The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-04-11
DOINGS OF CONGRESS.

After q brief discussion, the Senate on tn,
LIST inst, passed the bill appropriating $500, 900
construct q refrigeratng ship, to be used in dsin
fecting yellow-fever ships.-In the House, Mr.
Atkins reported the Legislative Appropriation
bill, containing clauses repeating and amending
sections OF the Revised Statutes relating to draw
ing jurors the jurors test-oath, Deputy Marshals
and Supervisors of Election. The debate on the
Army bill was resumed, and several fiery speeches
were made.
Various bills were introduced in the Senate
on the I'd ult among them one, by Mr. Harris, pro-
viding for a treaty with Mexico. Mr.. Hoars reso.
luton condemning unconstitutional and revolu-
tonsry the Democratic programme Of legislation
was laid on the table-yeas. IS: nays, 20. Mr..
salisbury, of the Committee on Privileges and
Elections, made report against the adniis
sion OF Mr.. Bell as Senator from New
Hampshire on the appointment of the Governor
II Will come up for consideration tomorrow.
Mr.: Hoar presented the views OF the minority
OF the committee in favor Of admitting Bell signed
by himself, Cameron wis., and Ingalls, -The
House continued the discussion of the Army bill
Speeches were delivered by Messrs. Williams Wis
Iownshend. Calkins, Herbert, Phister, White pa
and Buckner. The Senate, in executive session
confirmed Andrew ID. White as Minister to Berlin and
Or Cornelius A. Logan, acousin Of Senator Logan, as
Minister 10 Central America-The Greenback EN-
bers of the House held a caucus, at which IL was
decided that they would move to strike out the po
itical am ndments from the Appropriation bills:
leave the Democrats and Republicans to fight 1t out
between themselves.
The Senate transacted no business on the Sd
inst The New Hampshire senatorship case was
discussed briefly, there was Q short executive ses-
sion, and an adjournment to the 7th.-In tho
House, the discussion of the amendment TO the
Army ball forbidding the Of troops at the polls
was continued. Mr.. Knott, of Kentucky, led OF,
on the Democratic side, and spoke of the great
and historical importance Of the principle in
volved. He characterized IL as the great funda-
mental principle of republican liberty that the bal
lot box should be protected from the slightest APP
prosch TO military power. and that the voter shall
be left absolutely free In exercising at the polls
the highest prerogstive of the citizen. He quoted
tho English statute of George ii. for the removal
OF troops from the places where an election is TO
be held. and cited Blackstone, "That It il essen
aal that elections shall be absolutely free, anu
that. therefore, ell undue influences
illegal and are prohibited" He was fol-
lowed, on the Republican side, by Mr.. Houck,
who argued that IL absolutely necessary
for the protection of the lives aud political rights
of the colored and white Republicans OF the South
that the authority of the military 10 preserve the
peace at the polls should be maintained. This
speech. being by Southern man. attracted much
attention, and was frequently applauded on the
Republican side, and jeered on the Democratic
side. Mr.. Robson (Republcan) followed.
he confined himself to the questions OF
law involved In the discussion, and said It is
proposed here to restrain the civil officers of the
ohi0eu states from keeping the peace at any cleo
ton in any state. BY what means. by civil
means, not by military means, for the right Of the
civil officer, the Marshal of the district IL you
please, to summon posse comitatus il q right TO
summon the ordinary military companies that may
De within the body of his bailiwick. The right TO
summon armed troops, IL they be within the body
OF ms osiiiwick Is civil, not military right and
Is IN the interest of the inviolabty and strength of
civil law. lir. Blackburn tDtmocratl spoke next.
ne SAID ne was but Q poor student of his
couhtrys history who wa not able to satisfy him.
self that from the fouLTe ton Of the constitution
down to the present time IL had ever been held
IA that by the highest authorities In the land)
that 1t was IN the power of the House to control the
employment Of the army by withholding supplies
In the very nature Of things the proposed repeal
could not be revolutionary. The constitut on did
not give the right TO the President to send armed
forces into any State even 70 suppress domestic
violence. Other speeches were made by Messrs. |
Gibson, Turner, Barber. Hawk and Reagan.
The debate ON the Army Appropriation bill
was continued In the House on the 4th. The first |
to speak was Mr.. Singleton Democrat, of Missis-
sippi, who stated the question to be, whether the
House had the courage and determination to repeal
perncious laws, would falter and fail In is duty
10 the country. On the face of the dis |
graceful law which II was now proposed 10 |
repeal, the boosted freedom of America was q /
mockery and q lie Mr.. Weaver fGreenbacker). Of |
Iowa, spoke next. He deprecated the keeping /
open OF sectional animositles and SAID the National
3reenback party wanted no soldiers ct the polls
Nor did they want the presence 81 any armed men |
when elections were being held; neither did the