Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1864-06-02

the gentleman from Maryland that he must
address the Chair He has not been doing
so for some time past. Mr.. Harris stood
Immediately in front of the Chair. and had
been speaking for several minutes with his
back to the Speaker.
Mr.. HARRIS. of Maryland. I am ad-
dressing the Chair, and hope the Chair has
heard me.
The SpEApER. The Chair has not.
Mr.. JOHNSON, Of Pennsylvania. He is
addressing the Chair. He is not required
/ 10 look at the Speaker all the time.
The SPEAKER. Docs the gentleman from
Pennsylvania raise that point of order?
Mr.. JOHNSON, of Pennsylvania. It is
the Chair that makes the point of order.
: The SPEAKER The Chair States that it
is the usage for the person occupying the
chair to remind gentlemen when they are
addressing members of the House that it is
their duty to address the Chair.
Mr.. RANDALL, of Pennsylvania, hope
the Chair will not come down again. It is
a long lane that has no turning |
The SPEAKER. The Chair does not un-
derstand the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr.. HARRIS, of Maryland. I do not
yield to my friend from Pennsylvania I
can take care of myself This is my bust
ness, and object to any interruption. /
did not intend offence to the Chair in turn
ing my back, but it is very important, as 1
have weak voice, that those whom I intend
to have the benefit of my counsel shall hear
me. I Laughter. I do not intend any dis
respect to the Chair as said before. have
never seen more impartial presiding off,
iis;r iss;sr than the one who presides over this
House. I should not have known to which
side of the House he belonged politically
from his action in the Chair. Isay this in
all sincerity and truth.
was saying, sir. that the great privilege
of freedom of elections and of the ballot is
one which the people will not yy;eld. and
with which all executive interference must
be withheld. The people have been suffer-
ing in every other respect, and much in this
Right after right has been taken from us
the temple of liberty has, as it we're, been
stripped. The shingles have been taken
off at one time, the weather boarding at an
ssg hf Fad s sap s6 hasa beht but tht
tion stone in order to bring rafter, joist,
and all the timbers of the noble edi6ce in
irreparable ruin to the earth l tell you,
sir, we will not stand it much longer. The
men who, by the exercise of assumed tyran-
nical power, shall further assail that great
right, will see ere long the ballot boxes bap-
tised in blood-a baptism that may be ne
cessary to wash away the foul stains Of tyran-
ny and oppression.
Mr.. Speaker, the President himself, in
bis letter addressed to citizens of Spring
field, Illinois, declared that ''he who appeals
from the ballot to the bullet shall lose his
case and pay the costs ;" and, sir. he is the
first man who has a Judgment for costs
against him. He himself, by the instru-
mentality of his vicious tools. has violated
the solemn pledge which he indicated in
that letter, and this, too, upon the ridicu-
lous and frivolous ground that treason may
possibly contamiaate the ballot-box. If a
man is known to be traitor. the place Of
election would, think. be the last place at
which he would make bis personal appear
ance. He would know we'll that the risk
he runs would not be compensated for by
the privilege he sought. It is futile to talk
to intelligent people about traitors being at
large in justification, Of the President Or any
OF his subordinates parading around the
polls for purposes of intimidation with mil
ltary array. It is done because they wish
to thwart the free and honest expression of
the peoples will. when they have reason to
apprehehd that the result would be against
their selfish and tyrannical schemes. Grant
this power to the Executive, and he would
be able to select your candidates aud to se-
cure their elections, and thus to pack this
House with his tools. Grant him that
power, and the gentleman from Massachu-
setts Mr.. Dawes would not be here to talk
; so eloquently about the freedom of the bal
iot' and to rebuke the tyranny by which it
was struck down. His occupation and that
OF the committee of which he is the able
chairman would be gone. Nothing more
would be necessary than for the President
to issue proclamation (Which of course
could be obtained at any time by squad of
fanatlcal preachers) announcing who he
considers entitled to the places on this floor.
lie could, too, and would secure. by effec-
tual interference with elections of the mem
bers Of the Legislatures of the different
States, full supply Of cringing tools in
the other branch of Congress. The pro-
cess would produce the very definition of
despotism.
The SPEAKER The hour of the gentle
man from Wisconsin Mr.. BRowN] Has ex-
pired.
Mr.. HARRIS, of Maryland. 1 had no.
thing to do with the time to which the gen.
tleman from Wisconsin was entitled.
The SPEAKER. Then the Chair is mis-
taken, The present occupant Of the chair
was not in the Hall at the time.
Mr., SLOAN. rise to point of order
/ am informed that the gentleman from