Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-05-15

voting nearly week IN secret caucus
agreed to present a separate bill to
prevent the President from carrying
out the cause IN the Constitution which
declares che shall take care that the
laws be faithfully executed" by pro
viding bill to prevent him from using
any portion Of the army to secure an
honest election. and virtually placing
the enforcement of the United States
laws, not in the hands Of the Presi-
dent, as provided by the Constitution,
but under the State authority thus
placing themselves squarely upon the
platform of States-rights and in oppo-
sition to the general government. The
conclusions of the Southern Democrat
ic caucus were presented to the House
of Representatives on Monday last,
and on Tuesday the Republicans Of
fered the following substitute:
WAereas, the unnecessary presence
of troops at the polls is contrary to
the spirit of our institutions and to the
traditions of our people and would
tend to destroy the freedom Of cleo
tions, and; Whereas, the presence Of
troops at the polls has heretofore been,
and may hereafter be, necessary and
proper for the suppresslons Of illegal
and powerful combinations Of armed
men in military array, engaged in OBJ
structing by force the due execution
of the United States, and in destroy
ing the freedom and peace of elections;
and HhereaS, experience has shown
that the existence of the Republic, the
su premacy of its laws and the lib
critics of It's people can only be main
tanned against the military and other
powerful combinations OF their enc mics
by the exertion Of the military power
of the government, in subordination
to the civil in support Of the law and
Whereas, the injunctions of the Con-
stitution that the President shall take
care that the laws be faithfully exc
cuted are equally binding in respect to
laws relating to elections, the cause of
justice, and all other laws Of tho Unit
ed States, without distinction Of days,
places, or occasions Therefore,
Be at enacted, &c, That it shall not
be lawful to bring to. or employ at any
place where general or special cleo
tloD is being held in a state, any part
of the army or navy of the United
States unless such employment be
necessary to carry out the provisions of
the constitution of the United States,
or lo>eyercome forcible obstruction to
the execution of the laws made in pur-
suance thereof.
Sec. 2. Every person who violates
the privilege of this act shall be sub
iect to the penalties named in Section
1928 of the Revised Statutes.
These were voted down by the
Southern Democracy and under the
gaglaw, that Is, the previous question
thej Republicans were prevented from
offering any further amendments or
speaking upon the bill. 1t passed the
House of Representatives the day af-
ter it was passed just as it was pre-
pared in the caucus, thus securing alb
solute freedom for self-clubs and red
shirt ruffians at the polls, and no inter
ference with ballot box suffers and
tissue ticket operations by which the
Southern Democracy propose to carry
the Presidential election in 1880.
Upon the motion of Hon. Chas. G..
Williams, of Wisconsin, the House of
Representatives has made one sensible
improvement. Heretofore, in calling
the roll it has been the practice to call
the full name of each member. This
more than doubled the time, and with
the slow calling which is proverbIal in
the House, it required more than half
an hour to take the ayes and hayes;
from actual calculation it has taken
one third of the entire session to call
the roll. Hon. Thad c. Pound, of
Wisconsin, earnestly aided Mr.. VIII
Hams in having the House adopt the
practice of other Legislature bodies in
calling the surname. This change
will not serve a minority so we'll when
it is resisting the precipitate legislation
of the majority; but with reference to
general business it is in the direction
of common sense and true economy.
Under the old system if it had been
the rule of the House to call the roll
on the passage Of bills as is required
By the constitution Of most of the
States. it never would get through
with Its business. But it passed many
bills on amere uiUa cocc vote
Hon Holm Sherman Snrratarv of