Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-04-24
CO.yGRESSEE}ITIE,
Reported for the Alexandria Ga=elte.
WASHINGTON, April "a
SENATE.

WASHINGTON. April "a.
SENATE.
Az unusually large gathering Of spectators
we're present on the meeting CT the Senate, the
ladies' gallery presenting au especially brilliant
appearance and the Diplomatic gallery having
f.ir number Of occupants. Numbers Of prem
inent visitors. including many members Of the
House, occupied seats on The f,or Of the Sen.
ate, the attraction evidently being tho desire
to hear Mr.. CoukliDg speak on The Army bill.
MIR. Dawes presented the petition of Mrs.
Caroline Webster, widow Of C5lonel Fletcher
Webster, asking the increase CT her pension
| from $50 10 $50 month. lie sid that this
lady was the only surviving representative CT
Daniel Webster's family, and had bean rem.
dered poor By tho destruction OF the Marshhe!d
property. Tho bill Was referred to the Com.
| mittee on Pensions.
The discussion OF the Wal!loo resolution oc-
cupied the morning hour, after Nhiah tho Array
APPROXIMATION bill vas taken up.
MIR. Conkling began bis Iemalks Gy saying
that CT tho 1926, O00 900 CT ravauua collected
during last year by the Government 1921 600.
900 came from twenty eeven S,atca aud $lS.
| GOO 900 from tho eleven States Ct AlabsGia,
Arkansas, Florida. Georgia. Lju:si4us, MIs:is
| sippi North Caroline, South Carolina, Teunea.
| see, Texas, aud Firgi1ia. OF which S. $50, GOO
YVES from the tobacco taxes o! Firgioia.
| Both Houses he cop!iausd have Do1 de-
mooratic ma ,1ity and no proposition Is heard
to change exs:iug Revenue LAYS. This vast
revenue is collected to pay pensions made
necessary by tho rebellion, TO- preserve Tho
government and protect laws made ~ loeslma'
| tie expense. To diver: it Iton the Uses TO
which the people have dedicated il would bo
perfdious. There is but one gay BY which It
can reach those CHI scts-by appropriations
! The Constitution commits to Congress oniy dis
erection as to how much is to bo appropriated;
/ it's commands to make somo appropriation ale
| imperative. A refusal to vote Toncy 10 3Giray
| the expenses Of The differcIt brGIcahs CT tho
goverument, vas therefore unc,Esiitutinoul.-
| If tho members Of the Judiciary OF Elective
departments failed to do tGcir duties uader tie
constitution they would be iiatle 70 impeaoh-
meut, IF members of tho Legislative b!auch
wers likewise aueuabIe 10 pozisbmen; Tor
dereIicliou of duty it would be btsVcr if not
a less gully act to violate their exalted tu.t.-
| In ordinary times truisms like these would be
needless if not cut o. place in the Seuate.-
| They arc pertinent nov only heciuie ca &C
| cssIou has arisen unparalleled in An: r;c2o his.
| tory and 80 far as be knew in British history
If a precedent could be icuCd. Ii should not bo
in country possessing written Constitution
plaioly def oing the rixhls c! all tI:iuE uGGtr it,
1t was not 10 transplant bu. to leave b2h!n1 me
| tradition of tho Struggle hetWesG subject apd
rulers that our fathers h:d to these shores. Il
was to render impossible hero tie caste ds
tirc,on of an i'll &C listed societ7.
The partisan split an!maing these debates
| if it IVES anywhere misunderstood Was mis-
taken especially 10 this body.
70 hear what was called the debates ca this
sutisct one would think that the msj GRITTY were
arragued simply because they were ac:iog W.
constituiioraily il ruttiug leg Is'atica on ap
preparation bills. This was not the case. Fer
himself be knew of 20 better reasons than c>u.
yenience, coumonseuse aud the derger of log
rolling combinations 10 forbid rus!ipg sil sp
propriations on q single BILL A bill embrac.
log such q huddle OF uuco5gTuou. pro.
visions, if no objection 10 i!s separate paris
was fouud, it wss d'fiut to see on what
prnucd 6 veto could stanj. Bu. the
| Election to this legislation would DO
as strong if it had taken the form CT iudepen-
| dent billy. A resort to separate bills night
even have cloaked the si5ster design OF tho
| legislation, and 10 that view would have been
| wise policy for the other side. 10 the case
pending the face Ct the bill itself shows hat
the legislation is not such % the Executive cau
rightly approve. 1t shows the design tu be to
coerce the Executive into violating tis sense Of
right 10 order to permit tho Government to
live. Thus far the achievement Of the Deno-
cratic msj ority bad been easy. bu. the trlal
was yet to come. IL would bs moro difficult.
| The party had got themselves into e precicl.
meut, and unless the Executive lets them ont
| they will have to back out Laughter cad
approval The ultimatun Of this session had
| been altered from that OF last session We
! we're now told to accept what las. session We
were told not TO accept. A proVlso bad been
added to savs tho tight OF the President to
obey the Cons,iu ion in obeyirg tic cali Of
| State governments for protection. The oLhe!
side had found it advisable net 10 insist on
| bill which denied him that constitutional right.
The effect of this bill, Mr.. CobkIing pursued,
is 10 prevent the suppression Of any violence by
aoy armed man acting under Nationa! author.
ity upon an election day. In Neg York every
| tbud, shoulder hitter, carrier of dix or bowie
knife, every graduate Of the rat pits. bucket
| shops and slums. the nurseries Of what is now
a.days called democracy. and every map, from
King bridge TO the battery, is advised before.
hand that 20 enornity of bis will be checked
by the law officers OF the GoVefbnsnt. Sensa.
lioo. Another bill to 60 brought forward
provides that even If elections arc turned ioto
bloody burlcsq1es National authority must
keep away, though White Lcaguers may take
40 active part, armed. perhapz. with muskets
furnished by the Government. If there eyer
was time when such Law would be safe that
time is not now. The Constitution says Con
gross shall have power to provide for calling
forth the militia to execute the LAYS OF the
Union. Speaking to lawyers. be wished to
emphasize the word execution it had deep.
legal significance; it warranted the use of arms.
Mr.. Conkling asked his friend from Kansas
(Mr. Ingslls) to read for him ihs section Of the
revised statutes passed in pursuance of and to
put into effect this constitutional provision.
While this was being done he took hs seat for
o moment.
General Sherman came in, was greeted by
Mr.. Conklng and took his seat in front Of the
speaker.
ALI the seats provided for visitors were by this
time filed, and the space in the rear OF the sesis
was filled By Attentive listeuers.