Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-01-16
Congress-.
Il II T. 5 E y 4 7 E

WASH[NuTON, January IL. lSlI.-lu the
Scua.c, to-day, y considerable portion OF the
morning hour was occupied ln tue reading OF 4
memorial Of the radical usurpat!ou IN South
Uaroos in reply to the memorial OF Wade
Hampton
At the closing Of the morning hour the
Presidents message relative to the occupation
of Petersburg, Va, was taken up.
Mr. JUhusoD, oi Va, addressed The Senate
at length on the subject, making most able
and interesting legal argument as 70 the powers
of the United States Marshais, and the right
TO summon the posse contatus. lie combattcd
lhc views Of the Attorney General in relation
to the powers of thes, AIarshals Mr.. }. de-
tailed the operations Of the two hundred and
fgty Deputy Marshas in Petersburg on election
lav, each of whom had received a commission
az an officer of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie: each was made leader Of squad CT ton ne
yrurs whom they led first 10 the custom house
where the u. S. soldiers where posted, and
where the negroes were SwOrn to vote the re-
nubcau ticket, and then marched to the polls
where they voted and afterwards fell Toto lines
By which white voters we're impeded in reach
iur the polls. There was no authority IN law
for U. S. D,puy Marshsls in towns of less
than ~, 900. aud the population OF Petersburg
was less than tweuty thousand. The President
and The General OF the Army seemed never TO
| have thought Of the law on the suffice. The
| President ubly made one lrQulry, aud that was
where h. could Src tho troops TO send. alr.
Johnson cXauIuCd the u. ). statute on The
subject in the iirhi Of English prcc'icn'S with
much power
MIR. WithcTs. y! Va, mkt addressed the
Senate. lie said that for weeks Congress- had
! ( h,r hn
| the electoral vote should be counted, and high
as popular U,crcst 10 this question had mount
cd it was of less importance than another qucS-
ton which was Involved inthe sending o. US.
troops to au interior town il Virginia. That
question was whether the Executive Depart
mcnt of the government shall be permitted to
coutrol the ballots Of the country Ii this Is
permiltcd,it eau be o. very little importance how
the votes arc counted. The liberties Of every
people have fallen from a sodsry DOM OK
the popular elections under the control OF
ambitious executive officers. And this
made the occupation OF Petersburg 10 tune
Of election, by troops OF the United States,
| without warrant OF law, grave matter, to the
diseuss sion of which he invited the attcollon OIL
the Senate Mr.. W. then quoted the section OIL
the Constitution, Which alouc gave authority
for the moving of United States troops into
any States That was 90 the application o.
the Legislature or the Governor. There Wa:
neither 10 this case. Tho Legislature was moi
10 session and the Governor met the invasion
by proclamation that will live to all time as
manly yindication of the rights of the States
He viudicated Gov. kcmpcr from the assaults
of Mr. Mortoa some time siucs. He r'n;Iuucs
discussing the subject with great ability, au:
at The conclusion Of his speech, the subject wa
laid aside
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.
10 the House Of Representatives, N 7. Doug
las, of Virginia, reported back from the Com
mittec on the Frccdmaa'S Bank, till pro
vidiug for the sale OF the banking house OF tina
concert to the government, aud had !! referee
{ r. the Committee on Public Buildings an.
Grounds.