The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-06-24
WASHINGTON.
The Record Of the Republicans.
They Go SquareIy Back Upon Their
Promises of Last Week,
And Vote that the Army Shall be
Used at the Polls.

WASHINGTON, June l6 The Repub-
licans were forced to make record TO-
day which will require a good deal Of
explanation, 1t will he remembered
that when the Army Bill was under cor
sideralion in the House on Wednesday
last, and which passed the House on the
same dav, only twelve Republicans vo-
ting against it, General Garfield made a
speech explaining the Republican posi-
tion in voting generally for the sixth
section OF the bill. This section pro-
vided as follows: THAT no money ap-
prrpriated in this act is appropriated O,
shall be paid for the subsistence, equip
ment, transportation or compensation Of
any portion of the army Of the United
States to be used as a police force to
keep the peace at the polls at any elec-
ton held in any State" In his speech
of Wednesday last General Garfield
said:
II do not know of man in this
House who is in favor of using the army
OF the United States as an ordinary po-
lice force to run elections. Applause
ON the Democratic side, and countev-
cheers on the Republican side. There
are, ] believe, about forty thousand poll
ing places in the Unied States. If our
army roster was full, officers, soldier:
and camp-followers, We would not have
over TWENTY-FIVE thousand in our army :;
and II there were law for using the
army as police force at the polls. We
should have about three 'ourths of a
soldier to each polling place Now, il
proposes to deploy our army
in that way, / do no. know where the
lunatic lives. We hold two things: l
That We will not, if We can help 1t, let
vital and righteous laws be repealed or
modified as condition of getting an
appropriation to support the Govern
meDt. We haye resisted, and will resist
10 the end, all such measures. And in
the second place, even under the pres
cure Of party feeling and opposition.
will do no act, cast no vote that will
plsce us really or apparently In any at
titnde inconsistent with the old and rec
ognized principles and traditions OF En-
glish and American libcrty-namely,
that civil, not military force, is the usual,
the safe, the American method OF keep
ing peace OF the polls"
General Garfield is recognized as the
leader of the Republican side Of the
House. His influence can be we'll esti.
mated by the fact that Notwithstanding
the previous attitude the Republicans
had sustained, be induced sll but twelve
OF his Republican colleagues to vote for
the Army Bill In order to test the sin
cerity of the Republicans, the Election
Committee OF the House, after the dec
iaration Garfield had made on behalf OF
bis party, prepared bill precisely in &C.
cord with the manly utterances OF the
Republican bell ll,we,her, as follows:
"WHEREAs, The presence Of troops at
the polls is contrary to the spirit OF our
institutions and the traditions OF our
people, and tends to destroy the free
dom Of elections; therefore, be it enact
ed, that ii shall not be lawful to bring to
or employ at any place where q general
or special election is being held in .
State any part OF the army or navy OF
the United States as police force to
keep the peace at the polls"
About two o'clock to-day. when the
House was droning through the weary
stages Of an uneventful session, Springer
was recognized by Randall and put in
the bill, and demanded suspension Of
the rules on its passage. The bill is
precisely in accord With the sixth Sec
ton of the Army Bill, which met the
disapproval Of only twelve Republicans
last Wednesday. Had hand grenade
been thrown over On the Republican side
it could not have created more of fut-
ter. The bill gave the Republicans the
chance TO vote on direct affirmative
proposition that the army should not be
used as police force to keep peace at
the polls; and, despite their leaders, key.
note of less than week ago, every Re-
publican voted against the bill, and thus
gave the solid seal of the party to the
position that it is not unlawful to use the
army SO police force. When the roll
was fret called good many Republi.
cans lodged the vote, until quiet con
ference had been held in the cloak room.
Even Garfield sDeaked away and did not
vote on the first call, and would have
crawled out Of it had bis presence not
been so conspicuously known to every
member. To-day's vote stultifies the
previous vote of the Republicans, aud
puts them on record as being both op
posed to using the army as police
force and in favor of it. In this instance
Sherman, not knowing that the mine
was to be sprung. bad not the opportu-
nifty to advise bis factotum who does biz
bidding in the House. and the result il
that the Republicans to-day, by o solid
vote on direct proposition, say to The
people Of this country that it is Lawful
to employ the army as an ordinary po
lice.