The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-05-09
STICK :
New York SUM-

STICK!
New York SUM-
In the memorable struggle between
Andrew johnson and Edwin M. Stan
ton for possession of the War Depart
ment, which reused the party feeling
on both sides to the highest pitch,
Charles Sumner, then Senator, crys-
talixed the sentiment of himself and
his associates In q message of single
word to Stanton, telling him to s'stick!''
That significant expression hos appli-
cation now, when the Fraudulent Pres
ldent seeks to dictate to Congress and
insists that troops shall be present at
the polls and oversee elections, In the
interest of the next Republican candi-
date for the Presidency.
The false pretexts assigned for the
veto become more transparent the
more they are considered. The mes
sage says: "The enactment of this bill
into law will establish q precedent
which will tend to destroy the equal
Independence of the several branches
of the Government Less than year
ago the Fraudulent President signed
the regular army bill for the current
fiscal year with the following condi-
tlon:
ssSec. Is. From and after the passage
of this act 1t shall not be lawful to en-
ploy any part of the army of the United
States as posse comitatus, or other
wise, for the purpose of executing the
laws, except In such cases and under
such circumstances as such employment
of said force may be expressly author
lied by the Constitution or by act of
Congress; and no money appropriated
by this act shall be used to pay any of
the expense incurred In the employ
ment of any troops In violation of this
section; and any person wilfully vio-
latiug the provisions of this section
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemean-
or, and on conviction thereof shall be
punished by fine not exceeding ten
thousand dollars, or imprisonment not
exceeding two years, or by both such
fine and imprisonment"
That section was entirely original,
and though fully debated In the Sem
ate, no objection was raised that 1t was
not germane to the bill, or in any sense
revolutionary. It is far more compre-
hensive In scope and more open to the
objections of the veto than the present
bill. He approved this section with
out word of complaint, though it
stands precisely on the same founda-
ton with that now vetoed.
Referring to this very section, he
now urges its existence as an argument
against the other, for the following
reason:
ssIt may, therefore, be confidently
stated that there is no necessity for the
enactment of section six of the bill be-
fore me to prevent military interfer-
ence with the elections"
The Fraudulent President thus sets
himself up as the judge of the neces-
sity of legislation passed by Congress,
and assumes on that ground to Justify
the veto of a measure considered wise
and proper by the Senate aud House OF
Indispensable for tho protection of a
free ballot; and If Congress consents to
surrender 1t, the prediction may be
confidently ventured that the next
Presidential election will be conducted
under the persuasive influence of bayo-
nets, wherever they may he needed to
produce a majority.
The Republican managers rely upon
the army as their chief resource, in
connection with money to be provided
by the pet banks, the contractors, and
the of1icehoiders, for carrying the Presi-
dency next year. Their situation is
desperate, and therefore desperate
means must be employed. Hence this
resistance to legislation which pro-
poses to deprive them of one auxiliary.
The Democrat, the Greenbacker or
the Independent who does not see
through this whole partisan scheme
must indeed be blind; or If, knowing
Its purpose, he does not oppose it to
the last extremity, he must be lost to
every impulse of patriotism. The
American people want no soldiers,
under any possible pretext, about their
elections. They mean to have free
ballot, and if it can be obtained by no
other means, they will demand of Con-
gress to abolish the army. In the
language of Sumner, we say: Stick to
the repeal of soldiers at the polls. or
soldiers as police, or soldiers to super
aede the local authority of the States.