The daily gazette., 1879-03-31


THE L. S. SENATE was not in session
on Saturday, and in the House the ques-
tion Of the repeal Of the Federal Elec-
tien Laws by means of an amendment
to the appropriation bills was debated
the entire day when the House adjourned
until Tuesday morning.
Mr.. Stephens, of Ga, led off on the
Democratic side, and Mr.. Garfield fol-
lowed him on the side Of the Republi-
cans, making what his party friends
termed mastery effort, but which the
correspondent Of the y. Y. Herald
termed mere denunciatory campaign
speech. devoid OF argument. His "bril-
liant" effort was filled with alusions to
the war and the struggles of tie Demo-
Gratis in Congress in 1872 to prevent tie
passage of acts that We're intended to re-
duce the government to a mere cenlralz-
ed despotism dependent more upon the
clemency Of those IN power than upon
the free and unobstructed franchises OF
the people. Mr.. Garfield maintained
that a> the Democrats then agreed to ac
cept of some provisions of The present
laws as the best they could obtain from q
majority in both Houses and controlled
also the Executive and the courts
they should not thus seek to repeal these
laws now. Then it was, perhaps
wise for the Democrats to accept OF the st
by compromise and to keep, as was sup
posed they would, the troops from the
elections. But the Democrats were not
then favorable TO the Federal Election
Laws, and their experience under these
laws has shown that the evils they con
ceived Of then have proved to be true
that they are power i'll the hands OF III,
most reckless and corrupt men to defea
the will OF the people and defraud tn,
voters out of their inalienabe rights a
was done by Davenport in New Yoll
last fall.
But Mr.. Garfield's whole effort to prov
that the repeal of these laws, (by whlc
the decisions of the elections are virtu
ally put into the hands Of U. S. Deput
Marshals,) by means Of :'ridern on til
Appropriation bills, is Revolutionary,
must be regarded as OF little weight wit
every intelligent reader who for Inc
ment reflects that danger never arise
from the repeal of arbitrary laws di
placing from power tyrannical and ba
men and when, in addition, the readt
learns that these very laws were passe
as riders to appropriation bills in lS7:
he cannot fail to regard Mr.. Garfield
declarations about their repeal BEN
revolutionary as mera political twa,
dle-gush which that eminent olatorici
genius is very ready TO let of at any time
and especially Oh such occasions as th;
Of Saturday, when he had an audien,
prepared for the occasion we'll sprinkle
with applauders, and among whom wei
the chiefs of the Hayes cabinet and al.
many Senators.
If it was not revolutionary to pass Il
Federal Election Laws by 'riders," ho
can il be Revolutionary" to repeal the
by '.riders ?" But for that matter eve
election We have in which the extray
CANT Radical oiiice-holder is turned o
is Revolutionary" And as these ''revol
tionary" proceedings are to reduce {
penses and restore the government TO t
hands Of the voters they have prov
popular with the people. II the peol
will lot trust themselves, why then til
ought 10 kesp the one hundred thousa
high saaried officers in power. But
every election since 1872 the people ha
voted against the ofiice-holders' govel
meDt, and both legislative branches
the government are now in the bands
the people in defiance of Deputy NJ;
shals, test oaths and federal bayone
and had it not been for the rascalitv