The New York herald., 1879-03-05
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS
SENATE.

WAsHrNGroH. March 4. 1879.
The bill under consdefation-the Mississippi I'm
provcmcnt Commission bill-was further amended,
but further action upon 1t was deferred.
AIR. DORSEY (rop.) Of Ark made q report from tho
Conference Committee on the Post Ofice Appropria-
ton bill, but owing to an informality the report
referred back to the committee for correction.
Mr.. WINDOW, (rcp.l OF Mtnn.. reported that the
Committee nf Conference on the Legislative. Execu
tive and Judicial Appropriation bill had been unable
to agrec.' The point on which the confcrecs were
unable to agree the proviso Of the House fixing
the pay Of jurors in the United States courts ut 50
day. rcpcang the test oath and also so much Of the
Revised Statutes provides for the appointment of
supervisors OF election. Tho House took tho posi-
ton that the only condition on which agreement
coudbe made that the conferces on the part of
the Senate should rcccde from that point The latter
could not consent to this condition. He might say
in reference TO all the appropriation bills
that they had oil been agreed upon by
both houses except the bill he had referred
TO. tho Army bill and the Post Office bill. Therc-
fore tho Senate would that all items Of appro-
priaton relating to money to carry on tho gov
crnment had been agreed to and the only grounds
Of disagreement were contained in the Legislative
provisions. Ho believed that there q disagree
ment in regard to tho Army bill well that now
the Senate upon the subject he moved that the
Senate insist upon it's amendments. although tho
Senate conferees did not believe 1t possible to
obtain agreement upon the legislative provisions.
Mr. BLAINE, (rep.l of Me-. said that the only point
of difference between the conferees on tho Army bill
the ty-nrst section, which, ut his request,
read. 1t proposes to amend the Revised Statutes 80
that army naval officials shau bring troops
armed men at places where elections are being held
unless such force be necessary to repcl armed
mics of the United States.
Mr. BLAINE said that no charges had been made In
way nterfered with by United States soldiers, and
he thought that, as one of tho conferees, hos
representing the Senate when he said that II tho
army interfercd in such n manner the grievances
should not remain another hour. but nobody has
suffered in that way.
Mr. RAroS. (dem.j Of Conn.-The great principle Of
English law had existed here until within tho last
sixteen years and ought to continue to be the law of
Mr.. BLArSH-And the Senate conferces believe that
voting should bc without intimidation and free. and
that the government strong enough to sec that this
is done.
means to secure that without the uso of soldiers.
Mr. wTruEits, (dem.) of Va, said that some Of the
conerees maintained that the presence soldiers st
the polls was Incompatible with freedom of elections
Mr.. B-ArNE-Does the senator intimate that the
section of the Revised Statutes referred to gives per-
mission for soldiers to be near the polls whom
matters arc going on pcaccably?
Mr. WfrIfERs-I mean TO intimate that the pros
ence of armed soldiers during tho progress Of
election is incompatible with the freedom of cleo
tions.
Mr. BLAIsE-Docs the Senator mean to show any
such cascsY
Mr. wIrunns-There wcs one case in my own
Statc
Mr.. Br.rSg-That the Petersburg case. II
Petersburg had been In possession of AN armed mob
and the city in confagraon YOU would not havo
permitted soldier TO appear
Mr. WrrHRns-That would have been much less Of
evil for tho presence OF soldiers intcrfcros with
the privilege of free people
Mr.. BLAINE thought cases OF interference havo not
occurred in sixteen years. Your party in and
says that We must surrender to tho demands OF the
House.
DEMOCRATIC PURPOSE DEFINED
MIR. BECK. idem.) Of KY. said that ho was ono
OF tho confcrecs on the Legislative, Exccu-
tive and Judicial Appropriation bill when
efforts made to agree the amend
mcnt. The senator from Minnesota (Mr. Windoml
was correct in saying that the House confcrces
in favor of retaining that part of the bill to which ho
alluded. and that the Senate confcrecs equally
tenacious in maintaining that all that should be
struck out There wus no attoinpt at division OF
the question and no prospect OF arriving ut a con-
cluson. The condition OF Things seemed to bo this
namely The House confcrces insisted that armed
soldiers should not be at the polls at the time Of
elections. and that there should be no interference
where the rights OF involved, and that
States should be free to conduct their elections
without federal interpretation. And the dctorfnaton
seemed to be that unless these rights
respected they would refuse to make appropriations
To carry on the government, and II the demand OF
the majority of the senate insisted they
seemed further to agree that IL there should be an
extra scssion--which would be much rccrcttcd--tho
committees of both houses would be orranizcd ~