Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-09-14
John f. Lewis's ROcord.
SECOND PAGE.


the South which marked its proceed
ings. Johh F. Lewis rarely appeared,
or voted, before the 4th Of March, 1871,
so that his record may be SAID TO date
from that day. While his name ia MSS
ing from two-lhIrds Of the votes given
even thereafter, whenever he did vote
he distinguished himself by his malig-
nifty toward. the white people Of his
State and section, AS the record will
prove.
So resolved were the stslwart Radl-
Gals, Conkling, sherman, Morton & Co.
that nothing should stand between
them and their resolve to wreak ven.
geance on the South That, as early as
March 18th, Anthony, of Rhode Island,
offered resolution that the Senate,
during that session, would consider 20
1Hestions except such A concerned the
alleged outrages in the South. The re-
solution was finally amcndsd so az to
provide that the Senate should only con-
sider-
l. This Deficiency Appropriation
bill.
2. The smelling ou! Of oalrages in
the South.
8. a force bill, to enable Grant to
stamp out public liberty under pretcnce
Of executing the laws.
1t was so shameful an Abandonment
of public duty for pure partizau hostility
that not only did ersry Democrat in the
Senate vo,e No" bu. even such Re-
publicans as Charles Summer aud Will.
liam Windon voted with them. Bus
among the revengeful Ayes" stands
The name recorded ofJOHN F. LEW
is, OF VIRGINIA. Congressional
Globe, March %, 1871, p. 22).
On the 2Sth of March bill was in
troduced ostensiblY 10 enforce the pro.
visions Of the Fourteenth Amendment.
This bill provided for the suspension OF
habeas corpus at the will OF Grant, for
his Intervention il State affairs at his
pleasure and for the most trivial causes.
1t deprived the State Courts Of jurisdic-
ton to try a vast line of causes Of
offence against person or properly. and
transferred to United States Courts,
then held by the most malignant and
ignorant partizans throughout the
South, all such cases. 1t empower ed
Grant to call out the militia and the
land and naval forces Of the United
States to interfere in any South ern
State, whether called on as provided
under the Constitution or not, and made
him the judge of the necessity OF inter-
ference. 1t made a new definition OF
rebellion and gave Grant the power to
say when rebellion existed and then
authorized him
"To suspend the privileges Ofthe lcra Of
HABEAs CORPUS, and to declare and en-
force, subject to the rules and articles Of
war and other laWs Q f tie United States,
nc,c in force, applicable to cases Of RE-
BELL1oN, MARTIAL LAW, sc.
Well was this bill denounced by every
Democrat as the most hideous travesty
on law ever proposed, framed as it was,
solely to lntimidate the South into vot-
Ing the Republican ticket in the election
soon to follow.
But it passed.
Every Democfat of course voted
against it, but along side of the COnk-
lings and Mortons, who were thus
wreaking their vengeance on the South,
was the Repudiator candidate for Lieu
tenant-Governor of Virginia. LEWIS
VOTED AYE. Congressional Globe,
April 10Th, lS7l-p. S3l)
The vile work of the session having
thus been accomplished, Mahone's
friend, Conkling, blandly moved for an
adjournment of the Senate sine die on
the following day.
In the course of the discussion ofthis
bill, Sherman, whose maIignity exceed
ed even Morton's, moved an amend
ment to turn another screw on the un-
happy people of the South.
Putting them under Grants thumb,
authorizing the sweeping away OF their
liberties, setting.up Martial law in the
South, substituting the army regula-
tons for their State codes might satisfy
Others. But his venom was not so
easily appeased, and his ingenuity was
more fertile, and he placed the cap
stone on this arch Of infamy by an
amendment. Of his own.
This amendment provided that, If any
Of the political outrages, with which the
Radical journals were full at that time
was committed on person or property.
the United States should have eogniz-
ance OF the alleged offense, should try
the case by Its own iuries, and verdict
being obtained, as would always follow,
the county, city, or town where it
happened should pay all damages AGAR
ded, aud upon judgment being OBJ
tanned, "RxEsUTIoN MAY BE LEVIED
ON ANY Properly, REAL OR PERSON
AL, OF AMY PERSON IN SAID COUNTY,
CITY OR PARIsH."
This Infamous attempt to put the
property of. the white people OF the
South al the mercy Of the faithful allies
and the Uuderwoods j. Co.. excited
the indignation even of such Radicals
as Schurz, Morill, Freelinghuyssn, the
carpet bagger Spencer, and other bitter
Republicans, who promptly voted
against 1t.
BUT JOHN F. LEWIS VOTED AYE!