previous, and was then in existence, though
separated in two parts II the member
lawfully elected could be convened they alon'
could decide the question of who was Governo
without the Intervention of troops, and thei
decision could be supported, II necessary
by the General Government.
The most anxious consideration was givel
to this question. Days and weeks of aux
ious deliberation were given to il by the Pres
ident and his Cabinet. But one way seemed
open for a peaceful solution, and that was Il
gather, If possible, single Legislature whicl
could be recognized as the depository of TIN
representative will of the people OF Loulsi
ana. II this could be done II had the un
questioned right to decide who had beer
elected Governor, and all other question:
would settle themselves. To aid in this ob
ject, commission of the most eminent men
high in position, from different States, an(
distinguished for judicial imnartiality wa