The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-05

III IL was tue power anu duty OF Congress 20
do what 1t was now doing 1t was
bound 10 stand there forever. ~ (Ap.
plause on the Democratic, side and
ealleries.l Gentlemen tn the other side had
said they would never yield. He would
tell them that in the conflict between power
and liberty, II power would not yield, lib
erty WIS just as firm. Applause on the
Democratic sldo.li The method OF putting
Legislation on appropriation bills might be
inconvenient, but when vicious legislation
had been passed which imperilled the lib
erty OF the people, the House was bound to
| say 1t would appropriate no money until
the vicious legislation was repealed. In
the present case there was vicious law,
which invaded the liberty of the people.
The President said: 81 will not consent to
Its repeal. The law Is on the statute-book,
and I.want your supplies. Hurry them up
and then adjourn" But 1t would be found
that there bad always been in England q
principle that supplies and grievances
went together. It was part Of the
inherent privilege Of the House to
hold the purse in hand us means OF re-
dressing grievances. 1t had been the means
by which The Saxon people had upheaved
the Imperialism OF the Norman monarchy
and transferred that monarchy into the
| proudest monument OF constitutional lib
| erty in the world. In England, Commons
conld regulate and control the mode by
witch troops should be used, though the
| King had the power OF raising those troops.
So in this country Congress had the right
to say how the President should use his
troops raised under its authority. The
army would die on the 30th Of June unless
Congress restored it by legislation. What
was the question in this bill? Congress
would restore the army after the Both Of
June without giving 10 the President the
power to keep troops at the polls. 1t
was not question OF repeal; it was
Il question OF rcenact ment. II Congress did
not appropriate this money there would be
no army after the 30th of June. Shall Con-
gress appropriate money to keep up the
army, and allow it to be used as the keeper
OF the polls? Ia thousand times no !!
Never with his consent. [Applausc on the
Democratic side.1 The army should exist
for the defence of the country against
foreign invasion, for the enforcement Of
laws, but never for the purpose OF control
ling free elections. Hamilton had said it
was in the power OF Congress every two
years to consider this question and delibe-
rate upon the propriety OF keeping the
army on foot. Congress had considered,
and had come to the conclusion that
there was not only no proprieiy, but
great improperly and an invasion OF pub
lie liberty in allowing the army TO be
used to keep peace ut the polls. He
liked the army in its place, but its place
was not at the polls. Hc did not like
the army to disturb the exei else Of justice.
lie did not like the army when it invaded
houses OF private citizens and threatened
them with courts martial. This act gave
the President the right to keep troops at
the polls at all elcctions-uunicipal, con-
ereSSional, or presidential. At the very
time when he might be appealing to the
people to say whether he should longer re-
main in office as President he might muster
his troops at the polls and preside over the
election. And so did Louis Napoleon do,
and everybody knew the result. The en-
pire was elevated on the bayopets OF the
soldiers. There was great danger when
troops were used at elections that the
cartridge-boX would be exchanged for the
charlottesville bullet for the ballot; that
the sword, processing to guard the voter at
the polls, would intimidate him away from
the polls. Would his friends from Ohio and
Connecticut Garfield and IIawley) vote fol-
the proposed repeal as q separate measure
Mr.. Garfield / would vote to repel
these clauses il brought up separately, but
not TO make them as you propose TO make
them.
Mr.. Tucker replied that his friend stood
Lon very narrow ground: that on its
merits the law ought TO he repealed, but on
account Of the method OF its passage the
| President ought to veto it. But what right
! had the President to say anything in regard
to the method of its passage If be had nc
objection on the score OF its merits? Would
the President withhold his consent, and say
that unless Congress gave him nower to
control elections he would let the Govern.
ment die OF starvation? Would he say. in
the language Of hiohwayman Ok Prcsi.
dent could use such lansuage), "1oul
money Or your life. Money I demand or
the life OF the Government" He denied
that he was opposed to the army. He had
never voted for any bill which would i'm.
pair its efficiency, but he was in favor OF
the army as the servant not rs the master
OF the people. He remembered the fierce
struggle Of four years, and remembered il
with sorrow. He had believed he was right
then, and il the time were to he lived over
he would do again, if his honest conric
tons mpelled him, what he did then. Bul
that time had passed away. He had come
back to the Union with an honest purpose,
and no man who knew him would gansay
the sincerity Of his declaration; that he hac
no purno>c in view rs member OF Con
gress or as a citizen Of the United States
but to make the Union glorious among thu
nations OF the earth, and to make this Gov
crnmcnt success for the liberty and pros
pcrity and independence OF its people. The
past was dead ana buried. His actions now
; were dictated by what he believed tt
be his duty here and TO bis mother
Commonwealth there (pointing to thu
soutb). Standing upon that ground, III
looked upon the struggle OF civil war a:
, nothing but the convulsive throes OF an in
FAINT Hercules, that marked the growth, pro
yress, and development OF the country. HI
hoped that the wounds OF the war were
healing. God knew they would have beer
: healed more rapidly il gentlemen had no
. kept the sore running. Let the pickering:
of the past be ended. Let both parties joir
hands in one noble resolution to do al! thai
each could for the promotion OF the glory
and prosperity OF the common country. l.
, he could map out the future OF the country
and The policy which be believed to be tht
best, he would say cling to the Constitution
rs the only hope OF the country. lie Woult
: maintain the power OF the Federal Govern
meut in all its integrity, and preserve TIT
power OF States in al! their autonomy ant
. loyai seli-g0yernmept. He would preserve
her citizens protected by hatedS corpus
) and give them free trial by jury and q FREE
ballot.
: He believed the Government OF the United
States to be the best system Of gorernmen
ever devised by the wit OF man; but in thu
matter of the power OF the Government arc
the liberty Of the people, he would put thai