Year: 1877




the claim of power has been deliberately
made, and frequently and extensively
executed by the President of the United
States and bis associates in offices, Of
general police supervision of all the
States, whether under general plea of
keeping the peace of the United States,
or securing peaceayle elections, or fair
count the votes cast in any State.


Under this claim aud exercise of
power, and under circumstances not
contemplated nor provided for by the
constitution of the United States, in
time Of profound peace the armed forces
of the United States have been sent into
the States Of Virginia to remain near
the polling place in Petersburg for pc
riod preceding, during and following the
general election in that State. A reso-
luton of the Senate Of the United States
has been responded to by the President
in a message which believe to have
been happily without precedent in the
history Of this country, either in tone
or substance, in which he fully justifes
the posting Of United States troops in
the States during elections and at the
polling places, thus, to use the remark
able language of the President 'secur-
ing the very essence Of liberty


"Tn South Carolina the election was
held in the presence Of the United Stat
troops, avowedly placed under the con-
troll of one of the candidates for Gov
ernor, and the organization of the State
Legislature entirely controlled by cor
poral and his guard acting under the
authority and direction Of the President
of the United States and his military
subordinates, in the avowed interest Of
one of the political parties which the
President has declared that he repre-
SentS.


I'm Louisiana and Florida United
States troops have been hurried to the
scene of State official action in canvass
ing and declaring the result of the bal
lots cast and in utter disregard Of those
contingencies and requirements which,
under the constitution Of the United
States, could alone warrant their pres
ence; and the perpetration Of frauds
Infamous and glaring has been secured
by THEN presence, and the guilty actors
abetted, encouraged and protected from
just punishment


40 term such a government repub-
lican in form, or to describe it as a
government of laws, would be hollow
mockery Of truth


IF an honest and sound public opin-
ion shall not condemn and dismiss iU
disgrace the officials who have been
guilty Of such monstrous abuse of their
trust, and who have inflicted such
wounds upon law, order and constitu-
tional liberty, the forms Of free govern
ment will not long remain, aud despot-
ism must soon become permanent and |
terrible reality in our land The con-
tinuance of our freedom cannot be main
tanned without incessant caution to
guard against such encroachmcnts by |
the Executive ''Usurpations of power
are sometimes so gradual as to be al
most imperceptible, but in the present
case there is no eoncealment, no stealthv |
step, but a bold, open, shameless stride
trampling down the most sacred and
reserved rights. of the States. The
President has openly interfered in three
DldleS-duu III hUulSldud lOi tuC tHllu
the management aud con
troll of affairs which were strictly and
solely subject to state authority The
very suggestion Of armed federal inter
ference ID State affairs was at one time
50 repuguant to our people, without
regard to party, as to be deemed impos
sible, but unhappily that time seems to
have passed He has forciblY prevent
ed the peaceable organization of the
Of South Carolina, treated
the decisions of her highest courts with
open contempt, and thrown the State
into dire confusion What his further
plans are the future can only tell, but
his past conduct would seem to justify
the gravest apprehension"