Grant's Ku-klux War

Mr. Eldridge pithily states tlie Gbaracter of the Ku-Klux legislation in these few w.ords. llave freemso eara to hear - Hvw ís it that the manea, having just aulmed and sottlod down atVr tho most txi'iilic' and sanguáiuiry struggle the world ever witnossed. aro again to be lashed into passion and fury P Sir, thero is anothor declaration of war ; yes, sir, I doolare it on my reaponsibility as a Koprescntntive of this House. Tais bilí - this bilí now before this House - is itsclf a deolaration of war. I charge it herc and now. It is, it can be undentood only M a deolamtion of war ; a declaration ofwar liy tho Federal Government upon the States and thc State governments ; a declaration of war by the Republican party, the minions of the Federal power, in the interest of that party, agarnirt the peoplo of the several States '. That it is a revolutionary and warlike measure, is too plain for denial. Gentlemen niay cxplain it, palliate it, and apologize for it as they will, as they have done, its provisions cannot be misunderstood. The p.vn'e ïse of crime, mu'rder, pillage, outrage in localities will not do. These are matters within the jurisdietion of the States. To punish these, to suppross these, to dispose of those persons who oommit these outrages, is a matter of State authoiity belonging to the States before the Union was formed and never nirrendered to the Federal govemment. Qentlomen pretend that the power is to be found or iiuplied in the faet that thc oitúsen has rigbts, iramunities, and privileges under the Constitution of the United States. If these rights, privileges, and immunitios are interfered with or infringed upon Congrefs may provide redross. By what authority, by what law warrant are the States to bedeprived of this jurisdietion i Under what Federal charter can the jurisdiction of the Statr-s in oases -of assault and battery and the wholc body of crimes be taken f rom them ? The States theniselves liave never abandoncd, surrendered, or grante'l it iv.-.iy. Under this pretenae the States of this Union are to be abolished, their most saeroil rights and jurisdietion to protect the life, liberty, and property of their eitizens are to be taken away. It is monstrans I it is absolutely atrocious ! I repeat it, sir. it is abBollltely a declaration ofwar, andnathiag clsc can bc made of it. " The President of the United States is authorized to take such measurea as he may doem necessary by the employment of tho inilitia and the tand and Öie naval f orcos." Ho may "doclare martial law." Martial law ! Whal is it 'i Gentlemen teil us there has boon a great deal of oheap rhetorio spent on this term "martial law." it is b uiisnonier, sil". Thoro is no such tlrinir as niarti.il law. Marüal law is no law. It is martial power ; itiswor; it is the war power. It is the will of lam who happens at the moment to be in command. It silences law and speaks because of its silonce. It drives away the civil law. They cannot exist together. Thc onc excludcs the othcr and takes its placo. It is f orce ; it is physical f orce ; it is the force of arma ; it is war. It pleads neecssity and inaugúrate:; despotism. lts mildest mie is tyranny. Disguise it as you will, the President is authorized by this bilí to declare war. Of what avail is the habeas corpus in tho presence of mortaal law - of martial power? There is no civil law and no civil adininistration. Ari' we, sir, to trust this great power in tho hands of one man ? Soinc gentleman bas said that God ncver made a man in whose hands we could trust this power. Sir, if General Grant were tho greatest man in thc United States, and I do not thinkhois; if he were the wisest and best man in the United States, and I do not think he is ; if he were the purest patriot in the world, and I do not think he is ; if he were as pure in heart, as just in feeling, as magnanimous in mind, as forgiving in spirit, as the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Shanks) or the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Butler), and I cortainly think he is, I would not trust him with that power. Sir, it is of gome interest for us to know in whose hands power is placed ; but the power proposed by this bill sliould, in myjudfrment, never be conferred upon any one. Mr. Speaker, the quiet and order of the people of the Southern States since the war ended is the wonder of the world. History furnislus no parallel. They have consented and subtuitted to all that has been requhed of them by the conqueror, even to be ruled in some of the States by their former slaves. They have done all this in the vain expectatUhi fchat they would be met in the same spirit of forbearancCi They have not boen 80 met, and to this faet I attribute most of the troubles that now exist. The remedy, in my judgment, is amnesty ; full, free, universal anmesty. Let the poople of the States alone, let them settle down in quiet and peaeo, and all will be well. There will be no more outragos, no moro Ku-Klux Klan, no more disregard of law. Then will peaoe and order again reign in that beautiful country.