The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-05-07

of legislation. which requires that
every measure shall stand or fall &C.
cording to its " merit. II il were
understood that 10 attach TO 90 ap.
preparation To . measure Irrelevant 70
the general object Of the bill, would
imperil and prevent its final passage
and approval. a valuable reform 10
the parliamentary practice Of Con
gress would be accomplished.
aRoUNDLEss APPREHENSION.
The foregoing ensclments would
seem to be sufficient TO prevent mill.
tary interference with elections. but
The last Congress, to remese ell sp-
p~rebeDsioo of such interference, ad.
ded to this body Of Law, Section Is
of the act entitled, "An act making
appropriations for the support of the
army for The fiscal year ending June
80. 1879, aud for oiber purposes. y
approved June Is, 1873, which is as
follows:
"SEc Is From and after the pas
sage Ut this act, il shall not be lawful
to employ any part Of the army Of
the Uniud States as a posse conn
tatns. or otherwise, for The purpose #
executing the laws. except ia such
cases and under such circumstances
as such employment of said force
may be expressly authorized by the
Constitution, or by act Of Congress
And no money appropriated by this
act shall be used TO pas auy of the
expenses incurred 10 the employment
OF any troops 10 violation Of This
seciiau, and any persons wilfully
violating the provisions Of this sec
tion shall be deemed guilty Of mis-
deneanor, aud upon conviction there
of shall be punished by a fne not
exceeding $4,000, or imprisonment
not exceeding two years or both"
This act passed the Senate after
fell consideration without q single
vote recorded against it on it's fioal
passage. and by a majority of more
than two-thirds it was ~coocurred in
by the House Of Representatives
The purpose of the section quoted
vas stated 10 the Senate by one of
its supporters az follows:
Therefore / hope, without getting
into any controversy about the past,
but acting wisely for the future, that
we shall take away the idea that the
army can be used by . general or
special deputy marshal, or aoy mar
sbal. merely for election purposes. Or
posse, ordering them about polls. OF
ordering them any where else, where
there is ao election going on, to pre-
vent disorder. OF. TO suppress disturb
snees that should be suppressed by
peace officers of the State. OF if they
must bring Others % their ard. they
| should summon unorganiZsd citizens,
and not summon officers and men Of
the army as q posse comifatgs to qdeli
disorders, aud thus get up a feeling
which will be disastrous to peace
among the people Of the country"
In the Houee of Representatives
the object of the act oflS7S was stated
by the gentleman who had it In
charge 10 similar terms. He said :
But these are all minor points and
insignificant points compared with
the great principle which vas incor-
porated by the House in the bill in
reference 10 the use OF armed men 10
peace. The Senate bad already in-
cluded what hey called and what
We might accept as a principle. but
they bad stricken out the penalty aud
had stricken out the word expressly,
so that the army might be used 10 ell
cases where implied authority might
be inferred The House committee
planted themselves FIRMLY upon the
doctrine that. rsthsr than yield this
fundamental principle for which for
three years this House bad struggled,
they would allow the bill tn fail.
Notwithstanding The reforms that we
had secured, regarding these reforms
Of but little consequence slong-ide
the great principle that the army OF
the Dited States ia time of peace
should be under the control Of Con
gress, and obedient to It's la va. After
the long and protracted negotiation
the Senate committee have conceded
that principle, in all its length and
breadth, including the penalty, which
the Senate bad stricken cut. We
bring Won back, tterefore. Q report
a re port with the alteration Of a single
word, WHICH the lawyers assure mt
is proper to be made, restoring to thi'
bill the principle for which we haze
commended so long, and which is 81
vital to secure the rights and liberties
Of the people. Thus have We ,hi'
day secured TO the people Of thi'
country the same great protection
against a standing army which cos
a struggle OF two hundred years fol
the Commons of England to secure
for the British people"
From this brief review OF the sub
ject, it sufficiently appears that undeI
existing laws there can be no military
interference with elections. No cas-,
3 of such interference has, in fact, &C
%eurrea since the passage of the &C
last referred to. 40 ofcer of th'
United States has appeared upde
orders at any place of election in an.
State. No complaint even of tb'
presence of United States troops hs
been made in any quarter. 1t ma,
therefore be confidently stated Their
is no necessity for the enactment O
? section 6 of the bill before me to pre-
: vent military interference at elections
The laws already in force are all tina
is required for that end.
: OBJECT OF THE RIDERS.
Q The best justification that has bee
= offered for attaching Irrelevant rider
e to appropriation bills is that it is dou
| tor convenience sake. to facilitate th
passage Of measures which ars deem
ed expedient by all branches Of th'
t Government which participates i
legislation. 1t cannot be elaine
t that there is any such reason for at
tacbing this amendment of the cleo
t tien laws TO the Army Appropriate
bill. The history Of the measure con
trahic;s ibis assertion
= A majority of the House of Repre-
seDtaiives in the last Conoress wa