Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-26

ST. PAUL, WE
Democratic party, once great historic party,
was now reactionary party, endeavoring to
drag this country back to the old States rights
doctrine. This was q concerted party move
ment to strike down few of the safeguards
which the law had thrown around the ballot
! box.
Mr.. Hewitt, N. Y, said that the opposition
expressed by gentlemen on the other side show
how impossible it was for them to understand
the motives which governed the Democratic
party in their desire and fixed determination
to erase from the statute books every provision
which infringed upon personal liberty of the
citizen. ALI such provisions had been placed
on the statute books during or since the close
of the war. Orce only had an attempt
been made to violate the principles
! upon which Jefferson, and Madison, and Ham
| ilton had planted free government. and that
| obnoxious law had been swept from the statute
book. So the Democrats planted themselves
| on the old stronghold that there was no safety
in centralizing power, that the only security
for liberty was in the people themselves. If
abuses occurred they could be much more
readily and effectually remedied by the people
than by centralized power. When the gentle
man from Maine (Frye) few days ago alluded
| to corrupt judges in New York, he seemed to
have overlooked the fact that Judge Mccain
| and Barnard had been driven from the bench
not by federal power, but by the indignant
| voice of the people of New York The gentle
man from Maine had also said that these laws
must be repealed in order to enable the Demo-
Gratis to carry New Pork in the next election.
Did not that gentleman know that the election
of 1876 had been an honest election in the
State of New York, and had not Governor
Tilden received a majority in that State of over
10000. The Democrats had carried that State
with constantly increasing majority ever
since those laws had been enacted, and would
have continued to do 30 to the end of time but
for the invention of Davenport by which free
citizens were prevented from voting. Daven-
port following an example which had been set
him in New Orleans had affidavits of his own
party issued in one nightsan warrants which
had resulted in the arrest of 1900 free citizens
of New York.
Here Hewitt's time expired and he asked
leave to print the remainder of his remarks,
but Butler objected saying that Davenport was
friend of his and he did not want him
abused.
Mr.. Hazleton said there had been three propo-
sitions presented to the House by the Demo-
Gratis. The first one repealed the test oath. He
favored it because it opened the jury box to
the intelligence of the South. The second was
to make the jury box Of America a political .ai
jury box by providing that jurors should be of
different political parties. That proposition
was not and never would be acceptable to the
American people. The third proposition was
to destroy the muniments Of the ballot box.
Who asked for repeal of those laws? Not
voice from the sentiment that had stood by the
government since 1865 asked for it. Did the
demand come from Louisiana, whose regular diet
for the last ten years had been fraud, intimida-
tion and blood. Did it come from Mississippi,
whose escutcheon was just now blackened by
the murder of Cheshold, of that boy and that
me
memory of the Roman mother whose name
she bore.
Mr.. Whitthorne said that greater than his
love of section or Of party, was his affection for
republican form of government. and as this
supervisor law interfered with and usurped the
right OF popular sovereignty, he was in favor of
its repeal
Mr.. Davidson stated the South did not de-
sire absolute control of the government, as had
been stated by gentlemen on the other side,
but it did not desire that the laws passed in
the heat of the late struggle should no longer
prevail and that the laws used az political ma
chimes should be repealed.
Mr.. Dnnnell argued against the amendment
as tending to break down the only safeguards
the federal government had thrown around the
ballot box. SO
4 Mr.. hale said that the House might "A we'll
understand exactly how the matter stood The
gentleman from Ohio Southland, in pressing
this amendment had thrown down to the Re-.
publican side of the House the gauge Of bat
tle The gentleman from New York, Hewitt,
had taken the position this morning that the
day %0'1 ana w psly .t seGd here favor TO-
of sweeping from the statute books all
that body of law which he said interfered with
the operation of State governments and State
laws in matters of electi, ms. There was q
plain and distinct challenge. As strong as
the feeling was on that side of the House.
equally strong was it on the Republican side
These laws for the protection of the ballot
would not and should not be repealed in an an
preparation bill. His side of the House would
never consent to the project being pushed for
ward and carried through to repeal. The
gentleman might az we'll understand that now
as hereafter. ca voice on the Democratic side:
'You said that before.")
Mr.. Hale went on to state the efforts which
the Republican side of the House had made
during the last week to have the legislative ap-
preparation bill proceeded with, and showed
how those efforts had been antagonized by the
Democratic side. In conclusion he said: We
have everything in our power to push this bill,
and at some stage of the proceedings between
now and final adjournment of Congress the
other side of the House must yield it's position,
for these laws cannot be and shall not be re-
pealed. applause on the Republican side OF
the house and derisive laughter on the Demo-
cratic side).
Mr.. Southland replied to Mr.. Hale and closed
the debate. He declared it to be the sentiment
OF his side of the House that those laws which
had been enacted for the purpose of corrupting
the ballot box and Of securing the election tc
one party by bribery and force, should be and
must be swept from the statute book. GAP
plause on the Democratic side.) Let it, he
said, be distinctly understood that on this side
of the House and with the Democratic party
rests the responsibility and that when it is a
question of a pure ballot and of personal lib
erty. the man who yields the issue deserves the
condemnation of free and Independent peo-
pie. Loud applause on the Democratic side)
This election law is simply for the purpose Of
perpetuating dynasty which has been con-
demned by the public sentiment of the coun-
try. 1t is northern outrage as we'll as
southern outrage. This side Of the House is
determined on this measure, not as question
of dollars and cents, but as question Of abso
lutte right and for the purity of the ballot
box. We do not mean in this free country
that any man shall be arrested and imprisoned
without due complaint and affidavit and with
out due process of law. We mean to protect
the citizen in his personal rights, and to pro-
tect the ballot box in its freedom and its
purity. If the Republican party can beat the
Democrat party at the polls in fair election,
| we will submit willingly, but we intend to con-
! tend, as free men, to make the ballot box free,
| and we are willing to let the issue come here
and now. (Renewed applause on the Demo-
cratic side).
Finally vote was taken and the amendment
was adopted; yeas 1876, nays 10.
On motion of Mr.. Caldwell the item of
$4,000 for three assistant attorney generals
was amended by making it $4,000 for four
assistant attorney generals, at So, 500 each, one
Of whom shall be for the postoffice department.
The committee then rose and the bill and
| amendments we're reported to the House. All
amendments were concurred in in gross except
| few on which separate votes were demanded.
The amendment increasing the item for con-
tingent expenses of the bureau of education
from $l1, 400 to 1913, 100 was agreed to; yeas l4O
nays Ill.