The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-07-17
CLOSING THE DEBATE.
Hurd's Great Speech Defending the
Democratic Position.

OemocrdClc SoSlL1on'
The following is the speech of
Hon. Frank HI. Hurd, in the House
in answer to Mr. Garfield. 1t clear
ly defines the issues between the
two parties and opens the contest.
1t brought out continuous applause
from conservative members during
Its delivery, and is the key note to
democratic success in the coming
campaign:
Mr.. Chairman: A session of unu-
sual excitement appears to be
drawing to a close. Questions of
the greatest interest to the people
of the United States have been
from the first day until now the
subject of discussion, and it seems
a proper thing at its termination to
inquire whether or not the action
of the majority of this House meets
with the approval OF the American
people.
My colleague from Ohio Mr..
Garfeld), who has just taken his
seat, has seen fit, in answer to the
positions which have been main
tanned by the democratic paaty in
the progress of the argument, to
enter upon a disquisition as to the
Federal Government and the rela
tions of the States to that govern
ment under the Constitution which
they created. Never, in all my
studies of the political history of
this country; never in all my
knowledge OF the political debates
which have taken place in the Con-
gress OF the United States, have 1
heard such views of consolidation
advanced as have been suggested
to-day by that gentleman.
He advanced the extraordinary
proposition that the Union
preceded the States, when the sew
enth article of the Constitution de-
clares: "The ratification of the
convention of nine States shall be
sufficient for the establishment of
this Constitution between the
States so ratifyIng the same" APP
plause on the Democratic side of
the House.
But in order that all doubt might
be removed upon the subject, that
the Constitution and the Union
was the creature of 5he States, it
was declared in the tenth amend
ment of the Constitution: "That
the powers not delegated to the
United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the
States, are reserved to the States
respectively, or to the people"
Nor is the opinion of the highest
judicial tribunal in this country
wanting upon this proposition. In
case of Lane County VS.. Oregon,
the following is the decision of
Chief Justice Chase, to be found
page 70 of 7th Wallace:
"The people of the United States
constitute one nation, under one
government, and this government,
within the scope of the powers with
which it is invested, is supreme
On the other hand, the people of
each State compose a State, having
its own government, and endowed |
with all the functions essential to !
separate and Independent existence.
The States disunited might contin
ne to exist. Without the States in
the union there could be no such |
political body as the United |
States"
But, Mr.. Chairman, for the pur-
poses of the present discussion it ie
not necessary to enter into an elab-
crate COP sideration of the doctrines |
of states rights or the powers of |
the Federal Government. 1t is |
sufficient for the bill now under
consideration that we should In
quire as to whether it Is within the
scope and the powers of the FEEDER
al Government to pass laws to in
terfere with elections in the states,
and only so far as this question
is involved do l propose to discuss
the doctrine of states rights at all.
AT the beginning of this session
of Congress the Democratic party
declared three propositions: We
insisted that the army should be
kept away from the polls; that the
test oath should be repealed, and
that laws should be enacted for the
impartial drawing of jurors; and
that the Federal Government should
not exercise authority over cleo
tions held within the states.
We Insisted and maintained, that
because of, and by virtue of, the
provision, that the
House of representatives. alone
shall originate money bills; that
the representatives of the people
had the right to insist that the
grievances of which they complain
ed should be remedied before APP
should be made for the
of the Government
In the discussion, which has con-
tinued for three months, one of the
most earnest and able that has oc
Cured in an American Congress-,
the Democratic party has maintain
ed these propositions. 1t is unneces-
sary to enter into the details of the
it is sufficient for my
purpose to briefly recapitulate them.
We said that the measures to
which we objected were uncon stitu-
tional; we said that there was no
such person as voter of the Uni
ted States as such; that every man
who had right to vote, had it be
cause of state authority and under
state laws, and that therefore, the {
Federal Government not creating {
.he voter, had no power to interfere
with him in the exercise of his !
rights of franchise.
We insisted that under the laws {
rs they now stand there is no such :
4 thing as a national election, that {
lnder the provisions of the Consti- .
ution, II order that there should ,
De National election, it was fun
lamental that Congress should fix t
he places, times and manner of G
lolding such elections. In that 6
went there might be a National :
election, but that is not this case;
or in every instance the times, L
places and manner of holding cleo a
ions are fixed by the constitution