Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-08-07

house TO elect a president ny 'ne
fourth Of March the president OF the
senate (if there be one) woald be the
legitimate person to exercise preSl-
dental authority for the time DelhS
or until the appearance OF ia"Iu'
president, or for the time lalo down
in the constitutions. Such courses
would be peaceful, and, L have a nrm
belief. lawful. | have no doubt !
Hayes would make all excellent pres
ident. | have met him aud known OF
him. For a brief period he served
under my command, but AS the mat
ter stands | can't see II Likelihood
of his being duly declared elected by
the people unless the senate ana
house come to be in accord as to that
fact, and the house would OF course
not otherwise elect him. What the
people want is a peaceful determine
ton of this matter, as fair a deter
mination as possible, and a lawful
one. No other determination could
stand to them. The country If not
plunged into a revolution, would
become poorer day by day, business
would lauguish and our bonds would
come home to find a dispirited
market. [ was not in favor of the
military in South Carolina recently,
aud if General Ruger had telegraphed
to me or asked for advice, l would
have advised him not, under any
circumstances, to allow himself or his
troops to determine who were the
lawful members of a state legislature.
I could not have given him better
advice than to refer him to the special
message Of the president i'll the case
- ,,;;,,, ri tinoa hnfnrn Rttt
in South Carolina he had had the
question settled by a decision of the
supreme court of the state, the
highest tribunal which had acted on
the question, so his line of duty
seemed even to be clearer than in the
| action in the Louisiana case. If the
| federal court had interfered and over
| ruled the decision of the state court
| there might have been q double cer-
| tainty, but the federal court inter
fered to complicate, not to decide or
override. Anyhow, it is no business
of the army 10 enter upon such ques-
items, and even if it mi ght be 80, in
any event if the civil. authority is
supreme, as the constitution declares
it to be, the South Carolina Case
was one in which the army had a
plsin duty. Had General Ruger
asked ME for advice, aud if l had
given it, L should, of course, have
! notified you of my action Immediate
ly, 30 it could have been promptly
everruled it it should have been
deemed advisable by you or others
superior in authority. General Kruger
did not ask for my advice aud l infer
red from that and other facts that he
did not desire it; or that, being in
direct communication with my mill
tary superlors at the seat of govern
menl. WAC were nearer to him i'll
time aud distance than L was, he
deemed it Unnecessary. AS General
Ruger had the ultimate responsibility
OF action and had really the greater
danger TO confront in the fiual action
i'll the matter, L did not venture to
embarrass him by suggestions. He
was a department commander, the
lawful head of the military admins
~tration within limits of tie depart
ment, but beside l knew that he had
been called to Washington for con.
sultation before taking comman,
and Was probably aware Of thc view
; OF the administration as to civil affLlr'
in his command. | knew he was il
tlllSSt wan - ~
periors in authority in reference tt
!, the delicate subjects presented for hi
consideration, or h I'D ideas of his owl
= which he believed to be sufficiently
in accord with the views OF our con
, mon superiors to enable him To ac
in~teiligeutly according to his judy
ment and without suggestion truil
those not on the spotand not as full,
a.rnoSta with fEa Fact a. hjmsa!t
He desired, TOO, to be free 10 act, Il
. he had the eventual greater respon
sibility, and SO the matter was GOV
crnrd as between him aud myself. "A
l have been writing thus freely 1
you [ may still further CubOsOm my
self by stating that | nave not though
: il lawful or wise To use federal troop
q in such matters as have transpire
q east ui the Mississippi within the las
81 few months, save SO far AS they ma
be brought into action under til
&c article Of the constitution which COZ
templates meeting armed resistant
or invasion of Il state more pOwerit
~ than the state authorities can subdu
~ by the ordinary processes, and the
i only when requested by the legisl
ture, or, if it could not be convene
nj in session, by the governor, and whe
-, the president of the United States II
"a tervened III that manner it Is a sta
Ar of war, not peace. The army is labo
s. ing under disadvantages, and h;
"a been used unlawt FULLY at times in Il
ur Judgment of the people I'm NIL
* certainly, and we have lost a gre
Id deal of the kindly feeling which Il
Ill community at large one felt tor Il
40 . -, ~ 80, .,.l m l. n ~ ~
m GERS in command of troops often fl
1t. it difficult to act wisely and safe
when superiors in authority ha
n different views Of the laws from thei
o. and when litigation has sanction'
tie the action seemingly IN conflict wi
nd the fundamental law, and they gene
mt ally deter 10 the known judgment
RS, tneir supervisors. Yet, the supervis
rly officers OF the army are so regard
in such great crises aud are hrld
EN- sue Responsibility, especially tho
at or near the head of it, hat it
are necessary on such mOlnenious
vas ~cnsiun to dare to determine for the
er. selves what Is law full and what Is l
On lawful under our system II the III
ion tary authorities should be Invoked,
i. might possibly be The ease in Il
n a exceptional liiaeN,N men iitle GSiSi
md such divergent views as 10 me {
rect result. The army will sHl
the iroM it's past action if it has ac
Gu wronstuliy. Our regular army
ted little nali upon the affections of
nth people If to-day, and its superior
not iicers should certainly, rs tar n
the lies in their power, legally and "
,niy righteous intent aim TO defend
the right, wiiici, to US is the laW and
.ted institution which, they represent.
the is Il el!-nnraning institution, All
nom would be well if il should il
non opportunity to be recognized Il
buiwark in support of The right
you. the people and of the law. |
ABLY truly yours, (S'gned)
cars WINFIELD ). UANCOC
fuc- To Gen. W Il. Sherman, comm
:, for ing army of the United ST;
own Washington, ID. &.
You "
and GOOD SUCKERS.
re- -