The daily gazette., 1877-05-30
Senator Morton and The ARMY.

While Mr.. Morton, in his recent let
ter, claims republican majorities in South
Carolina of $4,000 and in Louisiana of
$4,000, he admits that with all the Fede-
raj patronage and the State Governments
in their hands, those States, "could only
be kept in place by the army" This ad-
mission ought to be conclusive against
the atrocious system which has prevailed
there.
The system has now disappeared, be-
cause the great majority of the American
people who elected Mr.. Tilden solemnly
declared it should not stand, and because
the House of Representatives refused to
support an army that was to be used as a
political machine in propping up those
yenal and vicious mockeries Of govern
ment. To these wholesome influences
the country is indebted for the release OF
Louisiana and South Carolina from theil
bondage, and not to any policy of Mr.
Hayes. He merely consulted his person
al Interest in abandoning his party and
the men who were candidates on the
same ticket with himself, and who re-
ceived greater number of votes than he
did. With its hand on the public purse,
the House of Representatives was master
of the situation, and to the majority in
the House belongs the credit of having
sundered the chains of the last of the
reconstructed States.
MIR. Morton goes on TO say:
"a Democratic House of Representatives
recently withheld appropriations for the
| support of the army, on condition that IL
should not be used In the Southern States
IL was clearly unconstitutional to put such
q condition to the bill, but 1t did, and was
| likely to do 1t again at the extra session
| thus made necessary. The Democratic
| House has the power to destroy the army
| entirely"
These declarations are partly true and
partly false. The House imposed con-
dition that the army should not be en-
ployed for political objects in South Car
olina and Louisiana and it had the con-
stitutional right to do this, Mr.. Morton
to the contrary Notwithstanding. Under
the power 'to raise and support armies"
Congress may restrict their use, may
raise them for limited time, and for a
special purpose, and may tie the hands of
ty. "The President shall be Command
er-in-Chief of the army and navy of the
United States," says the Constitution !;
but he only commands such an army and
navy as Congress creates, limited by the
terms of its existence.
Mr.. Morton is right in saying ssthe
Democratic House has power to destroy
the army entirely" 1t might refuse to
appropriate dollar for soldiers, and if
any question should arise between the
Executive, assuming to usurp authority
not belonging to his office, and the people,
protesting against his illegal use of the
army to uphold a fragrant usurpation, the
duty of the Democratic House would be
clear.
This politiaal proviso was not, howev-
er, the only dividing issue between the
Democratic Houses and the Republican
Senate in the last Congress, and which
led to the defeat of any support for the
army after June 80. Mr.. Morton has
prudently omitted all reference to the
question of economy, which he and his
followers resisted to the utmost, and with
quite as much fervor as they did the pro-
vso. The House voted to reduce the
regular army from $4,000 to 1900 men.
The additional $500 cavalry, which had
been granted at the previous session,
under the exaggerated reports of Sioux
war and the official representations of
General Sherman, expired by the law, as
there were no Indian hostilities requiring
their use. This proposed reduction of
5000 men, which should have been 15,-
900, was fought at every step and in ev-
cry detail relating to the pay of the mag
nificent officers and their brilliant staffs.
IN. Y. Sun. #.,