NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE proclamation issued by President Cleveland on Mon- day, is a constitutional document of great importance. It begins by reciting that "unlawful obstructions, combina- tions, and assemblages" have made it impracticable, " in the judgment of the President," to enforce the laws of the United States in the State of Illinois, and especially in the City of Chicago, by the ordinary course of judicial procedure, and proceeds to admonish all persons in that State and City against rioting. All rioters are warned to disperse and retire to their homes on or before 12 o'clock on July 9th. "Those who disregard this warning and persist in taking part with the riotous mob in forcibly resisting or obstructing the execution of the laws of the United States, or interfering with the functions of Government, or destroying or attempting to destroy property belonging to the United States, or under its protection, cannot be regarded otherwise than as public enemies." The troops will act with moderation, but those who oppose them must take the consequences. The pro- Clamation ends with the usual picturesque formalities,— formalities, however, which doubtless showed the rioters that the President meant business. "Whereof, I hereunto set my hand, and have caused the Seal of the United States to be hereto affixed. Done at the city of Washington, the 8th day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-four, and in the year of the Independence of the United States of America one hundred and eighteenth." It is a striking proof of the foreigner character of Chicago, that the proclamation VMS posted in Polish and Bohemian as well as in English. The President has been described as having pro- -claimed martial law, for people will never remember that such a thing is impossible in England or America, or wherever else the common law is observed. All that the President says, is that he will use soldiers freely to put down disorder ; techni- .eally a very different thing, though the result is doubtless similar. He gives no power to try citizens by a military -tribunal.
