The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-04-17
MATTER.
Debate on the Army Blll-Tts Passage.

The New York Herald Washington cor
gives the following notice of
the speeches of bIessrs. Tucker and Garfield
at the conclusion Of the debate on the Army
bill, on the 14th: ''After Gen. Hawley came
Mr.. Randolph Tucker. Mr.. Tucker is an
able lawyer, an eloquent and polished speak
err, and man who, as General Garfield later
said of him, always calamity and openly
saws precisely what he thinks. To-day Mr..
Tucker, with grace Of manner ard express
sion which delighted both sides, and with
an eloquence which carried away his own
side, delivered his mind and declared what,
if the Democratic applause he received is ev-
idence, must be regarded as the mind OF q |
large part of the Democratic Representa-
tives. What he said, III brief, was that Con-
gress has the the constitutional power over |
the appropriations that there is nothing in |
the constitution or the rules to prevent the |
houses passing the Army bill with its rider;
that the legislation it was proposed to repeal
was grievance; that when vicious legsla-
ton has passed the House is bound to say,
mo more money! until such legislation is
repealed. ST there is no more money ap-
propriated for the army by the Both of June
the army dies. There will be no money to
support it, and it shall die before We give
money for it to preside at our ballot boxes"
General Garfield replied to Mr.. Tucker
in brief and statesmanlike speech, and
really broke the Democratic line. He evil
IDENTIFY felt that the time had come to stop.
the mere stump speaking of the Republicans
and take up the real question, and he knew
that Mr.. Tucker had given him good oppor
f,,pitr Ho hpOon thornforn hv cUepDino
away all the Republican rubbish about the
wrong of placing riders on an appropriation
bill. He said: 1.-THE House has the constitu-
tional right TO put rider on the Army bill
it has the constitutional right to pass the bill
so loaded and send it to the Senate; the
Senate has the constitutional right to pass it
also with the rider; it can be constitutional
ly sent to the President, and he may, in ac-
cordance with the constitution, sign it, or he
may veto it. and when he does that the con-
stitution provides that unless two-thirds OF
both houses pass it over his veto it shall not
bea law Mr.. fuckers grievance, he re-
minded him, was law now on the statute
book, not an act OF the President, but an
act of Congress, and said he ~ say that
it can be got rid of only in the manner pre-
scrbed by the constitution. In free gov
ernment the powers of all branches are linz
tied BY the constitution. and when the gen.
tleman speaks Of letting the army die in case
the President vetoes this bill he proposes to
remedy what he thinks a grievance, not in
in the manner prescribed by the constitu-
ton. but by violation Of the constitution,
and that is wrong and not to be done. We
are here to work under and not contrary to
the constitution" He then said: ''If the
gentleman of the other side will offer to re-
peal the whole of the Two administrations
1902 and 5,52S-I tell them here frankly
will go with them. | have not favored the
retention of this legislation, but warn you
that if these sections should now pass SIM
ply with the five words struck out, as you
ask that they shall, you will by that do much
more than keep troops from the polls you
will deprive the civil power of the right to
summon posse or use the army for any
purpose whatever; you will make it PEN
itentiary otfense for any army officer, at the
call of the civil power. to put down a riot
anywhere for any cause" lie explained
that the proposed Democratic action would
make what remained of the statute book the
latest statute on the subject, and would
thereby repeal other statutes conflicting with
it, and thus make confusion. "You would
do an unheard of thing. In the shape you
have put this it is the worst rider of all. II
what you now propose were enacted you
would leave the government without power
W GulUI Ct d SluSlt Cltll pIUCceS NY dlEltu
forces without making the officers liable to
the penitentiary.''
General Garfield S speech was evidently
surprise to both sides of the House. 1t
brushed away the Republican nonsense, but
caused half panic on the Democratic side.
His frank acknowledgements that there could
be no objection to the placing OF rider on
the Appropriation bill surprised his own
side; bis clear and incisive demonstration OF
Mr.. fuckers fatally false position embar-
raised the Democrats, and his discovery OF
the effect OF their proposition caused con-
sternation which produced immediate effect.
s'Mr. New, of Indiana, Democrat, rose to
offer an amendment, the first so far offered,
to save the objection made by General Gar
field, and, as he said, to avoid misconstruc-
rion as to the purpose of the Democrats. 1t
is In these words:
s'Provided that nothing contained in the
section shall be held or deemed to abridge
the effect of sections 1000 and 592, Revised
Statutes, in relation to the duty and power
of the President of the United States under
them to carry out section 4, article a, of the
constitution Of the United States, which au-
thorizes the President to send troops upon
the application of the Governor or Iegisla.
ture of the State"
'sThe amendment was discussed, and Mr.
Baker, of Indiana, offered another amend
ment in the nature of an addition, in these
words:
''And no person other than civil officer
of the United States or Of the State, armed
with any gun, shotgun, revolver or other
tirearm, or having in his hands or upon his
person any dirk, bowie knife, club, blud-
geon or other deadly weapon shall on the
day of any general or special election held
in any State at which representatives in Con-
gress are to be voted for, or Oh the days
provided for the registration of voters for
the election of such representatives. ap-
proach nearer than one-half mile to any
such voting place or place Of registration in
any State, and any person who shall violate
any of the provisions aforesaid shall on con-
viction be fined not exceeding $4,000 and be
imprisoned at hard labor not less than three
months nor more than three years."
LAS if the Democrats had not received
sufficient damage during the day they be-
gan to filibuster to prevent the reception OF
this amendment, and for while there was
a brief squabble. Mr.. Baker, who has a
cool head, maintained his position. however.
He remarked that his amendment was ger
name on several accounts, among others be-
cause he thought it in the interest of econo-
my. After persistent attempt on the Dem
ocratic side to have it ruled out as out of Or
der, it was left in doubt, and the House ad-
journed until eleven tomorrow.
''If Mr.. Randolph Tucker to-day spoke
the sentiment OF a majority of the Demo-
Gratis in the House in his declared intention
that in case of veto the Army bill shall fall,
then it is certain that there will be split in
the Democratic party if there is veto. The
extreme Democrats represented by Mr..
Tucker will find it impossible to carry with
them the whole of their side in any move
ment such as he announced. The Democrats
who have been dissatisfied with the recent
course of those who have taken control
have kept silence out of desire to make
no needless trouble in their ranks. But
there are more than enough Of them, togeth-
er with the Republicans, to pass THE Army
bill without the Objectionable legislation in
case of veto, and who are quietly deter
mined to do so, and will support no such
proposition as Mr.. fuckers, if he and those
with him should commit the folly Of trying
to reduce his threat to practice. Your cor
respondent speaks now ct members of the
House; but Democratic Senators are even
less inclined to action such as Mr.. Tucker
to-day advocated and foretold. If the ex-
IRENE Democrats stand firm they will wrench