The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-04-19

now intended to trust its fortunes to the
prestige OF Grants name. He concurred
10 these views.
After an executive session adjourned till
Monday.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, April l6.-Mr. Black
burn denied he had said that the demo.
Gratis would not stop until they had strick.
en- from the statute books the last vestige
of war measures. He accused Mr.. Nc
KinIey of unfairness aud had personally
called bis attention to the fact that his ut
terance had been garbled and Mr.. Nc
Kinley had refused to do him justice. The
sentence as originally uttered was that
such war measures would be erased as
were the result OF passions born of civil
strife and looking alone to the abridgment
of liberty of citizens. He recognized the
binding force of every amendment to the
constitution; their validity as part OF the
organic law of the land.
The house deprecated the retention OF
the federal election law on the statute
books. When had any Southern Repre-
sentative proven recreant to his trust, or
disloyal to the constitution of the govern
ment? IF they harbored secret hostility
why did they not during the fierce electo-
raj struggle precipitate anarchy and revo-
luton? If they were deadly foes OF the
country they then neglected splendid op-
portunity.
Mr.. Burrows said if the Democrats
really desired an honest ballot they would
not attempt to tear down its strongest
safeguard, and honest registration, which
those laws provided. These laws secured
| pure ballot, honest count, true returns,
peace land order at the polls; these laws
were terror only to those who have COM
mltted or medltated an attack on the puri-
ty OF the elections, In Louisiana the Re-
publican party had been stamped out in
blood. Free speech, free homes, free
press, free emigration, and free ballots
we're there impossible, Even Row while
the hypocrltlcaI cant about peace, protec-
ton and purity at the polls was INDUCED
| in by the other side, the whole race was
fleeing from some Southern States as from
| the pestileDce; not to escape the Federal
bayorets but rufianly bludgeons; not
from federal bullets but Southern bowie
knives; not from federal courts, but from
southern fraud; not from marsbals, but
from murderers; not from registration, bu
| from masked raiders; not from supervi
sors of elections, but from southern sho
guns; in word, they were fleeing from a
country where every right was clover
down and every wrong went unredressed
Mr.. Gibson, replying to the quotations
made by Mr.. Burrows from the Teller re
port. stated that the citizens of Louisiana
had been arrested and charged with Of
tense as stated in that report; that they
had been conveyed 400 or 500 miles fron
their homes to the city of New Orleans
| that they had been tried before Jurors t
whom the test oath had been applied and
before Judges who were in sympathy will
the Republican party, and they had beer
fully and honorable acquitted.
Mr.. Burrows-"That is an old trick
down there" daughter on the Repubi
can side
Mr.. Gibson--If it was trick, it was ,
trick played by men who could take al
iron clad oath as Jurors. 4 trick played
by the very men whom the gentleman
would now invoke to cond Ict elections il
that State. Mr.. Gibson regretted tha
though Mr.. Burrows had called Democrat
couspirators that the amer tiles of theHous
had not prevented him deriding the ju
dietary
Mr.. Elan made general denial lof tn
charges of intimidation in Louisiana
: Mr.. Coffroth said these acrimonious de
bates were inaugurated by the Republ
cans for party purposes. The Democrat
party did not want TO starve the people
but wanted to protect the citizens and prl
duce prosperity. In Pennsylvania i
1878, $4,000 of the peoples money wa
squandered to defeat the will of the pei
pie aud elect Republican candidates.
Mr.. Dickey said the issue was squared
divided, and the question was whetht
these Objectionable laws should be repea
ed. The Democratic party here and ii
Democratic party throughout the natio
answered yes. The constitution require
{ it, the freedom of elections and Ithe libe
ties Of the people demand it,
; Mr.. Price obtained the floor, and ii
i committee rose.
Sessions were ordered for Monday, Tue
day, Wednesday and Thursday nigh
next week for debate only.
Adjourned until to morrow.