roclamation by
the President is prescribed by statute or required by precedent.

In the case of South Carolina insurrection and domestic violence against
the State government were clearly shown, and the application of the
governor founded thereon was duly presented, and I could not deny his
constitutional request without abandoning my duty as the Executive of
the National Government.

The companies stationed in the other States have been employed to secure
the better execution of the laws of the United States and to preserve
the peace of the United States.

After the election had been had, and where violence was apprehended by
which the returns from the counties and precincts might be destroyed,
troops were ordered to the State of Florida, and those already in
Louisiana were ordered to the points in greatest danger of violence.

I have not employed troops on slight occasions, nor in any case where
it has not been necessary to the enforcement of the laws of the United
States. In this I have been guided by the Constitution and the laws
which have been enacted and the precedents which have been formed under
it.

It has been necessary to employ troops occasionally to overcome
resistance to the internal-revenue laws from the time of the resistance
to the collection of the whisky tax in Pennsylvania, under Washington,
to the present time.

In 1854, when it was apprehended that resistance would be made in Boston
to the seizure and return to his master of a fugitive slave, the troops
there stationed were employed to enforce the master's right under the
Constitution, and troops stationed at New York were ordered to be in
readiness to go to Boston if it should prove to be necessary.

In 1859, when John Brown, with a small number of men, made his attack
upon Harpers Ferry, the President ordered United States troops to assist
in the apprehension and suppression of him and his party without a
formal call of the legislature or governor of Virginia and without
proclamation of the President.

Without citing further instances in which the Executive has exercised
his power, as Commander of the Army and Navy, to prevent or suppress
resistance to the laws of the United States, or where he has exercised
like authority in obedience to a call from a State to suppress
insurrection, I desire to assure both Congress and the country that it
has been my purpose to administer the executive powers of the Government
fairly, and in no instan