Speer agrees with president
Judge Emory Speer of Georgia seems to be of the opinion that President Roosevelt “did not proceed without authority and certainly not without precedent” when he discharged without honor the African American troops involved in the “shooting up” of Brownsville, Texas, comparing the situation to an incident involving George Washington and the “Connecticut Light Horse” militia. Speer notes that the language of Article 5 of the Federal Constitution suggests that a “different method of punishment” can be inflicted by the President when crimes are committed by members of land and naval forces.
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1907-01-09