Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-06-01
THE. WITHDRAWAL OF THE ARMY
FROM POLITICS..

L
FROM POLITICS..
In Proctor Knott's amendment to the
army appropriation bill forbidding the use
of troops for any purpose not expressly au-
thorized by law, the Republican papers af-
feet to see another step in the direction of
revolution, and are busy picturing to their
readers the horrible things that may come to
pass if the amendment receives the sanction
of both houses of Congress and the Presi-
dent. One of their number, the Chicago
Tribune, is particularly ALARMED for Ethe
safety of the country. It regards the amend
ment as Offering immunity to every species
of rascality- counterfeiting, incendiarism,
illicit distillation, smuggling, and all manner
of deviltry.
1T is promise to the communists, :" says the
Tribune, that if they shall undertake to burn
mills and factories, seize railroads, stop travel
and the transportation of merchandise, violent
ly depOse municipal governmental, and possess
themselves of public and private property, the
President nor the general of the armies shall
not, when requested by the State government.
peace, or aid the State authorities in maintain
ing the State law and the State authority
ALI of which is ths sheerest balderdash
and demagogueism. If the editor had ever
read the constitution under which he enjoys
the blessing of liberty to make an ass of
himself whenever it shall please him, he
would have discovered that it is e1-
pressly provided by that instrument that
the United States shall protect each of
the States against domestic violence on ap-
plication of the legislature, or of the execu-
tive when the legislature is not in session.
The presumption that an amendment to an
army appropriation bill can change the or
ganic law of the land is wholly original with
the Tribune. The amendment of Mr.. Knott
was not intended to curtail the power of the
President in matters affecting the public
peace, and if it had been so intended would
be wholly imperative. 1t was intended,
however, to put a stop to the infamous and
anti Republican practice of sending troops
into the several States at the call of some
hireling of the administration, to interfere
with and thwart the will of the people at the
ballot box, and under pretense of securing
an honest expression of the peoples will tc
commit the most gigantic frauds. Such
a purpose the amendment most certainly
had, and all honest men of every party will
agree that the purpose is commendable
The enforcement of it's provisions will not
interfere in the slightest degree with the
constitutional rights of the President. Il
will simply remove a terrorism that has beer
mainly responsible for tho thousands Of
crimes committed in the South, whether by
individuals, white league bands, or Ku Klu,
clans.
It is not to be wondered at that the Re-
publicans should bemoan the destruction Of
their most powerful political agent in thu
Southern States. The party is party Of
force. Had it not been for the illegal ani
unconstitutional use to which it has put the
army, it would have been retired from pow
or long ago, and the government would nov
be a government of the people and by The
people.