The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-10-13
SUPPOSE A CASE.
That Is Always a Good Way to Find On
Just What You Believe.

That Is Always n Good Way to Find Out
just What You Believe.
The ceaseless cry of the populists is
that Col. Hughes ought to have obeyed
the governor. because the governor is
The commander-in-chiefo of the militia
Suppose a case: Suppose Grover Cleve-
land, who is commander-in-chief of the
armies of the United States, should some
day take personal offense at the legis-
ture of the state of Kansas and should
order the troops at Fort Riley to come to
Topeka and sack the town and dispense
the legislature, dead or alive. 1t is
likely true that the commandment at
Fort Riley could obey this order, and
If he got out alive the order from his
superiors would exempt him from pun
ishment at the hands of Kansas courts.
But suppose the commandant declined
to execute such an order-it is
as sure as sunrise that on trial
for disobeying orders he would be
cleared by every court of COM
petent jurisdiction, on the ground that
he was ordered to do an illegal thing;
that the president had no more right
to order an assassination in Kansas
than he would have to come to Kansas
and do the assassinating himself. In
other words, every general commander
is limited in his rights to command and
when he crosses the limits he does not
have to be obeyed.
The universal feeling about Col
Hughes and his trial is most admirably
expressed by the Rocks County Record,
an independent, clear headed and ont
spoken paper. 1t says:
1.-The members of the Douglass house
knew that they were the legally con-
stituted house of representatives of the
state of Kansas. They knew they
were in possession of that which was
their own. They knew that the con-
stitution of the state gave them the
right of possession and absolute con-
troll of the house of representatives
and that no power on the face
of the earth could question it.
They knew that they were right
and that the protection of their rights
was necessary to the continuance OF
constitutional government They were
brave men and they determined to hold
their rights. Gov. Lewelling knew this
and he further knew that when he at
tempted to force the militia into repre-
sentative hall he attempted to intefere
with a right and consequently attempt
ed to do a wrong. Col. Hughes knew
that, and he further knew, as did the
governor, that the grounds and the
streets surrounding the capitol were
thronged with large bodies of armed
men who had assembled from many
parts of the state determined to main
tain, by force, the claims of the oppos-
ing factions. The governor and the
colonel both knew that the firing of a
single gun or exercise of armed force
would have precipitated a collision
that must have resulted in deplorable
bloodshed. Gov. Lewelling knew
that Col. Hughes was a patriot
and that his patriotism would
not allow him to begin civil war by q
wrongful act. He knew that Col.
Hughes would disobey his order. Had
he not known it he never would have
made the order; for he knew that, in
an armed conflict, the right would pre-.
vail, and that the sober Judgment OF
the people of Kansas would never up
hold such lawlessness on the part of an
executive who had given his oath tC
defend the laws and the constitution
For this 'disobedience' Col. Hughes is
to be 'dishonorably discharged Dis
honored by the Observation-Disclosures
two negatives make pOSitive-hon
ored by the honorable. Col. Hughes
will ever be honored by law-abidine
citizens. At a most critical moment
his GOODNESS prevented bloodshed and
death. 1t saved many a home from
sorrow and our state from disgrace
When the anxious hearts of peace-lov
ing citizens all over this state learned
on the 10th day of February that Col
Hughes had 'disobeyed' they said
amen! And now, when his court mar
tial is announced, they add, God bless
you!"