The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-01-17
FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS
WASHINGTON, January l6.
SENATE.

SENATE.
The chair laid before the Senate n
petition of lumber men, vessel owners
and others OF Malnstee, Mich. asking an
appropriation for the improvement OF
the harbor at that place. Referred.
Mr. Patterson presented the petition
of ID. h. Cham bcrl lain, K. ii. Grooves; +,
l.. Cardoza, b. b. Elliott. Jno. K. Talbot
and others, of South Carolina, and said
be would not ask TO have it read, but
moved 1t be printed in the record.
MIR. Alcorn objected to anything being
printed in the record without being
read
Mr. Johnston quoted frem previous
debate in the Senate TO show that the
Senator from Ohio Sherman stated that
Virginia was not Ia the same condition
MS other Southern Ststes, and that peace
prevailed in Virginia Mr.. Johnston
argued that there was perfect peace in
the State, that the colored people had
their rights and that the two
races lived together in harmony.
He contended that the President had
no authority TO send troop 10
Petersburg because there had been q
street fight aL che previous election. Il
was never intended by the founders OF
the government that the powers OF the
United States should be evoked for the
mere purpose of keeping the peace. The
Constitution contemplated the use of the
army only in concert with the State
authority in supressIng domestic vro-
lence He then quoted from the
circular of the Attorney-General
giving instructions to u S. Marshals
and said if the Attorney General
was right in his construction OF the law
deputy marshal could take the Gov.
ernor OF q State from his office or a
Judge from the bench and compel them
10 serve in his posse, aud thus sover.
eign State may be Overthrown. lie then
referred to the Petersburg election, ans
said there were $500 colored voters in
that place They were organized into
svuads Of ten each. Two hundred and
| fifty captains for these squads were
appointed and each captain held COM
mission as deputy marshall. On election
day each captain marched his squsd to
the polls and said tina. they would vote
the Republican ticket.
MIR. Whhers said the Congress Of the
United States had been engaged for sew
ersl weeks past in considering how to
count the electoral vote. II was true
that the presence or absence OF troops at
small town in Virginia might be Il
sms. matter, but the question IN
yolyed wss whether the executive
department of the government should be
permitted to control the ballot BY the
army Of the United States and thus des.
troy the freedom of elections. If this
could be done with impunity Congress
had been wasting time IN talking about
counting the vote The presence OF the
military a, the polls for the purpose Of
il Dfuencing the popular will filed him
with alarm for the safety and perpeiui!y
Of free government He then read from
the message of the President Of January
1875, in regard to the occupation OF New
Orleans by the military, 10 the effect that
military interference with any branch OF
the State government. was repugnsni
| TO his own ideas OF government, ana re-
suminy his remarks asked what change
mad came over TIE Presiden. since De
| gave uttersnce 10 those sentiments. Why
| had the President since committed sc:s
which he formerly declared should not
b. permitted. 1t appeared now that on
y simple ipse d'rit Of gentlemen in the
Attorney Generals office, the rights Of
/ the State OF Virginia hsh been violated.
Il wss Tor the people OF ths country to
decide whether such loose Interpretation
Of law would be for their interest or treir
/ ruin. Not only had the military been
used - take possession Of the State
[ Governments, but l, was row gathering
around the Capitol and the Senators and
Representatives were &c legslste II the
shsdow OF troops. He referred to tne
( history OF other republics, and ssked
/ whs, were the three things which pre-
cedei their downfall - corruption,
/ frsut and violence We had mad cor
ruplion, frauds had been prsctlced IN
elections, ss every one knew, and who
would say when the third step
would De takenl The people Of
! Vlryinia were honestly devoted
TO the principles OF constitutional Iterty,
but they bad passed through sth hetion
and knew what it was TO suffer. They
nsd lived under desponc poSerln the
past aud could live under it il the future.
i, was :or the northern people 70 say
whether they would give their consent 20
the change HEt
/ Mr.. whyte said that the difficulty
II regard 70 sending troops into STATE
grew out Of the legislation Of 1866. An
&C, Of Congress OF thst year provided
th.t troops might be sett into . State
10 keep peace .. the polls That sss 8
brcsd authority and the isv should Be
amended by removing the words 10
keep peace q; the polls-
Mr.. wI,hers submitted the following
/ Rssolrsd, That the Committee On Ju-
aiciary be instructed 70 exanine
whether the eonstrsctioo Of the axs
,ooching elective franchise, prumaigsted
by the Attorney General, in gssersi rf
den No. SS, OF date September ., 1875,