St. Landry democrat., 1880-09-04
The Sherman Letters.

letters OF CGU. CucTfiidu W UcU. 1ldn-
cock, written pending the Presidential
embroglio of 1877. They contain moth
ing that would reflect directly to the
discredit of that officer. They are ra-
ther partisan, it is true, but, i'll the main,
as conservative as could be expected
from a Republican standpoint. One
thing, however, does not seem quite
clear and satisfactory to us. 1t is this:
Gen. Sherman says, in speaking OF the
troops, "tllat the President has the law
" full right to use the army and navy
"and our duty is to sustain him with
zeal and sincerity" Now, everybody
knows that the President is the consti-
tutional communicative chief of the ar
my and navy, but everybody does not
admit his right to use that army and
navy just as he pleases. For instance,
great many do not recognize his right
to invade State with his army against
the expressed will of her people or upon
formal demand for aid by her Govern
or. And we can't see our way clear as
to the meaning Of Gen. Sherman when
he says "we must sustain him (the Pres
ident) with zeal and sincerity" Does
he mean that the President, or some ad-
venturer who may fraudulently set him
self up as such, dixie Hayes, for exam
ple), has the right to command the ODE
dience of the Generals of the United
States Army in carrying out unlawful,
| revolutionary acts? And do we under
stand Gen. Sherman to affirm that it is
his duty, and the duty of every othor
General, to obey the unlawful orders of
such President If such is the case,
then the army is indeed a most danger
Gus power in the hands of a vicious Pre-
| sident, or an ambitious pretender to the
Presidency. Just let a designing Presi
dent assume the unconstitutional power
of using the army as he pleases-as his
caprice may dictate-quarter his troops
| in cities and towns and counties and
parishes on the eve Of important Fede
raj or State elections to carry out his
venal behests by intimidating voters in
behalf Of his political principles, and
using that army to forcibly seat officials,
from President down, who never were
elected by the people-and we would
soon become thoroughly Mexicanized !;
aye, more than that, we would soon wit
ness the degrading spectacle Of Presi-
Dental pretenders riding into Office on
the shoulders Of their willing soldiery-
thus reaching the end Of this glorious
fabric of our illustrious fOrefathers by
summarily tearing down and annihil-
ating the greatest work of the greatest
people on earth, the free and indepen-
dent American Republic.
It is notorious fact that Republican
leaders have been bowling for long
time, and are bowling still, for an in
crease of the army. They place great
reliance in big standing army. They
absolutely need such one to keep them
in power. They are anxious to initiate
foreign potentates i'll this respect, who
chiefly rely upon bayonets to perpetuate
their rule and enforce their arbitrary
DEGREES. If Republican administra-
ton had given any evidence that large
army was actually necessary to protect
our Northwestern frontier from Indian
depredations, and had employed thu
hundreds of soldiers that are now lyins
, idle at various points throughout the
, States for that purpose, and for tina
, purpose alone, and the force was still
found inadequate, then we would have
no objection to see the army increased
to figure commensurate with the ur
gency of the demand. But it is not TO
this kind Of service that large army il
{ wanted by the Republicans. 1t is want
ed for political purposes-to be con
verified into vast political machinery
to assist and back them in their meta
rious political schemes. This, and moth
Q ing else. Had there been no army i'm
I mediately available, or, rather, no form
liable array of troops in and about TIN
National Capital in 1877, the chances ar
: that the Republicans never would hav
dared to steal the Presidency as the,
9 did. And when we reflect upon TIN
y high crime that has already been perpe
I trated, the language used by Gen. Sher
man, when he says chat the Presiden
has the lawful right to use the arm,
J and navy \ and our duty Gas Gene
! "rals) is to sustain him with zeal an,
" sincerity" has more thar common
' place significance. for he plainly hint
that the army is one of the factors whicl
9 might be used in the settlement Of Pre-
J sidential embroglios such as we had il
: 1877. This, we take it, is a fair warn
: ing; and as the Democratic party ha
not particle of use for a standing ar
my, and as they have clear majority il
Congress, the force should be cut dow
J to the very lowest number of men nee
. essary to protect the frontier and tax
care Of the Notifications. Leave moth
ing in the hands of Republican leader
: and Republican Generals with which t.
inflict mischief upon the country.
In another column of the DEMocRA
r we print an incepdiary article from til
) San Francisco Argus. Tt is a regula
il eye-opener, and is the keynote of til
, Garfield campaign. The editor of thi
4 blood and- thunder Republican orga
r evidently despairs of success in fai
). way at the approaching election, bu