The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-04-24
DoINas OF CONGRESS.

Do1Nas OF CONGRESS.
Upon the assembling of the Senate on the
15th the Secretary before reading the journal read
note from Vice President Wheeler, stating that
the dangerous illness of his sister had called him
away from Washington. and it would be necessary
for the Senate to elect President pro tenn. Mr..
Bayard offered the following: .Resolced. That, in
the absence of the Vice President A. g. Thurman
be and he is hereby chosen President of the Senate
pro tenn" Mr.. Anthony moved to substitute the name
of Thomas w. Ferry. Disagreed to-yeas, IS; nays,
2S-and the resolution passed: Mr. Thurman was
conducted to the chair by MIR. Ferry. the former
remarking, on the way thither, ''Turn about is
fair play" Mr.. Thurman. on taking the chair,
said: - Senators, it is only necessary for me to
say, in fewest possible words, that I sincerely
thank you for this mark OF your confidence"
The Army Appropriation bill was taken
up, and Mr.. Logan addressed the Sen
fore that body more important than any other that
had arisen since 1861, when the same sentiments
which prompted the present legislation We're ex-
pressed by many of the same men who are now
uttering them, and led to war. He denounced
the proposed legislation as bad in itself, and as
being attempted by unparliamentary practices.
Mr. Beck followed Mr.. Logan. He said the
Democracy was warned of appeal to Cesar.
They intend to appeal to the people before
Cesar comes. before the Rubicon is crossed, and
the cry is, Alea jacta est" 1t is to prevent Cesar
from coming that they desire the soldiers to be
taken from the polls. AS to the small number of
troops east of Omaha, spoken of by the gentleman
from Maine (Blaine). Mr.. Beck said when it was
determined that Louisiana should be carried by
force, 450O men were sent there 1t was easy to
concentrate troops when necessary for such
purpose. When this law was passed there
were no John Davenports and such
peopls to take command of the army
The House passed the Senate bill for the construc
ton of refrigerating ship for the disinfection of
vessels and cargoes. Mr.. Chalmers. of Mississippi,
arose to personal explanation. and caused to be
read extracts from newspapers reciting the old
charges of cruelty and assacre of colored people
at the battle of Fort Pillow and connecting him
(Chalmers) with the same. Mr.. Chalmers asked
for the appointment of a special committee of
seven. majority of which shall be composed of
Republicans, to investigate the truth of the state
ments made. The resolution was, on the sugges
ton of Gen. Garfield, postponed for the pres
ent. The House then went into commit
tee of the whole on the Legislative bill,
the pending question being on Mr.. Hragg's motion
to insert clause repeating the la creating the
Southern Claims Commission. After considerable
debate the amendment was defeated--yeas. g.;
nays, 113. bill was offered by Mr.. De La Matyr
providing for the substitution of United States
legal tender paper money for natonal-bank notes.
Mr.. Beck concluded his remarks on the APP
preparation bill on the 10th. He read the resolu
ton heretofore offered by Mr.. Hoar denouncing
the alleged Democratic programme unconstitu-
honal and revolutionary, and then said the Demo
Gratis were not proposing either to coerce the Pres
ident or to prevent the President from coercing
them. Nor were they setting up revolutionary
measures or endeavoring to pass acts which
would deprive the President from using
they proposed to do, as would be seen by the
sixth section of the bill, was to say to the Presi-
dent he should not recall the troops from the
frontier, or where they wero placed to prevent an
invasion from abroad, to be used merely for polt-
cal purposes. Mr.. Beck retorted upon the Re-
publicans the charge of revolutionary action
by referring to the law of rs. which, he
said, was so framed that acts of
Congress declared by any Circuit Court of the
United States null and void were sustained un-
less two-thirds of the Judges of the Supreme
Court should agree in pronouncing them uncon-
which the Thirteenth amendment. aboishing
slavery. was ratified as affording another example
OF Republican revolution. He quoted numer-
GUS presidents to show that it was not unusual
bills. Among them it was seen that the
law relating to Supervisors and Deputy Marshals
was enacted on an Appropriation bill by a
Republican Congress, and that the celebrated
Drake amendment, which annulled the decisions
of the Supreme Court, was made part of an appro-
prlation bill. Mr.. Dawes next addressed the Sen
ate He referred to the dangerous theory of States
rights which could be seen underlying these at
tempts to deprive the General Government of the
right given it by the constitution to regulate the
elections for Representatives. He denounced that
theory. and upheld the idea that we are nation,
not confederation OF States. Mr.. Dawes
said his friends the other side ought not to
pirate about purity of the ballot-box until it was
forgotten how 16 900 Republican voters in the State
OF New ork were wiped out in 1868. in accordance
with circular sent out beforehand in the name of
their chief s. D. Tilden who afterward did not know
anything about it, just as he does not know any
thing about every other political iniquity that
has been transacted in his and in his
house. He supposed it was only a question of
mt all
ures and restore the old order Of things would be
fulfilled; but he had felt called upon to raise his
protest as representative of State whose people
would always be found in the van of any move
ment necessary for the defense of tue re.
publican principles.-The House completed
the money parts of the Legislative bill,
and entered upon the political discussion. Mr..
Lewis opened the debate with legal argument
against the Election laws. He denied that the
South was solid for any illegal or unconstitutional
purpose, or out of antagonism to the North The
Southern people needed help and sympathy too
much for that.
Tho Senate continued the discussion of the
Army bill on the 18th. Mr.. Voorhees, said the pro-
lection of the ballotbox had been wrested from the
proper local officers, and given to corrupt Federal
officials The spirit that dictated this law was dis
trust OF the people and their capacity for selfgov
eminent under free elections. The whole power of
the constitution was thus perverted. The people
would resent this insulting tyranny when che facts
should beclearly presented to them and righteous
sense. OF resistance would spring up in their
breasts. He hoped the people would read this
law until 1t should become adherence to the
public mind. There was no American who was not
liable to arrest for no other than that exist
ing in the mind of Supervisor or Deputy Marshal,
thus placing every PERSONS liberty at the mercy of
party malice or hate Every rutfan acting in such
capacity was to determine mans rights at the
polls. Mr.. Voorhees, said that it was satire
on free government to say that suffrage
should be exercised at the point of the bay
onet. Mr. Teller followed Mr. Voorhees, He
said the Democratic cry seemed to be for free
ballot All the frauds on the ballot for the last
thirty years, he said, emanated with or had been
to the advantage of, the Democratic party. He
cited the frauds in Kansas in 1852 and 1854, in
Louisiana in 1864, and in New York city in 1868
He did not desire to misrepresent the South but
would only state the facts in regard to that section
which, in his opinion, made Federal supervi-
sion necessary to fair election. He
then reviewed at a considerable length the
testimony taken before the committee of which he
was Chairman, and declared that even white Demo
Gratis in good standing testified to lawlessness and
intimidation at the elections to prevent colorea
people from voting as they desired in Louisiana
n SOJJf1 Garn Nina. n,1,ck