Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-18
pose. The amendment was agreed to,

pose. The amendment was agreed TO-
and the bill passed.
4 The senate then resumed the consider
alton nf the bill TO provide for the better
government Of the District OF Columbia
the pending question being on the mo.
tiOn Of Senator Thurman 10 strike on
the word "regents" wherever il 90
[; CURED, and insert in their place that o
commissioners" so that the b0aTc
should be styled "board OF commits don.
ers.v instead OF aboard OF regents. d
Agreed to.
! Senator Morton said there was iea-
] tuIe OF this bill which he was entirely
opposed TO. No doubt the bill had been
worked up carefully by those who bad
charge Of IL; but 1t provided for dlsfrsn-
| chising the people Of the District-One
hundred and fifty OF one hundred and
Beventy-fiye people-toOk nom them
the power Of self-goveFnment and put
the government of>the District In the
I hands Of three men. In that respect
the bill was auti-republican and anti
Democratic and he did not feel that he
/ could vote for 1t without violating the
| spirit of the constitution. he did not
! believe the troubles Of the District grew
out Of the rights Of suffrage. He be-
] lieved the right of local self-gOVeTn-
meut here wRs jsst IS important "a
J 81 Wss 70 New YORK OF any State, and
! be did not think the cor Stitu;iOn OF he
United States sustained the argument
of bis friend Morrill,; that congress had
the exclusive control over the District
aud could abolish the right OF suffrage
| here. Be (Morton) knew what would be
! said about the abolition Of this right; IL
would be said that 1t was INTENDED
| 10 get clear of the cOlored suf-
frage. He knew that there were
people in this, District who were
| willing to be disfranchised to get
clear OF the cOlOred vote from this city,
and local seIf-government. Congress
| had the same control over the Terrific
ries as over the District, aud it would
not be argued that congress had the
power to deprive the people Of the Terri
tories OF the right Of suffrage. II con-
gress lad the right to depute the gov
eminent of this District to three men, as
this bill proposed it had power to depute
the government to the people OF the
District at the proper time he pro-
posed TO offer an amendment to provide
for the election Of those commissioners
by the people Of the District, instead of
their appointment by the President.
Senator Morrill, Me This bill vio-
latts no principle OF local self-gOyern-
ment. II never was intended that local
self-government should exist here. The
authority OF congress over the District
was supreme. The right OF local self
government could not be violated when
no such government existed. Ii was
not expedient TO have suffrage IN this
District, and any one cOnveTsant with
the various classes Of authority here in
times past must agree with him.
Senator BaysTd said he had not the
slightest doubt that congress had the
exclusive right TO the control Of the Dis
trict, and could confer or withhold sui.
frsge, as it thought proper. Negro suf-
frsge had been very sicseBing busi-
ness to the people OF this District. He
then spoke OF the clause 10 reference to
the excise board, and said that the sec
ton was intended 10 invade the domain
%! morals under The form Cf legislation.
Vice and immortality generally followed
the track Of these pTohibitOTy laws, and
the power given to this excise board was
unlimited. In regard to preservatUTy
relations under whicu liquor Licences
could be Issued, be spoke OF the unhsppy
results which occurred in the state of
Maine from an attempt TO regulate the
liquor traffic. He moved to strike out
that portion of the bill which required
every person taking out liquor license 10
give bond for fsithiully observing the
conditions thereof, and Tor the payment
OF such portion Of the license Zee as shall
not be paid in advance, and TO insert In
the place q ereOf a provision requiring
ali fees for license 10 be paid into the
treasury OF the United StsteE in advance.
Objected to.
Senator Morton moved 10 strike out
the clause requiring the board Of cOin-
to be appointed by the Presi-
dent, by and with the advice and con-
sent Of the senate, and insert in lieu
thereof 8 clause requiring said commits
sioneTs 10 be elected 10y qualified voters
of the istTict.
Pending the discussion, Senator Ed
munds, from the Judiciary committee,
favoTaDiy on the bill ID enable
the supreme court OF the District Of Co
lumbia to proceed with its jurisdiction.
Passed.
Senator Bsyard opposed The amend
ment Of the motion 10 make the COM
missiQners elective, and said the evil
under which this district had suffered
was caused in the main by the exercise /
of suffrage ly those totally unfit for it.
He hoped % see the day when questions
OF su1frage would be left where the
trainers OF the constitution intended it
20 be-in the hands Of thO.e to be az
fected by the right. he would not vote
70 bring the curse OF negro suffrage upon
the people OF this district again. Their 4
interests were of far mole service in the I
hands Of three honest, upright commits
siOneIs than in the hands OF negro voters. 1
Senator Thurman ssid be was opposed /
to the amendment cf the senator from /
Indiana. The duty of congress was pre- |
scTibed by the constitution of the United /
States, which provided that congress /
should have exclusive control over the 1
District of Columbia. When congress /
said there should be no suffrage in this |
District, Il would not deprive any man Of |
lhy right guaranteed to him by the con- /
,titudOn. Congress had the same au- |
.hority over the District that it bad over |
Fort Monroe or Fort Hamilton, and /
would il be contended that there could 1
De any authority within any OF these
.orts in hostility 10 the Federal govern
nent? 1t never WAS intended that the
ieat Of the Federal government should |
De AT the power Of any municipality. |
The people of this district are not the /
,nly persons interested in it; the gov
,Tnment itself is the largest property
holder here, and had a right to protect
Is 0Wn property. Adjourned.