The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-09-17
BRYAN ANSWERED.
The Attorney-General Discusses
 Uncle Sam's Rights.
Federal Interference When the Mall or Interstate Commerce Is Attacked Expressly Authorized by tho
 Constitution.

SAPTcSoiy AuUnOriZeu Dy Jn0
 Constitution.
 WASHINGTON, Sept. l2. = Attorney General Harmon yesterday furnished the following for qualifications:
 have concluded to give O public answer to the many inquiries made of me upon sub- tect of g -eat moment, to which general atten- tion Is now directed. MT. Bryan, in his letter accepting the nomination for president by the convention ut Chicago, amplifes the protest which that convention made in its platform against federal interference in local affairs which, strangely enough, is not found in the platforms of the other conventions which have also nominated him.
 AS nothing else has been proposed to which they can possibly apply, these protests were Intended and are understood to be directed against the recent action Of the president in forcibly suppressng riotous disorders which had stopped the carriage of the mails and in. terstate commerce and were defying the civil officers of the United States. The president took this action, not only without the requests, but Tn some instances against the protest of the authorities of the state in which the riots occurred and Mr. Bryan, taking section 4 of article Of the constitution to be the law on the subject pledges himself against any repe- tition of the violation thereof, which his letter necessarily charges. He indicates the wisdom Of the framers of the constitution by declaring that the local authorities "are better qualified than the president to judge of the necessity for federal assistance"
 This, in my judgment Is 8 far more serious matter than the money question, or any of the other questions that are now before the people, grave as they all are. Our form of government may survive wrong decision of those aues- tions and the people may endure for time the evils which result from false systems of finance and taxation, but if the president has deliberately disregarded the instruments upon which the union Is founded. by supplanting the authority of sovereign state by armed force, precedent has been made which threatens our form of government: while, if candidate for president properly pledges himself in ad- vance. as Mir. Bryan has done. to do nothing to protect the property. maintain the authority and enfore the laws of the United States unless and until the officers of another government request or consent, then we really have no fed- eral government, for government which is not entirely free to use force to protect and maintain itself in the discharge of its own proper functions is no government at all
 But by the express terms of the constitution state has nothing to do with the maintenance of the authority of the execution of the laws of the United States within the territory oi the state The prevention and punishment of of- lenses connected with the mails. with inter-
 
 justice in the federal courts, are committed to the general government. and to 1t alone. Such onenses in no wise menace the general govern- ment of the state within which they arc com- mitted Therefore, the state cannot require protection against them. The state has no duty to discharge in these matters. Therefore 1t can require no federal assistance" with re- gard to them.
 According to Mir. Bryan there is somewhere implied in the constitution. for 1t Is nowhere expressed. Q prohibition of the use of force by the United States against persons, who. within tho limits of state. may be successfully re- sistinS It's officers and completely paralyzing all It's operations as Q government unless the local authorities shall first make requests or give consent. This is contrary to the settled principles that while the federal government Is one whose operation is confined. to certain subjects 1t has, as to those subjects, all the at- tributes of sovereignty, and one of those is always and everywhere, within the territory of the states W h!ch compose it, to suppress and punish those who in any wise interfere with the exercise of it's lawful powers. The fact that there are within that territory other gov- ernments exercising sovereignty over all mat ters not so commi ted to it, can make no dif- ference under . double form of government, the essential principles Of which is Q partl- tion of powers to be exercised independently over the same territory.
 
 necessarily follows it's officers and agents everywhere they go protecting and maintain- ing them in the discharge of their duties. Con- gress has accordingly by section 5297 of the Revised Statutes, authorized the president to use armed forces of the government in aid of state authorities when requested by them. as provided in the constitution, and has also. by the following section, 5.9s, authorized him to employ such forces upon his own judgment alone, against unlawful Instructions com- binat!ons or assembagcs of persons" "in whatever states or territory thereof the laws of the United States may be forcibly op- posed or the execution thereof forcibly obs structed"
 It was under the power conferred by the sec. tion last named that the late rebellion was suppressed. Mir. Bryan's doctrine that this law is unconstitutional is more dangerous than secession: the latter at least left the govern. ment some power and authority in the terri tory which chose to remain MT. Bryan would reduce it to the idle mimicry of the state. It was no more intended to make the general government dependent upon the states with respect to the matters committed to it, thai to make the states subject to the general govern ment with respect to the rights reserved to them. As the general government Is auif.or- ized to maintain regular army and navy, which the states cannot do, and as the mi itia of all the states is subject to the direct coll of the president, It was natural that the states should be made to call on 1t for aid against | violence but there was no reason why it should rall or wait on them for protection to itself. What have said is we'll knowr to lawyers and students of the.consttution It is chiefly in- | tended for the people at large before whom the subject has now been brought
 The action Of the president and his admnis. tration has the full sympathy and support of the law-abiding masses of the people of the United States, and he will be supported by all departments of the government and by the power and resources of the entire nation. It must be that MT. Bryan amid the many demands on his time and attention, has fallen into an inadvertence cannot believe that he really thinks the president has no power under the constitution and laws to maintain the gov- ernment intrusted to his care. Nor can be- lieve that Mir. Bryan means to promise or to make or permit others to think he has prom iSed not to interfere if he should be elected, and the situation of the riots of 1891 should arise during his term. will not lightly Ques. ton either his knowledge as a lawyer or hts sincerity as public man. Certainly his letter is generally misunderstood. unless it means either that Mir. Bryan thinks the president has no power or that he would himself not use it if elected. HUDSON HARMON A Silver Horseshoe for Bryan.
 ST. LOUIS, Sept 12.-At social meeting of the Journeymen Horse-