The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-03-17
TWENTY-ElGHT CONGRESS-.
first SSION.
House OF Representatives.

TWENTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS-.
FIRsT SESSION.
House Of Representatives.
WASHINGTON, March H. 1874
The Rhode Island Business-Duties on recent In
ports-Ipest Point.
Another attempt made to-day to obtain the
use of the Hall for the Congrs ssonal Temperance
Society, but, like the two last, il failed
Mr. CALEB SMITH then took the floor on the
Rhode andquestion. He said-My colleague on
yesterday said that the right of universal suffrage
was natural and inaenab!e right, and that moth
ing on earth could properly deprive man OF this
the right of suffrage? Is he not a man? Why do
not women enjoy the right of suffrage!
kENNEDY-You don't call them men, do you1
SMIrn-God forbid but they are the fairest and
best portion Of Gods creation, and if this be ma
tpral right, why debar females from,ihe enjoyment
otit Are they not people,, Are not negroes peo-
sess this inae nabe right, why do not thew
| RATHBUN-Will the gentleman tell me where he
finds the right OF the minority to impose laws on
the maiority?-(Much laughter, and cries of "Ah,
all! ~
| SMITH-l'll attend to that presently. Now, if
these people, as contended, had the right to meet
and overturn the government OF State, why not
the people have the right 10 overturn all the State
governments, and to merge every thing into
one great national government What became
of this natural right in the District of Columbia?
MEMBER-Oh IT'S unconstitutional for them to
have any rlshts-that's why TIE Avenue Bill was
rejected
SMIrH-Yes, I've look ed through the Constitution
and the name of Pennsylvania does not occur IN it
once. Great laugher) The gentleman from
New York who Is now SO strong an advocate of
queston-(Rathbun) He has changed has poll
tics. That's his natural right. But object TO his
attempting to drag us after him. Again, if the
gentleman from New Hampshire wishes to make
State governments more democratic | advise HIM
| to begin at home. For, OF all the State govern
mens in the United States, that of New Hampshire
| is the most anti-democratic. No one there sit
in the lower House OF Assembly unless he has an
estate of fl00; none in the Senate under G200;
none can be Governor under ESQ: So the natural
right to hold office in New Hampshire belongs
(Roars of laughter)-the poor and the humble can't
hold any Office U4aughter.) If that's democra-
cy, God keep me from IT,
| BARKEr-l admit that is the case-but have al
ways been opposed to ii. (Laughter)
SMlrH-Then again can hold office there
unless he is Protestantt-.(Shouts Of laughter)-A
shire democracy. Uaugher) This has long been
| the governmental that State-that Gibraltar of De-
mocracy, (Roars of laughter) And it's a stain on
the Statute Book Itsuch propositions were made to
the democracy of the west, they would be laughed
TO scorn. Andlyet those gentlemen who put up with
this, are terribly troubled because the government
Of Rhode Island is not sufficiently democratic.
But let us see how democratic are the notions Of
the gentleman's candidate for the presidency, Mr..
Van Buren,. In the Convention in rs to alter the
Constitution OF the State on the question of the
right OF suffrage, 1t was proposed to strike out
word white and give this natural right TO blacks
as well as whites. and this passed by vote OF 60
to 81. Mr.. Van Buren, voted in the Affirmative
Thus he would allow the negro to come to the poll
by the side of the white man. When the question
OF universal suffrage was broached, he SAID there
were not half dozen in favor it, and that there
ought to be property qualification of 40 shings
"A jackass TO that amount would do (roars Of
laughter.) So that when my colleague Kennedy)
discuss the jackass question again. recon-
mend him to do so with his friend, Mr. Van Buren,
| (Grre M nf \ uyn IN
not allow man TO vote although he might have
worked on the highway, unless that he also had
a qualification OF being householder besides
| This was MIR. Van Buren's democracy. He said
that the granting of universal suffrage would allow
every body, tag, rag and bobtail to vote, and that
then elections would be a curse instead of
blessing, and that this would drive away every
decent and respectable man from the polls. This
is the boosted democracy which the gentleman
from New York and my colleague vaunt so highly,
! whilst they mourn pathetcally over the absence of
true democracy in the government of Rhode Island
Mr. kENNEDY-l would ask my colleague If he
hasn't advocated the same opinions
-, SMlTn.-Never, sir never. Quite the contrary
We don't ask man if he has paid a tax-we don't
ask him If he a househoder--we don't ask him if
he works on the hlghway-we don't ask him if he's
rlch-we don't ask him if he's got jackass (roars
only ask il he's Il years of age untainted by
crime, and freeman. And we ask nothing more.
That's our democracy. That's the democracy Of
the wings Of Indiana. But that's very different
from tho doctrines of Mr. Van Buren,; and it
for these aristocrac anti-democratc doctrines Of
his that Indiana has twice repuda'ed him, and for
this she will repudiae him again. (Cheers and
cries of "good,'' and so will two-thirds Of the
Union But again, when the question came up,
Mr. Van Buren, would allow the negro who had
$3.50 to vote, but would not allow white revou-
tonary soldier to vote unless he was also house.
holder. Lastly, sir, the gentleman from New York
said that Gov. Dorr was covered with vermin.
Much laughter) Nov, sir, can't believe that
don't believe that Mr. Dorr is filthy as to allow
! verInn to accumulate on his person.
RArnnUN.-I said he was put in such place that
| he could not avoid being SO covered-not that his
being any fault of his
Mr.. CAusN.-Mr Speaker, wish TO offer an
amendment.
Mr., MCLERNAND.-Mr. Speaker, | wish to say,
SIR
CAusrN-Mr. Speaker. /
MCLERNANp (warmly)-Slr have the floor.
CAUsIN (warmy Sir, | recognize but one
Speaker here, and shant take my scat unless the
Speaker says1 have not right TO offer an amend
ment
M'CLEnNASp Neither do acknowledge the
gentleman from Maryland as the Speaker
IICAusIN.-Ia am not guilty OF that presumption
leave that to the other side OF the House. Have |
M'CLERSANp.-fIave the floor, sirl
| CAusIN-l had the floor before the gentleman.
| and wish 10 know Of the Speaker II have RICH
to offer an amendment because if have, I wi
not take my seat.
| SPEAKER.-The chair recognizes the gentlemi
from Illinois presuming the gentleman from M
ryland not to speak again, he having spok1
WHITE. But, sir, how could the chair give Il
floor TO one by anticipating what another wasgoii
TO say
MEMBER.-That's puzzler, White.
SpHAKER-The morning hour has expired
Great laughter)
SEvERAL.-But who has the floor who has the
tioor' who the devil has the floor
MckAY,-Decdc that tomorrow morning.
WHIe.-Oh, no, decide il in caucus tonight
a communication was read from the President
about the number of Army and Navy officers ap-
pointed IN giventime.
Mr.. HARDIN moved to suspend the rules to offer
resolution calling the Secretary OF the Trea-
sury to state how much money had been received