National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-02-20
HOUsE or REpRE rs ENTATIyEs.

o'clock tomorrow.
HOUSE or REPR rs ENTITIYES.
session was ordered for Thursday night for the
delivery Of eulogies OIL the late Alpheus C. Will
llams, OF Michigan.
Mr.. HEWITT, from the Committee on Invalid
Pensions, reported bUcl the bill granting pension
ofs52 month to soldiers and sailors who have he
come totally blind in the service of the United
States
Mr.. ATKINS moved to 60 into committee on the
appropriation bill.
Mr.. WoOD stated that he would not oppose that
motion, but he would raise the question OF consd
Grafton against any other BILL unless the Commit
tee on Ways and Means was allowed to make re-
ports.
The House then Mt 1920 went into Committee of
me Whole (Nlr blackburn in the chair on the leg
islatve appropriation bill.
The, pending amendment was that offered last
night by Mr.. Herbert fixing the pay of jurors regu.
lating the method of drawing them, and repeating
the statutes in regard to the jurors test oath upon
which point of order had been raised by Mr. Hale.
Mr. HALE argued that the amendment was new
legislation and did not rerench expenditures. He
did not care whether sections $40 and S2l were re.
pealed or not. They were not followed In many of
the southern States: He had once voted to repeal
Them, and had noohjcction to having them repealed
III were done in the proper way.
Mr.. HERBERT argued that the amendment was
clearly in order, and stated that its object was to
have the state laws fairly and honestly carried out
Mr.. WOOD was surprised that the point of order
should have been raised by the gentleman from
IN by the Committee on Appropriations of which
the gentleman from Ohio lN1r. Garfield had been
chairman, and ofwhich the gentleman from Maine
had been a member on which had been placed
various sections containing legislation not germane
Mr.. HALE thought there was nothing analogous
in the two cases. In the bill referred to by the
gentleman there had been attempt to force
through the House matter upon which 1t wGs di-
Vided BY rarity lines at the dctation of caucus.
Mr. WOOD said that lie could not see any differ
enee whether the proposition came up as the re-
suit of a caucus whether IL II m n 10 lis
way.
Mr.. ATKINS argued that as much as the amend
mcnt reduced the compensation of jurors from So
toS2per day, It was clearly in order
The Chairman then overruled the point of order.
Mr.; HALE moved TO amend the amendment by
striking therefrom the clause regulating the method
OF SELECTING jurors, Relected-10l to 100.
Mr.. HALE then moved to amend the amendment
providing for deiraying the expenses which may be
incurred In the enforcement Of the act approved
February %. 1871, to enforce the rights of citizens
TO vote in the several States. Rejected
Mr. RANDALL called attention to the fnct that for
some reason or other (Which he was not aware of
the State Of Pennsylvania had been excepted from
the operation of the section which was proposed to
be repealed and at his suggestion the amendment
was so worded as to make It's application general.
Mr.. CoNGER moved to strike out of the amend.
ment the clause repeating section S21. That would
allow the repeal of section $40, and would leave 1t
in the discretion of the court to make connection
with the rebellion Il cause of challenge on motion.
Mr.. ELAN thought that Il was a remarkable spec.
take the modified oath, but that jurors could not.
lie reminded the gentleman from Michigan that
n rebellion-had ceased but the two sections of
the country could never be reConced cordially
while this test oath remained on the statute books.
Mr, FRYE said that when the North was satisfied
that United States citizens all over the country
would be protected in all their rights there would
be no distinction of the test oath.
tlMr. KELLEY favored the repeal of both sections.
They were worse than useles', They presented mn
incongruy which disgraced the statute books
and he hoped that unanimous consent would be
given to wipe them out. Applause on the Demo
Mr.. PRIDEMoRE opposed Mr. Conger's amend
ment, because i would place the judges in the un'
pleasant attitude of applying the test, or refusing
Mr. ELLIS said that the tcst.oath excluded the In.
telligencc of his state from the jury box. 1t was
penlcd.
Mr. Conger's amendment was then rejected, &C tc
IFS. Messrs. Chittcnden, Kelley, Cole, McCalf
Robinson; Rice and Grape (Republicans) voted in
the negative.
Tho question then recurring on Mr. Herbert,
amendment, II was agreed to-l27 to S..
The question then came up on Mr. Southard'
amendment repeating the sections which authorize
me appointment otsupcrvisors of election.
Mr. HALE raised the point of order that the
amendment changed existing lazy and was not il
lently the whole body OF criminal law guarding
tlectons, and proposed to repeal 1t. He had neye
known so bold and radical proposition to b.
resolved upon I'm a Democratic caucus and Dem
0craliG caucus was like the old committee Of public
safety In the French Revolution, which rendered
nugatory hll legislation removed commanders o
armies aud assumed power over life and death
mined that this revolutionary legislation SHOULD
not succeed. Ten years experience had laugh
MN no parliamentary wit no device, and no plaI
lundcr the rules Of the House which should no
DO resortel to II the amendment were ruled TO b,
IN order SO as 70 prevent Its being embodied in TN
Mr. sOuTHARD argued that the amendment wa
gcrmanc aud That II was In the direction of econ
Olny, because the cost of these supervisors in tn
elections of 1876 was over 600 900 and the same il
1875. The gentleman from Maine could not, h,
said, inlimldate his Ohe DemOcFatc) side OF Tin
House. II 10 was Revolutionary to reppOl these
tons now, their enactment when the Republican
party was supreme was also Evolutionary. Th
amendment had been offered by him In the inter
cot OF economy, and also In the Interest Of n pur
and untrammeled election
Mr. CoNGEH suggested that II II were claimed tina
VIC amendment would save the expense OF main
ialhlng ~ the Jais aud penitenliaries of the an'
the criminals who violated the election laws, tina
Moal De pTetly strong ground for the atBumen
lhai V was ia the direction Of economy.
Tue Chairman 9Ncuuled the point OF order OF
the ground that the amendment was not only ger
mate but was directly Ia the interest of economy
Ml' s0tliAhD lhon made an argument In adyo
lie was followed ON the Same side by Mr.. Dun
ham, who argued that all the machinery of cleo
uuhs ought ~ DO controlled by the State govern
nent,, not by the Federal Government.
Mr iiAlE argued against the amendment, an
E"n,G w I1 ,isseh by saying gn what he calle
House believes sincerely that II this body of law
tiueN itoii lhe statutes the laws Of the seven
seeks to exercise the rghtOi suffrage.
10 believes that u these laws are repealed III
safeguard az the voter in large portion the Unto
WfguChCd away from him, aud he Is len expose
10 His pgrtrutuit, TIL, side has, thus far siinpl
CuutDiIied itself With Dos minority vote aud, So Il,
Hs that FUgs, has yielded 20 the resolution OF IN
jury box aId the repeal OF the Csi oath. But
ulIa Thing 90 ufthgr Insisted on, want gCutcmc
o. ne other side io understand that We are here Il
thg Tact dllt ui me session aud that this measuT
d sought o. DO projected ON au Appropriation bill
nuu With thr belief that ih.s side VII consent 30 q
We have Gag here night aud day aud have aide
thr u.hef eide 90 pAs appropriation bill uler apr,
puauuu lIIl
Iust Monday We voted alu0,t solldIy 10 aigpen
Nit fuips aud pa.s thC deficiency bills, 30 hs {
thIIA IhiHi uu HIuu uIIu 100 thH country wants. u
tAlls rth'iun' We d.d thc slug Trims with The bill
lNuhiUa appropriation tur thD pension urIcuU
tiH WIN tle liver aud harhlr Dun. ITrspussiu
MAhtuhit ora our good nature. and believing thu
A.rlt q tNlhluE hUfu BOG NlrlluIsuIrli the Dtut
Aldo I'd ELle lIutl.. tt..u. NJ III ~. 49,, ~