The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-07-08
From the Cincinnati, Enquirer.]
The Close of the Extra Sessio,

an end. The smoke has not yet cleared
away from the conflict between the two
crest parties, and il will remain for ma
turer discussion before the people to de-
t"rmine accurately in the public judgment
the full significance Of the contest which
caused the extra session, and which mar-
ked its progress and close. In the heat
of battle its history can not we'll be
written. The people at large do not read
the report of the Congressional debates,
and the only impression conveyed to
many Thousands of readers of nexspa-
pers, touching the nature of this session
OF Congress, is that t has been a Con-
vention of 'Confederste Brigadiers" as
sembled for the purpose of running the
country. Discussion will Danish this i'm
preston, and this extra session will be
fixed like bas relisf in the history OF
the country, marking memorable and
unprecedent d contest in the story of civil
liberty on this continent. The struggle
IS without precedert in the UGited States.
Ce t,inly there was no similar contest
prior 10 the civil war. Before 1861 no
party ever dare whisper such heresies as
have become United States laws since
the war closed No party in the ante BEL
tuna days ever ventured to utter, even be-
meath its breath, such doctrines as have
been openly proclaimed by the Republi-
can party In this extra session, empha.
sized by five Republican vetoesl The
Democracy court the fullest discussion
before the people Of this session, and the
compl,test explanation of its meaning
1t has brought the two great parties face
several commanding ques-
tiohs, placed them on record, and when
the light is shed upon that record the
country can judge which OF the two
parties is the friend OF civil liberty. II
should be remembered thst we are now
legisl.ting alter foul teen years of peace
and not the middle of The war, when there
was only one dominate thougbt-the
Union. This is peace legislation. Never
before in time Of peace has party dared
take stand in favor of juries packed by
law; In favor of the army at the polls
either to keep the peace or for any othel
purpose; in favor of prostituting the
Courts ofthe United States and their of
ficers t, partisan political service; in ia
vor of using the Federal Treasury TO-
the brazen corruption of suffrage in the
interest Of the party in control of tn,
Executive. These are the issues tina
provoked the extra session, that pro
longed it, that elected FIVE vetoes
each one of which was stab at popula
freedom, that have composed an impor
t,nt chapter in the country 3 history.
What, briefly, has the extra session
Accomplishment 1t has wiped out th
test oath for jurors. This test oath for
bade the intelligence and integrity ant
the Democracy of the Southern States tC
enter the jury-box. Prior to this ses
sion Postmaster-G General Key, though b
could sit in the Cabinet of Presiden
Hayes, could not sit on jury in Fed
eral Court. No man who had eve
loaned blanket to a Confederate soldie
was eligible to be a jury man in Court q
I the United States. 1t is not difficulty /
know how, under such statute. jurie
would be composed in the Federal Court
in the Southern States. They could b
Of but one party; intelligence was n
, requisite, and the most important right
as to person and property might as we
, be iDtrusted to free-booters as to jurie
so constituted. This stain has been 7
moved from the statues, and this wa
one of the things for which tie Demoe
racy in the last Congress contended, on
Of the issues which provoked the extr
session.
;. The session has practically prevente
the use OF the army at the polls. Th
! Republicans, some OF whom are keen t
detect the drift of public sentiment, sa
that they had taken a position in whic
} the American people would not supper
them. They apologized, said that the
never meant to use the army at the poll
> had never done it, would never doit, an
though they originally voted against th
, bills which simply said they shouldn
and were sustained by the Republican w
to power, the Army Bill as it fnall b.
, came law contains this prohibition
"That no money appropriated in this az
!, is appropriated or shall be paid for th
subsistence, equipment, transportation Q
compensation OF any portion of the al
my Of the United States to be used as
'IpoIice force to keep the peace atthe poll
- roloot;on hald nm; ;th;,,, onv sCfa A.
This. in effect, accomplisbes that fo
which; the Democrats coutended lin th
! Army Bill in the last Congress, whic
was the bill on which the Conferenc
Committee hung, and which was the In
mediate cause OF the extra session. 90
The use of United States Deputy MAJ
sbals, officers appointed under the al
spices of the Federal Courts, as an elet
tioneering force for the Republics
party, with the privilege of paying a
unlimited number of them fifty dollar
q head out of the Federal Treasury I
vote and electioneer for the Republica
party, was the third issue between th
parties. Any statute authorizing such q
outrage is monstrous. The Republican
knowing the value of such aycorruptio
fund, used In the name of the Unite
) States, fought most tenaciously, aided b
two vetoes. to retain this law. Tb
|, struggle ended in no appropriation at a
: for United States Marshals. 1t was tt
Federal purse behind the Deputy Ma
shal Law that the Democrats feared, an
!. one result of the extra session is that tf
' Republican party is cut off from the pov
er to use the monies of the United Stat,
for this partisan purpose. Nota Deput
/, Marshal can be paid. The power ft
: harm of Deputy Marshals who kne
(. that they are working tor nothing is, 4
: least, being greatly abridged. This
. : the third great advantage gained by ii
extra session.
;. The Democrats in Congress- have d.
Inanded nothing in this extra session n,
! in harmony with the principles of civ
!. liberty. The Republicans have oppose
= them st every step,and have thus arraye
= themselves against civil liberty. I'll
light of discussion will reveal the'
: things to the people, and Democrat
: therefore, court the fullest debate. II
Democracy in Congress have asked notI
, ing not demanded by the Declaration