National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-04-18

Mr. SPRINGER offered all amendment increasing
the lega.tender quality Of subsidiary silver coin
to $50.
The morning hour having expired the bill went
over without action.
The Speaker laid before the House a number of
Executive communications, which were appro-
priately referred
Mr.. ArKiSs moved to go into Committee of the
Whole, pending which he moved that all general
debate on the legislative bill close at two o'clock
on Tuesday
Mr.. CoNGER opposed the latter motion. The gen.
tlcman from Tennessee (Mr. Atkins had occupied
the only hour that had been occupied in the de.
debate
Mr.. ATKINS said that the remark, of the gentle.
man were insncore and unfair, as that gentleman
well knew that he mir. Atkins had not spoken at
ALL but had yielded his time to other gentlemen
But there was about rs much truth In the remark
of tho gentleman from Michigan, as IN other
things he said. He did not wish, however, TO handy
words with the gentleman.
Mr.. CoNGER was glad that the gentleman apolig
lied for his motion.
Mr.. ATKINS. do not apologize l am incapable
of apologizng to that gentleman-to that man
Mr.. CoSGER. am equally glad that the gentle
man withdraws his apology.
Mr.: ATKINS. do not withdraw IT,
Mr. CoNGER am equally glad that the gentle
mnn shows some little feeling
Mr.. ATKINS 1t is a pity the gentleman does not
show some, but he has none
Mr.. GARFIELD moved to amend Mr.. Atkins mo-
ton 50 as to fix the time for closing debate Mt two
o'clock on Friday of next week. Agreed to-yeas
The House then. Mt LjO. went into Committee of
the Whole tMr. Blackburn in the CHAIR on the
legislative bill.
Mr.. KELLEY took the floor and said that he pro-
posed to state his conclusions in the commencement
of his remarks. He would vote for the repeal OF the
test oath Tor jurors should II come before the House
as separate measure.
During the last Congress he had advocated the
repeal Of the provision requiring that OATH and he
said now as he had said then, that II was Qn exas
should be repealed. lie would also vote for the re.
peal OF the section under which soldiers were sent
to the polls. as proposed by the gentleman from
the army bill which had Just passed the House,
which was provision IN restraint OF the use of the
military as 1t now stood would be an injustice to
the Republican party which. when 1t had two
thirds In each House. had passed H. and to the
memory of Abraham Lincoln, who had given 1t his
Presidential sanction. He would also vote, as Il
separate proposition, for the repeal OF the provi-
sions OF law under which deputy mnrshals were
sent to the polling places OF the country lie be-
licvcd that those provisions Of law had been abused
Al any rate the sections had been MI passed when
the country was AT war or during the process of re-
construction when majority OF NE voters OF some
DISTINGUISHED by the State constitutions. But lie
would not vote for the repeal or essential modiica.
ton of the law authorizing The appointment and
fixing the duties aud powers Of the supervisors OF
elections. As he understood the Constitution 1t
vested the ultimate control of all elections relating
10 national Offices IN the Congress of the United
States But he would not vote for any one OF those
provisions MS riders on appropriation bills and dis
claiming all knowledge as to tho purpose Of the
President, ho would say here and now that if the
bills sent TO the President In thcrpresent form
and he should in his wisdom see III to veto them,
he (Mr. Kelley would sustain the veto with all his
II the President disapproycd of either of those
bills II was his duty under the Constitution to veto
| them, and he warned gentlemen that the party
| which attempted to override a veto by any other
| means than those provided by the Constitution
would be trnmped out of existence The Amerl'
| can people loved the Constitution. aud neither
North or South would they sustain action outside
of the Constitution for snbvertlng the powers OF
two years the people would have it in their hands
to determine whether the veto was right or wrong.
| II right TO maintain II by the sovereignty of the
nation if wrong, to send Congress here which,
| In conformity with the provisions of the Constitu-
ton would redress the Executive action.
AS to the point Of the riders on the bill he did not
charge TINT putting such provisions on appropria-
ton bills was revolutionary 1t was not, aud such
an assertion WIS smP repoS9s ony y@ n @
either sitter House Of Congress and il that WHEN was
vicious could DO Justified by precedent this usage
had been abundNnuy justified by all parties from
the foundation of the Government They had
found II cxpcdicnt to resort 10 1t when leaders OF
| the party believed 1t necessary to inlAmo public
policy; and again whenever private greed had de-
which could not ho defended OH Its own merit. He
had npplauded the resort TO that method OF inl0m'
Ing the passions He had had TIE advantages OF
Democrat from Northern Pennsylvania sought to
stay the spread Of slavery into the free Territories
aud appended to an appropriation bill the proviso
which had made the name OF David Wmot rs i'm
mortal as the history of this country could make q
name Then the hot blood of young and yigorou,
manhood cOursed in his veins lie had abhorred
slavery and worshipped the freedom of the labor
ing classes, and he would have defended the free
dom Of the frerTitoTes, ana made them sacred l'
But now, when less than five rapid following
years lay between him and the allotted three scor'
Score years and ten, and he had had eighteen year
Of experience in this hail. he would say that 1t wa
never wise to appeal to the passions of great free
intelligent, and widespread people such as madl
tile legislative bill In 1871, some unseen power haC
forced the provision which had been defeated ovei
and oyer and over again IN the House; 1t got OF
been responsible for II. 1t had come back to tn
House, aud the members of that Congress knew
with what profound regret every one Of them vote
into their pockets 5000 rather than that 81, or S.
or sl2 should be withheld from the pensioners on tn
regular quarter day. Laughter.
The whole system Of putting such rider on ap
preparation bills was, as he had said before, vicious
and TO DO rcpudinted; but twas not revolutionary
as hHd been said by the gentleman f from Ohio (I
title of " Revolution In COngress-a thorough revo
luton in opinion since 1872 If he believed this &C
Mr.. GARFIELD i had supposed that there wa
nobody in this House that ut this late day, would
say that had ever asserted 1t was revolutionary 4
said SO in my life. II IS hot In any printed written
or spoken remarks that / have ever made, and
supposed the gentleman from Pennsylvania, by
mere iteration of such charge, has got to take
up second hand. disclalmed that absolutely owe
and over again In the speech.
Mr. TowNSHEND (Ill). Better take your speech
back.
Mr.. GARFIELD. Inever said 1t in any speech,
Mr.. KELLY. | do not take up my statement q
second hand, and the gentleman shall speak fo
himsclfin the language. he then used and ther'
shall be no misapprehenSion. | said that the gen
tleman said that for q minority In the House L
resist such legislation was to work revolution anC
| say further that he found so many of the member
Of his own party unite with the minority Of thu
House that he foundi II was not even sOlidl!
Republican doctrine ut that day to call such lcgis
lRtion revolutionary.
MIR. KELLEY said 1t was idle to critiCsc this eyi
unless remedy was proposed lie promised tina
at the opening of what ought to have been the fins
session OF this Congress he would submit two prop
ositions for consideration MS amendments to til,
Constitution; one waslto provide that laws on NJ
two subjects should DO embraced in the same bill
so that an appropriation bill would be unconstitu
tiOnal IL such rider those attached to these two
bills was put upon 1t and adopted the other prop
osliOn would be to give the Executive right L
veto particular provisions of appropriation bill
and yet TO sign the remainder of the bill; and will
these two provisions he believed Congress woulC
become q delberative body.
Mr.. KELLEY deplored the character of the de
bate which had occurred on these bills lie would
have said, There Is the law and there is the Con
stution, gentlemen, and w0 have no wOrdy war Il
make about it, You can pass the bill and the Pres
ident may approve II. For that we will not be re
may pass i by two'thirds vote on reConsidera
ton but you go further the consequences Nortl
aud South, will be on YOU" But the debate wa
opened and run | say 10 gentlemen on the othe
side of the House now that they have but to ad
jOurn on a vote, leaving the lighthouses on on
coast unlighted and the courts and all othe
branches of the Government dependent ON thes,
anl innu 1a nf IN. lFa