The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-20

ton OF statesmen within. Gentlemen the other
side have done me tue honor 10 quote with approval
sentence in which l said that the party
who sought to raise base sectional partisan issues in
this country would mistake the spirit time
ana the wants OF our people, and would not be sup
ported SAID II with delibcration BECAUSE believed
| il and believe it, and to-day precisely that
thing proposed ON the peaceful and ordinary process
OF passing an appropriation bill tor the support OF
the government. We see this House. by u movement
OF caucus dictaton. proposed TO be turned into great
electoneerng machine for 1880 and that is the
whole meaning OF this movement. Gentlemen lad
dressing the other side of the Housed, you seek to
cut out u scction--a living section-from the Grim
nal laws the United States. and say that bal
lot box stufhng fraud at the elections. intimidation.
outrage poisoning the very fountain springs of the
elective franchise) shall be crime, and that the
machinery by which such crime can he punished
shall he destroyed. That is what you propose do
here to-day. and to do it at the dicaton of party
caucus.
ORIGIN OF THE LAWS
These laws were put in the statute books because
of this great report which hold IN my hand thold
ing up the Lawrence report of the New York e.e,ton
of 1861 which has never been answered and never
can be- 1t was proved in it that although the State
of New York appeared 10 give 10000 majority tor the
candidates OF one party in 1865, there We're
no less than ffty-one thousand fraudulent
votes which produced that result, and one
of the foremost men of the nation, whom the
democracy afterward honorcd by nominating him to
be its candidate for the Presidency. wrote and pub
lshei to tho world bold denunciaon of that fraud.
and addressed his denuncatlon to samuel J. Tilden,
the who sustained it. and he closed his denunci-
alton by sayjng:-"Mr. Tilden you have confeder-
ates who will cnuckle over this expose as showing
that the democrats know how and that they cant be
driven from power. They will say. What if the pub
lie Judgment condemn us? Let our repeaters 20
twice all around, aud will come ont all
right But Mr. Tiiden believe in God and feel
a profound conviction that the frauds OF triumph
thus achieved Will turn to ashes on the lips or its
victors. 1beiieve that you, sir, will yet perceive
that an honest defeat would have been more adyan
tageous to- you in the long run than either of your
fraudulent victories" Ii that does not sound like
prophecy in view or what has betaien the
author Of those frauds in 1o6s. then do not know
what the readings OF prophecy NEAL. was In
pursuance OF the discovery of those frauds by an
authorized committee OF the House that we put Ill
the statute books provisions to protect national
elections against the crimes and outrases which
would sap the foundation Of all free government.
What the things that the gentlemen talk of
Simply that place at the poll in all Of our na-
tonal elections witnesses who shall stand by, who
shall not interfere but who shall If fraud is at
tempted in their presence and shall report it. That
is what these gentlemen call oppression.
skcREr OF TIE MOVEMENT.
The secret OF all this movement is found in
order issued from New York and published in tho
democratic organ here, which that il the election
laws be not repealed there will be enough democratic
members elect to the next Congress who will be I'M
prisoned for crime before the next Congress meets
to give the majority to this side of the House,
and that therefore these laws must be
pealed the republicans will organize the House.
And on that CALL that party bugle call the caucus
has ordered these proceedings to-day. And this
ironically is the party of peace and good order.
which does not want trouble uut wants cancellation
and the lovely union of all elements the country.
Now, Mr.. Chairman. il this be the purpose which
We are called upon here to vote upon, we on this
constitution and our rights and that we propose to
do, and it it takes night two nights. ten nights
sid sid ao while Congress lasts s shall You
| strike from statute books the NUM-
ments tor the protection of the elective franchise
When you it you must do it because
| you have the whole power to do it-and not by our
| help. not by our consent hundred criminal pros
| ecutions to-day pending before courts OF the
United States to punish crimes against the elective
| franchise. Already enough men from the city Of
Cincinnati have been sentenced to the Penitentiary
| f.r fraud tn faka aNyav tlls a ono
members on this floor from that city-tapplause on
the republican side-and all the proceedings in the
| party order which demands ii for party success.
SPEECH MIR. BLACKBURN.
| Mr.. BLACKBURN, having left the chair and come
| down on the floor, said
Mr. Chairman-If there be any one who. in tho
heat OF discussion. has been betrayed into improper
action improper utterance submit that will not
permit myself lose sight of the fact that, as the
presiding chairman of this Committee of the Whole
| during the tendency OF the discussion Of this
measure. must not engage in dispute as to its
merits. do not conceive that it would be either
proper or just for me to leave that chair to come
down to the floor to engage i'll a wranglc or discus
| sion with any gentleman AS to the merits OF the
| measure over whose destines was welding more
| than ordinary power. have not come down here
| for that purpose, nor do / propose to address
| myself to single feature OF this amendment.
have been uttered with but one purpose and that is
to force from that place, to rcpel not only ali
indignity, but TO hurl back an attempted Insult.
Applause the democratic aidc). Before proceed
1 to ray to the gentleman from Ohio INF (araeldl
what want say intend to read the note furnished
to me by the official stenographcr Of the House and
if that be what tha gentleman stands upon. thon my
answer will be emphatic and a. plain as 1t will be
short. The note is "Our House is to-day presided
| by who is under orders to decide that this
| comes under the rule II the gentleman from Ohio
is content with that as u correct statement OF his
language i, OF course have nothing left but to &C.
cept it.. ...s..,..,. :. 49,. 49,.
| tence. -
| Mr. BLAcKsunN-Ia am perfectly willing TO have the
sentence completed, for do not desire to 90 tho
| gentleman injustice.
| Mr. eiARrIELp-I do not know what tho whole SEN
tence will be found to be in terms, but the point
| which sought to make and which still make is
thisthat the action of body outside OF this House
seems to be binding on its members who belong to
that body and what meant to say was that not
only the House that side. but its chairman a. well
under sort of duress because OF the acknowl-
edged control of That is all thu. said.
and say IL l believe ii TO be. In manner did l
intimate that the gentleman (Mr. Blackburn had
himself been ordered in any special way to decide
the question but referred to the fact that there
was kind Of duress which covered all OF the mem
bers on that side of the House including the presid
ing officer of the committee who was also, as ui-
dcrstand. himself chairman of the caucus.
Mr.. BLACKBuRN-I ask the gentleman from Ohio to
state to this committee whether he did say. or
whether lie intended to say, that tho occupant of
the chair was under any order or had received
an expression of opinion or purpose from the demo-
cratic caucus as to how he was to rule on any qnes-
ton of order.
(and which stand by forrverl that my meaning was
and is, that the whole party, including the chairmsn
was undcr moral uurVsS OF caucus action, WHICH
made this not delibcratve body but BODY to reg
lister the edicts of n caucus.
Mr.. BLAcKpunN-I do not exactly how am to
get hold of the utteranccs of the gentleman from
ONO. hold what IL furnished me by the official
stenographer of the House 1t is very evident
land / am glad to recognize the fact that the gem
tenan from Ohio does not propose to stand that.
Now, when 1 submit to him the question as to
whether he then intended or does now propose to
understood as telling this committee, that as its
chairman. received instructions either directly or in
directly or even any intimaton from democratic
to how was to rule. or how was expected
to rule, any question of order that was ever to be
presented am not able TO reach direct issue with
the gentleman. do not understand now as lac puts
it, that he charges that. l wish to add just n
single word, anu am sure that am not violating,
any oblil alton that belongs To caucus action There
never the slightest intiipaton given to me by
that caucus or any member Of IL, either i'll caucus
since. that l was expected to rule this
way that way upon any question on
which point of order should be raised.
/ never the amendments offered to this bill by
the gentlemen from Alabama and Ohio (Aiossrs. Her
bert and Southardl until they were sent to the
Clerks desk. did, of course. know what their gem