Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-04-04

De Attached to appropriation bills. lie
saI1 the House was right in demanding the
law should be amended TO prohibit the use
of troops at the polls, and that the super
visOrs OF elections (appOnted BIZ fedora, au-
thOrity) should no longer possess their
present power, and that there should be a
repeal of all statutes cOnferrlng on United
States officers power to interfere with or
regulate state elections. There was no such
thing a. the right of suffrage for citizen
of the United States. The right of suffrage
was possessed and enjoyed under tho laws
of the States expressly recognized by fun
damental law OF the land. The measures
which it was proposed to repeal were dan
gerous and destructive to civil liberty. No
republic ever went into its grave save
through military interference From the
presence of troops at the polls to the control
OF elections Dy troops is single step, and In
that step free elections fall. lie said he was
astOunded and regretted to hear from the
other side arguments in favor OF the use of
the army, bat his regret was lost in joy
when he recJllected that the party of the
army has not any power in this Congress.
applause on the democratic side. Hurd
denied that 1t was revolutionary to seek to
pass these bills. Ii there be revolution it is
in the suggestions which have come from
distinguished leaders Of the republican
party in this House. Ii Is revolution
against every theory Of the constitution to
the overthrow absolutely of that instrument
for a member Of this House, be he intimate
friend of the President or not, to threaten
the House with q veto from the President
if you dare do right. Applause on the
democratic side do not believe majority
OF this House will he intimidatad from its
duty by o threat of a President. much less
a threat of President whose title to office
is SO doubtful, and whose tenure of Office is
yet so uncertain. Applause the on demo-
cratic side followed by derisive laughter on
the republican side and cries of 'eSplain."I
Hurd spoke about the constitutional right
granted to the House to originate appro-
priatiOn bills and concluded with saying
that never in all the struggle for the rights
OF man was the power OF Withholding sup
plies exercised more wisely than it will be
when We exercise 1t TO preserve the freedom
OF election. to subordinate in time OF peace
the military power to civil authority and
to preserve pure and uncontaminaied the
sources of free government
Williams OF Wisconsin, obtained the hoor
but preterTing not to speak until tomorrow
he moved that the committee rise, and the
motion was rejected by party vote.
Williams yielded part OF his time to Has
kell, who argued from the history of
border ruffian" struggle in Kansas the
necessity for federal protection Of the right
of suffrage
The committee then rose and the aouse
adjourned.
FURTHER DEBATE on THE ARMY BILL.
WASHINGTON, March 2-Mr. Williams
said be knew of no baYOnet rule in this
country except that which had put down
one OF the most wicked and cruel rebellions
that ever disgraced earth, or which had
denied his southern friends the delectable
pastime OF shooting negroes. Ever since
1871 the republican partT had been tripping
over the "chip" because then for the first
time that party begun to acquiesce in the
non-periormanes of the laws OF the country.
lie contended there was no place where the
President had not the right 10 send troops.
whether to the polls or to the church of
Christ. lie admitted it was not pleasant
sight to see voters mass at the polls within
a line OF bayJnets. but neither was it pleas
ant to see voters assalled by rOughs with
bowie knives and revolvers. The attempt
TO forbid the presence OF troops at the polls
was the centre OF the whole question, be-
cause upon it depended the whole question
of federal authority and national perpetui-
tY. The statute which it was proposed to
repeal would, under God, remain, so far as
the republican party was concerned, or the
statute book forever.
Mr.. Townshend said he believed the Presi-
dent would be guided by the precedents in
the past and BY the preoedents Of the repub-
llcan party in Congress. lie referred to the
fact that republican Congresses had attached
general legislation TO appropriation bills
and caiN he faupN tkot
laws which il was proposed to repeal had
been passed on an appropriation bill, and
then Garfield had arrOgantly stated that it
was revolutionary for the minority to op-
pose the will OF the majority. In 1872, that
gentleman had blown hot; in 1873, he had
blown cold. Had such inconsistency ever
been seen in Congress? The trouble was
that the gentleman had been in the major
ity Is years, and it was bitter pill for him
to swallow to be in the minority, and he
regarded it as reason that his party
should be plreed out Of power. That was
where the revolution came in Townshend
called attention to the fact that in the cleo
ton at Chicago, yesterday, the question OF
the repeal of this law had been made the
issue and for the first time in 20 years
democrat had been elected Mayor of Chicago
and on the revolutionary issue.
lONustcEEy SpOkt IN ldFOT Oh tue repeal
Of the amendment permitting the use of
troops at the polls. Ii the President Welded
to the desires OF his party and vetoed the
bill, the people would assert thoir will By
volume of expression at the polls which
would render coercion impossible.
Calkins said he did not care particle
whether the sixth section of the bill passed
Or not, as an independent measure, but he
lid object to the manner in which it was
proposed to pass it. lie took the position
hat in every case where a state refused or
aiied or neglected to fully protect the eiti-
zen, it was the right of that citizen to call
IN the government for protection. No man
could find out what the President was
going to do, but if the bill were vetoed the
country would find out in a short time that
( contraction had taken place before, it
would be multiplied by reason of the
toppage Of supplies, because money would
continue to flow into the treasury and none
could be paid out.
Herbert was not surprised that the
gentlemen on the other side attempted to
make this sectional issue. They ran away
rom the point fauntins the red tag, hoping
he democratic party would follow lik. mad
bulls, but they would not do it, but held to
he plain question, "Shall United States
roops be used at the POLLS He reminded
lis republican friends that as much as they
night regret it, the war was over and
ecession was dead.
Buckner denied that it was revolutionary
or the democrats to repeal the laws by the
anne method. as that in which they had
zen enacted. There was no basis for the
Ius and cry after revolution.
White of Pennsylvania, said no one could
question that Presidents had a eOnstitutu-
Ional right TO veto bill. lie gave the
history of the passage Of the act which it
Tas now proposed 10 repeal, and called
ttentiOn to the fact that Senator Powell,
t Kentucky, voted for the bill. lie denied
at his side OF the House was in iavor of
Orce at the polls Ii only desired that the
itizsn should be protected in his right to
asst his ballot lie quoted Abraham Lin
DIN as stating the necessity occasionally
T United States trJope beng present at the