Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-06-20

and fresh garland for the grave Of
some beloved oomrade or favorite
hero, and to rebuke any and all who
talk of civil war, save as The last
adread tribunal of kings and of pee.
ples."
cannot resist this opportunity OF
correcting an error committed by the
New York press as to myself. About
a year ago, at banquet of the cham
Der of commerce at Delmonico's, l
spoke off hand in response to toast
complimentary to the army of the
United States-a body OF men as true
to this government and republican
institutions as the needle to the pole.
Cheers spoke of its necessity as
the grand high sheriff of the nation,to
enable the President, who was there
in person, to fulfill his office to pro
tect lawful commerce and trade to
guard the frontiers protect the emil
grant against the savage; the peace
fully inclined Indian against the tres
passer on his allotted reservation, and
to respond to the governor Of State
in case of domestic violence. Though
my remarks were published by the
chamber of commerce and were well
understood by the persons to whom
they were addressed, some of your
New York papers insisted that had
declared that without our little rcgu-
lar army the people of the United
States would become mob. Ridicu-
lous as such an assertion was, and
though repeatedly denied by me, it
was seriously quoted by member of
Congress in a recent debate under
the shield of privilege, and can there
fore only be met with new denial.
Cheers.
Consequently, / do again deny ever
having used language which could be
distorted into such meaning; but /
did say, and do now say again most
emphatically, that the sacred Consti-
tuition of our country commands the
general government, embracing Con-
gress, the executive and judiciary, to
protect the people of State against
domestic violence, and Congress has
prescribed by law how, when an6 I'M
der what circumstances the President
shall execute that high duty, one of
which is to use the army and navy of
the United States The event spoken
of by me as hypothetical actually oc-
Cured very soon thereafter, and the
very men who denounced me were of
the class who called loudest for help.
Laughter. The army responded
quietly, lawfully, effectually, and the
danger soon passed, though in some
quarters lives were taken and prop
erty destroyed by fire and violence.
Some of these men would now, when
there is no seeming danger, assume
the tone apologetic, because they
want the votes of the law-breakers /;
but | thank God that behind this class
OF men we have in our country the
vast mass of good citizens who love
liberty and justice, who in ordinary
times are too busy in their own plans
and industries TO heed the machina-
lions of this pestiferous few; but like
that majestic force which rose in ter
rible earnest the moment the boom of
the gun at Charleston was heard in
1861, will again, believe, come forth
to furnish all the men and all the
muskets to suppress any sort Of vio-
lence which may be attempted in
this land of law. Be s,eadtast, there
fore, my countrymen Be not too
easily or too hastily alarmed; but
bear in mind that vigilance is the
price of liberty, and courage the prime
essential of justice. The armies that
were disbanded in 1865 still live in
the spirit, and these will never, in my
judgment, permit the government to
drift into anarchy.