Daily globe., 1879-05-17
SENATOR THURMAN'S M.1STERLY EN-
POSITION.

Senator Thurman made one of the best
speeches yet delivered on the pending legls-
lation in the Senate on Thursday. The re-
port which the Associated Press furnishes is
manifestly imperfect, yet it shows the train
of thought which he followed. and gives
some conception of the arguments he en-
ployed. He started out by claiming for
Congress the right to repeal legislation, even
by attaching general legislation to approprl-
alton bills, and charging upon the minority
the responsibility for stopping the approprl-
ations necessary for the maintenance of the
government if such stoppage should result.
He repealed the assumption of superior 10y
atty to the government on the part of the
Republican over the Democratic party,
spurning the suggestion that the latter
lacked any essential of patriotism possessed
by the former. The laws that the present
Congress sought to repeal he declared to be
not only unconstitutional but calculated to
promote anarchy. The demand for their re-
peal was simply demand that return
should be made to the old and we]l-trodden
paths Of procedure. It was no inno-
walton that the Democrats sought to
tutional methods. He administered sting
ing rebuke to Senator Window, of this State.
That gentleman had said sneeringly that the
Democrats objected to the constitutionality
of something, as usual, intimatjng that it
was part of their stock in trade to cry un-
constitutional. It would be sad day for
this country when objection to measure on
constitutional grounds could be put down
with sneer.
In this remark Senator Thurman bit the
Republican party harder blow than, per-
haps, he thought. He is indebted to Senator
Window for the suggestion, however. The
Republican party set out years ago to defy
the constitution-to enact laws in CONTRA
vention of that instrument; to pay no more
regard to it than if it did not exist.
The Democratic party, on the contrary, has
adhered to the constitution as it stands, and
insisted that the laws enacted should be
drawn in conformity to it. It has opposed
measures on constitutional grounds when
those measures were perhaps harmless in
themselves, wholly as matter of principle.
1t now insists upon the repeal of laws that
violate the constitution, in the full knowl-
edge that two years hence, if these laws are
allowed to remain, they themselves may use
them to The discontinue of their political
foes. At every step they have been met with
ieels for their fidelity to tbs constitution.
When Andrew johnson vetoed some of the
most infamous laws ever enacted in any
country on constitutional grounds, the whole
Republican party broke into a wild laugh
because of his reference to the constitution.
ton, has ever been characteristic of the
Republican party for the past fifteen years.
Fidelity to the organic law of the land has
been the fixed policy of the Democracy
That is the true issue between the two par
ties, and no amount of sneering can alter the
fact.
In speaking of the use to which the su
pervisors of election law has been put
Senator Thurman corrected a popular mis-
apprehension by few facts and figures
He showed that the bulk of the expendi
lures for supervisors and deputy marshall
had been placed in New York, and by a re-
cital of we'll known facts showed that tn
money drawn from the public treasury hat
been corruptly used. Persons thought t.
be purchased we're sent for and asked i
they would work for the Republican can
didate, and upon promising to do SO the.
were appointed deputies. In this manne
large Democratic majorities were destroye
in certain districts. For this result Demo
Gratis as we'll as Republicans were taxed
, and therefore the Democrats have the righ
to complain of it,
Senator Thurman paid his respects to M
Hayes briefly. He considered that the vet
a powor was intended as check upon uncor
Il stitutional and ill considered legislation, an
T. to enable the executive department to defen
a itself from encroachnlent by the legislati1
"a department.. 1t was not used for either {
# these purposes, however, in the case of tt
"a last two veto messages submitted, but for
% grossly partisan purpose. He pointed Of
~ some of the inconsistencies of the two me
,r sages, and contented himself with characte
" ising the line of argument as transpare1
sophistry.
m The speech will have no effect upon NJ
g, Hayes or upon any of his hackers in tt
is Senate. Such was not the expectation
of the Senator who delivered it. But it W
es have a most decided effect upon the peop
he at large. It presents the Democratic al
Id the Republican positions in marked contra
"a Intelligent men of whatever political pret
ois Iections cannot read it without being i,
in pressed with the correctness Of Senat
30 Thurmans position. It is, in fact, un,
ed sailable. The issue is presented, Shall Ia
I'd, remain upon the statute books that
di- clearly unconstitutional and subversive
no the liberties of the people, or shall they NJ
The Republicans vote ave. the Democr
lch nay. ....- .-
hat ------
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