Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-13
NO REQUEST FOR TROOPS
The Army Not Called Upon to Interfere in
Louisiana.
Policy of the War Department Re-
speeding the Use of TrOOps-Re-
strictiOns Of the Law.

Secretary Lamont said this morning that
he had received no request Of any kind
from any source for the use of federal
troops in New Orleans.
The policy of the War Department in
the case of civil troubles in the states il
set forth in general order, dated July
"a, 1894, the preparation of which was in
spired by the labor troubles at Chicago.
In that order the attention of all officers
OF the army was invited to the following
section of an act of Congress approved
June Is, 1878:
Sec. Is. From and after the passage of
this act it shall not be lawful to employ
any part of the army Of the United States,
as posse comitatus, or otherwise, for the
purpose Of executing the laws, except in
as such employment of said force may be
expressly authorized by the Constitution or
by act of Congress; and no money appro-
priated by. this act shall be used to pay
any OF the expenses incurred in the en-
ployment of any troops in violation of this
section and any person wilhully violating
the provisions of this section shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on
conviction thereof shall be punished by fine
not exceeding ten thousand dollars or i'm
prisonment not exceeding two years, or by
both such fine and Imprisonment
The Constitution.
The constitutional provision on this SUBJ
ject Is article 4 of the Constitution, which
provides as follows:
''Sec. 4. The United States shall guaran-
tee to every state in this Union a repubIi-
can form of government, and shall protect
each Of them against invasion; and on ap-
plication Of the legislature, or of the ex-
ecutive Cwhen the legislature cannot be
convened. against domestic violence
The order repeats all the acts of Con-
gress. understood as intended to be ex-
cepted from the operation of section 15
of the military forces for the purpose of
executing the laws. These include the
statutes prohibiting the obstruction or re-
tarding the passage of the mails. and for
the protection of trade and commerce
against unlawful restraints.
General Instructions to the Army.
The order concludes with the following
instructions. based on the Constitution and
laws. as given:
Officers Of the army will not permit the
use Of the troops under their command to
aid the civil authorities as a posse COM
ttatus or In execution of the laws, except
as authorized In the foregoing enactments
II time will admit the application for the
use of troops for these purposes must be
forwarded. with statement of all the ma
ter1al facts In the case, for the considera-
ton and action of the President: but, in
Eases VI Suuuen ana unexpected INVASION,
fnsurrection. or riot endangering the public
property of the United States or in cases
OF attempted or threatened robbery or in
terruption of the United States mails, or
other equal emergency SO imminent as to
prohibit communication by telegraph, Of
Ulcers OF the army may, If they think a
necessity exists. take such action before the
receipt of instructions from the seat Of
government as the circumstances of the
case and the law under which they are act
ing may justify. In every such case they
will promptly report their action and the
circumstances requiring it to the adjutant
dent"