National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-08-14
DEMOCRATIC CONSISTENCY.

In looking over the Congressional Record
for April we came upon speech of Senator
RANDOLPH, of New Jersey, in which he
having, while President, misused his power.
He cites as evidence of the truth of this
allegation an incident in which he was an
actor, rs follows:
had the honor to bear message in 1876
from Governor (now Senator) HAMPTON to the
then President of the United States requesting
him to withdraw his troops from the State
House of South Carolina in Difference to de-
cision of the Supreme and highest Court of
that State. / urged the Importance Of 1t with
all the force of appropriate language at my
command. told the President that in the
judgment of eminent lawyers the Governor,
then out Of office by the expiration OF his term,
had not lawfully invoked the assistance of the
Federal power, inasmuch as he had made no
effort to convene his Legislature, though
easily done, and obtain its action on matter
so vital; that the newly elected Governor
desired the attendance of the representatives
of the people in their State-House, from which
them, and finally, that the contest was one OF
purely State concern, regarding only the
claims of State officers, and that these had
been definitely settled by the highest legal
tribunal that could ever take cognizance of the
case, 1. g. the Supreme Court of South Caro-
lima. urged that the Federal forces should
be promptly withdrawn from the State Capt.
tai. You may imagine, sir, my astonishment
and Indignation when, in angry tone and un-
civil manner, the President replied " won't
withdraw the troops. i don't regard the de.
cision Of the Supreme Court, and if had any
message TO send to General HAMPTON it would
be that his message to me is an impertinence.'
Senator RANDOLPH made the most of his
mission from WADE HAMPTON to the Presi-
dent. HAMPTON was not then Governor
though he was in waiting to have the troop:
withdrawn from the State House, so that
he could usurp the powers that rightfully
belonged to another. He demanded that
the President should withdraw the troops
because the Supreme Court of the State had
made decision which overruled the ex.
pressed will of the people, and the Presi
dent characterized his demand an imperti
nence, MS IL was, under the circumstances
The Senator is very denunciatory of thu
President because he did not bow humbly
to the usurper and the mandate of q STATE
court.
In this connection we desire, even at thii
late day, to remind Senator RANDOLPH
that there are numerous precedents which
might be plead in justification Of the ac
ton of the President in this case. He can
not have forgotten the fact that the Su
preme Court of Louisiana decided in favor
of the legality of the KELLOGG government
So also did the United States Distric
Court. And yet the Democrats paid no re
spect to these decisions, but attempted to
overthrow KELLOGG by revolutionary vio
lence. They never tired of denouncinl
GRANT for supporting KELLOGG. Again
Senator RANDOLPH no doubt recollects the
fact that in the spring of 1874 there was
contest in the State of Arkansas betweei
Brooks and BAXTER over the Office of Gov
ernor, which came near resulting in civi
war. BAXTER, the Conservative, was counted
in by the Returning Board. Brooks appealed
TO the courts, and actually obtained from
the Supreme Court of the State q judgmen
ousting BAXTER from the possession of til,
Office. BAXTER refused to obey the decree
of the court. The Democrats gathered a
the Capitol, and by force prevented the ex
eCution of the judgment of the court. Bot
sides appealed to General GRANT for sup
port. Generals PIKE and JOHNSON repro
sented the Democratic cause in Washing
ton. General GRANT finally decided il
favor of BAXTER and the Democrats, ant
against the decision of the Supreme Cour
IIo did mOre-he sent United States troop
tosustain BAXTER in defiance of the dc
cision of the court, and published proc
lamntion commanding the Brooks part
sans TO disperse. For doing this he wa
loudly praised by the Democrats, So it
very plain that the Democrats only respeC
the decisions of the courts when they are /
their favor.
Then, again, Senator RANDOLPH may rex
olleot that General JACKSON once refused
be governed by or to execute a decision
the Supreme Court of the United States, /
a case if we recollect rightly, from Georgi
SAVING that he would enforce the laws q