Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-06-12

port, has provided moans by which an ap-
peal to tho country can be takon and, 1t is for
tho people to decide whothor tho Presidential
veto hos been wisely and patriotioally usod to
defeat tho will of this Congress which repro.
sonts o vast majority Of tho citizens Of tho
performed when have used all tho power
with which that Constitution has entrusted
me. Tho President and tho minority in Cons
gress must bo responsible for tho use Of thoirs.
And while these are my general views of my
duty, | certainly havo no inducomont, no
disposition, to ombarrass tho present adminis-
| trntion.
It q source Of profound regret to mo that
the President could not find himself ablo to
approve tho bills ho llas vetoed. 10 mo thoy
seen, to cmbody but simple declarations Of
constitutional principles, and to be in ontiro
conformity with the policy which he hns an.
nouncod repeatedly as tho ono that ho would
pursue. But am not disposed on account
OF this difference, grave though it bo. to do
nounco his action or impugn his motives.
am woll aware that his position is not easy
nor his responsibility light. Iremon,ber, aud
tho people whom | represent remember, that
in critical period Of our history, in disre-
gard of tho passions and in opposition to tho
wishes of the party who placed him in his
present position, with doubt as to the result
of his independent action, moved, as l
honestly bclcyo, by his convictions of duty,
ho withdrew tho Federal troops from tho
State Houses of South Carolina and Louisiana,
thus enabling the people of these States to
restore their local governments to those who
represent tho popular will, as we'll Us the
character and intelligence, and tho property
Of tho two States. For this action, wise and
patriotic rs am suro that history will record
it, for ono am grateful. And willie in the
honest and necessary party differences which
must arise in n FREQ country it will DO my
duty, with all tho cnergy and ability possess
to oppose the partisan policy of which lo is
| tho representative, my opposition shall not
be captous. Nor shall by bittor and acri-
monious ccnsuro drivo him into dependence
on those who would in their selfish rush for
power tramp!o on him and on US. | trust,
therefore, in what havo to say that
shall be ablo to speak with truth and sober
ness.
What, then, let mo ask again, arc tho issues
before tho country upon which any action of
ours can DO called, revolutionary or trcasona-
bic? If tho rcpealing acts which have been
suggested were passed to ,day, wo should
simply be remandcd to tho legislation under
which the country has lived and moved and
had it's being for scvcnty-iivo years Of its
existence. Can such n restoration be reyou-
tion Or treason7 Surely not, unless tho in
tcrvcning war has SO changed our relations to
each other that the old constitutional lcgisla-
tion is no longer applicable to our condition;
and yet this is really what Senators on the
other side would have tho country believe
| ask, in MI candor, would such legislation rs
VIC noy seek to repeal have been conceived
or defended by any statesman before the war1
| Would any President from 1889 to 1861
ever have dreamed of seeding tho army Of tho
United States to keep the peace Mt tho polls
or of appointing Federal supervisors and
marshals to supcrintcnd tho popular baliotf
If not, then tho necessity for the n ainte'ance
of this legislation arises from something new
in the relations Of tho States to the Union.
Will any Senator point out what that now
element is? If any exist, what is the diffe~
romeo in tho rolutons State holds to the
Union to-day and those of tho same State
| betorc tho war? If there is none. and VEN
ture to say that mono can 10 pointed out whorcin
consists the necessity for any such legislation
to-day which did not exist then? This qucs-
ton should, | think, be fairly answered,
because it is tho point upon which the aceu.
| satlons against tho South rest. If all that
wc ask is what existed for thrcc-qunrtcrs of
n century of our existence, how can it be
revolutionary or reasonable TO make this
demand? If the Democratic doctrine that
Federal troops cannot lawfully be used Mt the
polls. or cannot interfere in tho State matters
unless specially requested to do so by the
constituted authorities Of State bc hcrcsy,
wc have the strongest Republican authority
to sustain that hcresy. In his message to tho
Legislature of Pennsylvania, in January,
1871. Governor John W. Gcary used tic
following language:
"The employment of troops Of tho United
States ut elections, without tho consent Of tho
local and State Governments, hns already
received considerable attention and rcprcllcn-
sion. Under any circumstances
in my opinion, it is unsafe and antagonistic
to tho principles that should govern our
elections, United States troops wcrc stationed
in Phiadcphia for the avowcd purpose Of
cntorccing tho election laws. This was done
without tho consent or even tho knowledge of
tho civil authorities Of either the city or tho
State, and without any expressed desire on
the part Of the citizens, and rs far as can DO
asccrtained, without existing necessity"
The Democratic party stands day where
Governor Gcary, n staunch Republican, stood
then. Nor are wo without other and equally
as high Republican authority to sustain tho
position taken by our party. Hon. Carl
Schurz, now n distinguished member Of the
present Cabinet, i'll his place on this floor
mado this mon,nrnble protest against t;,e
scandalous and unconstitutional use Of Fcdc"
raj soldiery in Louisiana:
Omitted States soldicrs, with fixed bayoncis,
decided the case against them, and took them
out of tho legislative hall by forco.
cannot. therefore. escape from tho deliberate
conviction, conviction consocntiously form O
that tho deed dono on the 4th of January, in
tho State House of Louisiana, by tho military
forces Of the United States, constitutes a gross
and manifest violation Of tho Constitution
and laws of this Republic. If this
can be done in Louisiana and if such things
be sustained by Congress, how long will it
"a hnf l,N I,