Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-12
ATTY -GEN'L HARMON.
u,s VIEWS ON THE PRESENT 70
LITICAL SITUATION.
FEDERAL INTERFERENCE ISSUE.
=, Is vastly More Important Than
,hc Nancy Question. Thinks the
o,.to,n-Nr. Bryan All Wrong
s.ontor Daniels Resolution.

r.hfc his views ltSPcNtlHA t4i' fv''''N'-'
situation. especially emphasizing his
,,.rion on the question of Federal in
,,-f.r.nce In local affairs, on which sub
,.., the Attorney General does not agree
with tho protest embodied in the Chicaso
Inform. Mr. Haumon's communication
IS as follows
.r bav, concluded 20 give a public an
s,e- 10 the many enquiries made OF me
rr.n subject OF great moment 10 which
e.r,r.l attention is now directed.
.Nr Byan. in his letter accepting the
,......r.tion for President by the conven-
u5, al Chicago. amplihes the protest
,,t,cb that convention made in its plat
earn, AGAINST Federal Interference in local
.e..rs which. strangely enough. is not
found in the platforms Of the other two
..,.ertions which have also nominated
h.m.
GAS nothing else has been done or pro-
p.s.l TO which it can possibly apply
hi. rrotes, was intended and is under
STOOD TO be directed against the recent
action Of the President iu torcibly sup
messing riotous disorders which had stop
ptl the carriage OF mails and interstate
-orusrce. ana were defying the civil
sf,srs OF the United states.
.The President took this action not only
without the request, but I'm some instances
AGAINST the protest OF the authorities OF
OBJ. states boo which the riots occurred,
and Sir. Bryan. taking section 4 Of Arti-
.. H. OF the Constitution 10 be the
law ou The subject. pledges himself
n.airst any repetition Of the violation
thereof which his letter necessarily
charges He vindicates the wisdom OF
tn. trainers OF the Constitution by de-
rarrc that. he local authorities are
l.--r qualified than the President TO
ufr. OF the necessity FOR Federal as
ssence.'
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION.
.This in my Judgment is "a far more
serious matter than the money question
cr amy ~ the other questions now before
rra people grave as they all are. Our
Hrm OF government may survive "a
wong decision Of those questions. and
-re pcope may endure for time the
evils which result from false systems Of
finance and taxation. But II the Presi-
cent has deliberately disregarded the in
strlment upon which the Union Is
founded by supplanting the authority or
sovereign State by armed forces
r-.ctlent has been made which threatens
our form OF government. While. IL "a can-
cdlte Tor President may properly pledge
himself in advance as Mr.. Bryan has
done. 20 do nothing 10 protect the
property. maintain the authority. and
enforce the laws OF the United States
unless and until the officers Of another
government request or consent then we
r.aIy have no Federal government; for
a government which is not entirely free
20 use force 10 protect and maintain it,
ssf in the discharge Of its own proper
r.nli..ns .IE no. AcNernment at ALL
.Tte second clause OF the Constitution
On which Mr. Bryan refers Is as follows:
The United States shall guarantee 20
every state In This Union a republican
form - government and shall protect
each of them against invasion. ana, on
..r..cai1n 20 the LEGISLATURE. or of the
Executive twheu the Legislature cannot
ta .oryenelf. against domestic violence
"Ts section plainly refers merely 20
tre protection of the States against I'M
reference with their authority, laws. OF
property by domestic violence. and they
ar. wisely made the sole judges whether
and when they need such protection. Mr..
NmteI operation Of this provision in the
eIIr ..-irn. Federal assistance In the
clause I have quoted
STATE LIMITS.
.Dut by the express terms OF the Con-
s-tlu1r. state has nothing 20 DO with
Che maintenance OF the authority or the
execution Of the laws OF the United
States within the territory of che STATE.
.aH 20 Of
fences connected with mails with inter-
state commerce and with the administra-
uou of Justice Goo the Federal courts. are
committed 90 the General Government,
and t0 DO alone. such offences in nowise
menace tho government OF the State
ntl1 which they are committed. There
fc.e the State cannot require prOtec-
tol against them The State has no
f.fIa- to discharge in these matters.
It.- ,,fe it can require no Federal as
s-aace with respect 20 them. or course.
domestic violence often. as in the recent
E.te .s directed against both State and
Federal authority inliscrimirateiy. so
raf either. or both. may suppress 70.
aHi n such cases the action OF each. IN
maintaining its own authority over the
te.'s committed 90 H. tends TO aid the
D-..- But in such cases each IS acting
cFr government and on its own behalf
lt would oe as absurd 90 claim that the
United States must neglect its own in
tffats because in protecting them those
o. STATE might be incidentally protected
sr fo claim chat a State must let riot
r-- .ree because IL happens 20 be di-
r.rtcl against Federal rights or ofii-
ceH as Wcu as its own. This would
hr.t and beHtte the sovereignty Of both
governments ImpeFlum 90 impcrio
would te false
According 20 SIR Bryan. there is
somewhere implied in the Constitution
Top 30 nowhere eXpressed-a prohibi-
ton of Che csc Of force by the United
states against persons who. within the
LH..s NJ State may be- successfully re-
-ttrs ts officers and completely para
'trF al its operations as govern
r'tt unless the local authorities shall
A. mF request or give consent.
.s contrary 90 the settled princi-
ra- while the Federal Government IS
one whose operation is confined 20 GER
'' subjects. DO has AS 10 those sub
300 the attributes Of sovereignty.
One of these is always and every
"h'.e within the territory OF the States
compose d. 90 suppress and punish
l..e Hho in auywise interfere with the
exercise ~ its lawful powers. The fact
i'.t fterc are within that territory other
s.f.frments exercising sovereignty over
ti matters not 80 committed 70 Il can
i.t. no difference under our double form
o.. sofefnmert. thc essential principle OF
"h'.' ,s partiiion ~ powers 20 b. eycr-
...'1 .l4cpcn4en,ly over the same terri
tev.
USE OF TROOPS
This soyefcign right of tho United