Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-12
THE PRESIDENT COMMENDED.
senator Daniel Says There IL No Shadow
of Doubt About His Authority.

Senator Daniel says There IL No Shadow
OF Doubt About His Authority.
The Washington correspondent OF the
New York Herald interviewed several
United states senators on Tuesday AZ to
the legal aspect OF Mr.. Cleveland's action
In calling out Federal troops. among
them Mr.. Daniel, OF Virginia. He IL.
says the correspondent, favorabiy known
throughout the country by the law
students, as he Is the author OF seVe-
raj standard textbooks used in the law
schools Of the country. Mr.. Daniel has
no qualification In what he says:
"There can be no doubt In my mind.
and ] believe that every man who has
given the subject the most careful atten-
ton will agree, that the President IL
acting within his well-defned powers. and
hat the Constitution n the laws based
thereon give him ample power To conduct
the operations that he has undertaken.
The conditions at Chicago are totally
different from anything that have arisen
in this country ever before.
"In cases OF ordinary strike or up
rising from some similar cause II would
be the duty OF the Governor to call upon
the President for assistance. when he
found that the State authorities could
not cope with the trouble: under such
n condition OF affairs the President would
doubtless walt for such n request. But
the circumstances here are altogether
different. and II Is the confusion of con-
dltions that clouds the minds OF those
| WHO are criticising the President.
The strikers have been engaged In OBJ
| structlng the tracks of railroads that
| are CARRYING the United States mails,
and engaged in the business OF interstate
commerce; they have been defying the
ORDERS OF the United States courts. and
preventing the operations OF the Federal
| courts. IL say that the President has not
the power as the chief magistrate OF TINS
nation 20 enforce the decisions or the
Fedcrals courts. or 10 protect the pro-
porty OF the United States. or those en-
gagged In business over which the Federal
| Government has supervision, Is 10 uehy
the very existence OF the authority that
IS personined In the President himseit.
81 am a States-rights Democrat. and
| would be the last man TO stand idly by
and see the authority of the state en-
croached upon. but ! fail TO see anything
here that encroaches upon the authority
of the State OF Illinois in any way. The
President is acting entirely within the
lines OF the Constitution, and his acuon
is TO be commended by all law-abidinS
citizens. regardless OF their political predl'
cation or partisan feeling.
PRESIDENT DOING HIS DUTY.
'Of course. there may be some fine dis
tinctions drawn in this discussion OF a
constitutional question. and men VIII dif-
fer upon II, as they viii differ upon every.
thing else. The jurisdiction of the United
States and of the States is concurrent IN
many cases, and there exists a concurrent
jurisdiction in this matter also, but the
stronger arm OF the General Government
is needed to quell this disorder.
'The act of destroying a ~freight-car or
n mail-car is a violation Of the laws oil
the State Of Illinois. passed TO protect the
rights Of her citizens In property; bu'
while that is true, the company whose cars
are thu destroyed, being engaged IN tht
business of carrying on interstate COM
mercc, comes within the purview OF the
Federal laws, and the offence against the
State law becomes an offence against the
Federal law, and can be punished in any
State in n Federal court. 1t Is precisely
like the punishment of the counterfeiting
of money. 1t is an offence punishable
according to the statutes of some states
and it is an offence punishable by the
statutes of the United States.
mo, looked at from any point OF view
there can be no doubt as TO the Presidents
conduct in this matter. He Is dong MS
duty: he is not exceeding his powers
the Constitution is behind him, AMI be
hind that Is the sober sentiment or the
great mass Of American people, VINO be
, lieve I'm law and order. and are appalled,
at this outbreak. which will prove a bio'
upon the civilization of this country