Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-01-27
Debate OH the Z ornpruIn:se Bill

it is true that grave dangers stare rs III tH1
face, threatening every pubic aud private III
;.rcst wish to inv"ish against 80 party, t.
abuse uubody, but that % we'll organized cot.
snilacy ,xisis to puI d Prcsidcut III the h! c
| Iyuse. WHO, IL NY iudgcMcbt, was not e!ectcl
by tue p.up.c, | iv not doubt; nor Is that tie
worst Of it, Ter 1t has long seemed lncvllab!',
cmboIy!Eg perl whic!: tie wtseSt have tear
ed might be inherent to our system. Ia;
democratic party If Il tygoue era was stroll
e0Lugh to max It, exit from pI"er tue gu
Tor scctiuua war. The republican party 81
the present day, equally strong nud arrngaa
regards i'selt as ho!tlug the guvcrument III iaa
simpi: aud usiug the sectional question: as IL"
d:lu,cra,ic party formerly USED the slavery
question, it Is abe through its ieadcs Il pre-.
cplta,e The country into civil war. We ny
as well tak pIaloly Vi things as they are. The
republican parry, u!renohed IN lis po,;lrr, IS
contract ard untcd. Ii it Is magnificent III
uo,hiug ess it is magnfccui in lis 0rgah!za.
ton and aulacty. The democratlc patty Is as
ouc VINO has his right arm tied behind hiu:.
Ii to!c.G INTO civil War 1t would proceed uuier
the greatest possible disadvantage. h'thrr
than see cabal Of party managers uslug ne
power Of the government 10 stat al uSuFrcr 10
the chief maglsracy, the people would, alter
having exhausted peaceful! ugcuclcs 10 prevent
il, be lust ficd IN resort 10 stronger measures
LII this connection | may say that, drcaullt
tic arriva! of this exigency, have from the
first aged upon my political associates proper
agitation as to the dauger, 50 Ihat puDllc opsE-
LOG aht be fully aroused, aud, being advised,
might organize itself TO avert 1t. Inc tau Is
moi with ne that this was rcglac!ed until, the
bare suggestion came to be dismissed with al
trruate arrisluu aud otiium by some 4 piece
of empty bragado, b. others as downright Sc
diton o. Aunt that the t;nle has gooe by
when The pcopic al large could act effectively
ior themselves. If the Two houses OF Coug:e>'
fail 10 agree then, indeed, we shall have
come upon an emergency. We shall see the
Senate, throwing the blame upon tie House.
pr;c:cd TO the counting 10 OF Hayes au1
Wheeler. We shall see the President OF the
United States, supported by me army ana
navy, prepared 10 seat them IN office. We shall
sec he chief justice ready to aimlnister to
them the oaths ut uthcc The House acting
under It's construction OF rs rights, prlV,i"gcS
aud duties, proceeds 10 elect 4 President. linen
| follows either civil war or Case IN law; Cu! co
matter which, continuous suspense, cUumo-
ton aod discomfort is involved. The houses
| OF Congress are controlled by orpuSlDg pc
|
returns Of the eec!o,al vote. The terms
Of the constitution lack cxplictpcss aud fur
nsh the minds Of many with rcas0nab t
| doubt as TO what. speaking precisely, Is lawtu
| to De done. Setting aside the passions aud IN.
lerests OF partisaus, the oon partisan classes,
| embracing at ieas: one halfthe total vote pOi!c1
| ia the election. share this doubt TO such III *
tent tina; they have held aloOt thus far from pub
lie demonstration. They arc at length aakIos
| their Wishes known with emphasis. They III
| dCrstand the dagger and see il the proposed
| Commission the lnGauS VI aVertlng II. For ny
| part, ii nay 0ticCt!ous were even greater THAI
they are, | should give !: to them. LIT It
uacc whom it may 10 the Presidential Office, II
will withru; dlshouor bring Us that rcposc OF
which Of al things the country staudS most II
need. 10 other words, IT is this or the Scnat>
or civil war. | may not and l do not ike 1t a.
an original proposition. | may and L G.
| feel scosc of uGlgDatl0o that such coniu-
geLcy has been forced by the operauoo OF what
l Dei:uve to be conspiracy, Lut re0ucOu 20 Il
choice Of evils take this trtuOal, entertaining
no doubt that it will DO composed 1t mpet"ut
aod patriotic men, by whose judgment | sila!!
abide, something more than party bcug AT
stake. The happiness and peace OF forty NIL
lions Of people will press upon the c0mml:sioa
|
be parlsaus. They will sit tor the Who'll. coun
try, and as they discharge their tuil duty they
will be honored 10 the land. Ii seems to NE
if arbitration is our only recourse, as believe
it is, that proposed is both legal aud just.
Upon il, therefore, good men everywhere will
rest the issue, trusting that the God from WHOM
We received our fair, free system, building wiser
than We knew, will brOg it safely through the
present dagger.
Mr.. Hill (Ga. confessed that when this Con
gress assembled his mind had becO filled wit Il
apprehensions for the future Of the COUNTRY.
Those appreEensions had been dispecd, aud
had beeD dispelied By the pending bill and by
the conviction which he cnterrniDed that Ii
would become law by an overwhelming vote
OF both Houses. lie supported the U.II, frs,
because 10 bis jud gucnt it was constitutional 10
character wholly 50; socoDd, because IN HI;
judgment, 1t was wise IN It's every provision
remal kaby Sc; and third, because II was patti
otto 10 Its every pose ml"cGtly So. lie
| predicted that the decision OF the high commits.
sion 90 every important question submitted to
! it would be uuaUm0us, ard that lis decisions
would be rec ved BY both Houses of Congress,
! and would give peace 10 the country and salts
tactlon t. the people. lie therefore gave TO
the h nat his constrained supporI, but his
hearty warm apr prevail. Speaking II The SOulh
| be said: have been wltus- Of tue S2rrGws
of that people AID II willing s;,arer o! AL lheir
sufsrings. May |, therefore, be pariuncI on
this occasion for calling the attention of !lr
House aud OF the country to the spirit wick
has been manifested by :hat dcridci people
| during this eutlr3 controversy?
On another occasion | defended their man
hood, their civilization, their humaniy, from
what | knew 10 be u just charges. Ii the All
swcr then was unsatisfactory let the further an
swer be + uud iu the spirit which the people al
the South have manifested during the last six
~ days. There is scarcely uau 10 that coun-
try who does no, believe that the democratic
ticket was elected, and who does not believe
that all they have Remaining of prosperity, Of
right, Of jus ice, depends upon the i1augura
ton OF that ticket Yet durog this whole con
troyersy, II say it with pride and pleasure,)
the South has manifested but one spirit, anG
that has been spirit of torbcarauce, Of kiod-
ness, and fairness.
With the chaius of the usupers still 90 her