The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-07

Illinois upon the demand OF the postoflce de
partment and upon representations OF the
judicial officers Of the United States. that
process OF the United states courts could not
he served, aud upon proof that consplracies
existed. We will not discuss the facts hut
LOOK for moment az the principle involved
In your statement All OF those officers are
appointed by the executive Most of
them can be removed by him at will They
are not only obliged to do his bidding, but
they are, in fact. q part OF the executive II
several OF them can apply for troops. one
alone can. so that Nnder the law, as you as
sumo II to be an executive, through any one
OF ms appointeeS, can apply to himself to
nave the military sent into any city or mum
ber OF cities and base his application on sIch
representations or showing as he sees nt to
make. In fact, it will be inmate
rial whether he makes any showing or
not for the executive is the sole Judge and
nobody else has any right to interfere or even
inquire about it. Then the executive can
PASS on his own application-his will being
the sole guide. he can hold the application TO
be Suiticlent and order troops to as many
places as he wishes, and pu them in com
mand OF any one he chooses and have them
act. not under the civil officers. either fed
era! or state, but act directly under
military orders from Washington,
and there is not In the consti-
tuition or laws of the land whether written or
unwritten, any limitation or restraint upon
his power. His Judgment, that is, his will. is
the sole guide, and II being purely a matter OF
discretion, his decision can never be exam
ined or questioned This assumption as to
the power OF the executive is certainly new.
and | respectfully submit that IL is not the
law OF the land. The lurists have told US that
thlS IS government OF law, and not
aSovernment by the caprice OF Individuals
and further that instead OF being autocratic,
II was a government of limited power. Yet
the autocrat OF Russia could certainly nor
possess or claim TO possess greater powet
than Is possessed by the executive OF the
United states II your assumption is correct.
5. The executive has the command not only
but of the military forces of all the states,
ana can order them to any place he sees iii to,
and, as there are always more or less local
disturbances over the country, 1t Will be an
easy matter, under your construction
OF the law, for an ambitious exec
utive to order out the military forces Of
all OF the states and establish at once mill
tarN government. The only chance OF failure
in such movement could come from rebel
lion, and with such vast military power al
command, this could readily he crushed, for
as a rule, soldiers will obey orders So far as
the situation in Illinois is concerned that is
OF no consequence now when com
pared with the far reaching principle
Involved. True, according to my ad-
vices, federal troops have now been
on dnty for over two davs. and although the
men were brave and the officers valiant and
able yet their very presence proved to be irri-
tant, because IL aroused the indignation OF
large class OF people who, while uphoding
law and order, had been taught to believe in
local selfgovernment, and therefore resented
what they regarded as an unwarranted inter
ference.
Inasmuch as the federal troops can do
nothing but what the state troops can do
there. and believing that the ate is amply
able to take care OF the situation and to en-
force the law. and believing that the ordering
out of the federal troops was unwarranted, I
again ask for their withdrawal.
JOHN p. ALrGELD.
TIME FOR ACTION INSTEAD OF TALK.
Washington, July Gov. Altgeld's
second telegram 10 the President reached
the white house near the hour of mid
night. 1t came over the private wire and
its contents were carefully read Then
the President dictated the following re
ply:
Executive Mansion Washington, d. c.,
July 8, 1S9i-Hon. John i. Altgeld, Governor
of Illinois, Springfield. ILL.,. While l am still
persuaded that / have neither transcended
my authority or duty in the emergency that
cOnfronts US, it seems to me that in this hour
of danger and public distress. discussion may
well give way to active effort on the part Of
all in authority to restore obedience to the
law and to protect life and property.
GROVER CLEVELAND.