Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-05-28

bill prohibits. No one who IL willing that all
shall enjoy tho rights he himself enjoys, can
| find fault WI "a this bin. II Is only those who
desire to violate the rights Of those who object
tot
This bill was 70 secure The purity Of cleo
tons and especially the election Of members
Of Congress. None could deny that the time
had come In the history Of this country, when
members Of this House could scarcely ke
elected except by fraud, and therefore Con
gress had gone into the States with this law
and had enforced purity Of the ballot-box.
AZ 10 the constlutlouallty he had not the least
doubt that the bill was perfectly constitutional.
There was no doubt that the provisions Of
the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments must
be enforced and u was only a question
whether they should be enforced by State In
strumentalltlos or BY the Registration Of Con-
gress, and there was no doubt Il was wise In
Congress 70 use u own instrumentalltles in
enforcing ~ own laws and tho provisions Of
the Constitution.
The Federal Government has the right TO
enforce these provisions by la own laws, and
the time has come when the right should be
exercised, No one but the guilty need fear
the provislons Of this act. II the Democratic
party warty wants 70 avoid these penalties let
II be Innocent OF the crimes, and all will be
well with them. He denied that there was
any reward offered In this bin 70 lnformers.
All that the law provided was that the man
who had been deprived Of his right might sue
for damages, and that privilege was now al
lowed by the common and State law. This
law emily assessed The damages and fixed the
amount at $500, which was as little as any
man would want for being deprived Of his
privileges
Mr.. Bingham said II he had had any doubt
Of tho constltutIonallty Of this law, that doubt
wns all dlspelled by the speeches that had been
made on the other side. Much had been said
about informera and other matters IN the bin
but no man argued successfully that any right
Of State was stricken down. An argument
used was that this bill was all IN favor Of the
black man. He denied that and said II
affected all citizens alike, whether black or
white, and no State OF this Union can ever
again enforce a law against voter, which Is
But the cry Of consolidation Of power had
been raised, and whom gentlemen talked OF
| the consolidation OF Federal power they
seemed 10 forget that the fathers Of the Con-
stitution had az all times In view the CONSOLE
dalton Of the Union when they framed that
instrument. What was the Union but the
consolidated power Of American empire, and
he wanted 10 know whom liberty ever Hour
ished except under law and under the sane
| tinn OF lawi
Mr.. Eldridge objected to the use Of the
word empire as applied to liberty, and said
under this bin The only empire TO speak Of
was the empire OF despotism and the empire
| Of the sword.
Mr.. Bingham denied the fact, AMI said there
was nothing Of despotism In the bill, and the
sword was not once mentioned. The sword
was only the terror OF evil doers, and not
Of the law-abldlng citizen.
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Blnghains re-
marks, the question was taken upon agreeing
TO the conference report, and II was agreed to
by strict party yote-yeas 1888, nays IS.
On motion Of Mr.. Schenck, Il was ordered
that when the House adjourn tomorrow, II
be TO meet on Tuesday next
Mr.. Schenck, OF Ohio, from the Committee
Of Ways and Means, reported back the bill to
reduce Internal taxes and for other purposes.
Under the order Of the House made few
days ago, II was agreed that the bill should
be consldered In the House under the Ave
minutes rule. .t
Before the first section was read Mr.. schenclk
made brief explanation Of the general fea-
lures Of the bill.
The Clerk then commenced to read the first
section, which covers 81 pages Of the bill and
had barely concluded the reading when the
hour Of o'clock arrived and the House ad-
journcd. 3D..