The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-04-29

| L0olT
duties at the polls. If the pending legis-
lation should become the law. there is no |
power vested in any officer of the govern |
ment to protect from violence the officers
of the United States engaged in
the discharge of their duties, their
rights and duties under the law will re-
man but national. The government will |
De poWerless to enforce its own statutes. |
Inc states may employ both military and |
civil ;power to keep peace and to enforce |
the laws at state elections. 1t is now pro- |
posed to deny to the United States even |
the necessary civil authority to protect |
national elections. No sufficient reason |
has been given for this discrimination in |
favor OF a state and against the national |
authority, If it will be found that the OBJ |
Iectlons exist against the present national
election laws, all good citizens should unite
In their amendment. Laws providing |
Safeguards for elections should be |
impartial, just and efficient; they |
should 1t possible be SO non-partisan
: and fair in their operation, that the minor
lty party out OF power will haYe no Just
grounds to complain. The present laws
have IN practice unquestionably been con-
Quoted to the prevention of fraud and vio-
lence at elections in several of the states,
members Of the different political parties
5 have applied for the safeguards which
] they furnish, 1t Is the right and duty of
i the national government to enact and en-
force laws which will secure free and fair
= congressional elections. The laws now in
force should not be repealed except in con-
= nection with the ienactment Of measures
e which will better accomplish that import
q ant end. Believing that Section of the
u bill before me will weaken, it it does not
T altogether take away the power OF the ma
i tlonal government to protect federal cleo
e tions by civil authorities, am forced to
g the conclusion that it ought not to receive
t. my approved. That section is, however,
t not presented to me as 4 separate inde-
d pendent measure, but it is. as has been
e stated, attached TO the bill, making
e the usual annual appropriations for
e the support Of the army, 1t makes vital
is change in the elec ton laws Of the country,
re which is In no way connected with the use
is Of the army. 1t prohibits under heavy
IN penalties, any person engaged in the civil
le service of the United States from having
le any force at the place of any election, pre-
ne pared to preserve order, to make arrest,
of to keep the peace, or in any manner to
at enforce laws. This is altogether foreign
no to the purpose of an army appropriation
No bill. The practice of tacklng to the army
&C. appropriation bills, measures not peril
.st nent to such bills, did not prevail IN
ed Ill more than forty years after the adop-
ny ton of the constitution. 1t has become
N the common practice of all parties when in
ed power, to have adopted it and many
Gr abuses it and a great waste of public money
at has in this way crept into the appropria-
Ct ton bills The public opinion Of the coun-
re try is against it. States which have re-
ice Gently adopted constitutions have gener
dy ally provided remdey for the evil, By
ed enacting that no law shall contain more
six than one subject, which shall be plainly
ily expressed in its title. The con
ID, stitutionS of more than one-hal
Ae Of the states contain substantially the pro
he vision. The public welfare will be pr0mot
lal ed in many ways by return to the early
m practice of the government and to tht
lit true principle OF legislation, which require
he that every measure shai! stand or fall ac
iti- cording to its own merits Ii it were un
yer derstood that to attach to an appropriation
tu- measures irreyalent to the general object o
cry the bill, would imperil and probably pre-
re- vent its GDai passage and approval.
ted valuable reform in the parliamentary prac
,tiy tice of congress would be accom- pshed
his The best justification that has been ottere
are for the attaching of irrevaient riders 10 th
| as appropriation bills, is that 1t
be done for convenience sake, to facilitate tht
the passage of measures which are deeme'
feel expedient by all branches OF the govern
ex- ment which participate III legislation.
cannot be claimed there is any such reaso
au- for attaching this amendment OF the elet
egg ton laws to the army GPpropratloh Uii
ton the history OF the ID sasure contradlcts tn
! kn tx nf
,per OF representatives 10 the last congress vi
rep in favor of the section Of this bill. It vi
each known that the minority waQ opposed to
con and that as separate measure 1t could n
e or be adopted. Il was attached to the arm
aces appropriation bill to compel the senate
assent to it. 1t was plainly announced
ltiop the senate that the army appropriate
It of bill would not be allowed to pass unle
shall the proposed amendments of the electit
,ited laws were adopted with it, The senate T
race fused assent to the bill on account OF th
nde irrelevant section Congress thereGpt
ever adjourned without passing the appropri
leg ton bill for the army, and the present e
ira session Of tha forty SIX
this congress became necessary to turnl
lited the means TO carry on the governme
right The ground upon which the action OF
er of house OF representatives Is defended. /
lares been distinctly stated by many OF 'ts ad'
On in Gates,
r. on before the close OF the last session
IiIion congress the doctrine in the question
ss to stated by one of its ablest defenders,
risla- follows: 1t is our duty to repeal tn
+ional laws. 1t is not worth while to attempt
nards repeal them except upon tie appropr
,eces- ticn bill, tie republican senate would
,l1 70 agree to- it, or republican president
1chis- the bill for such repeal, whatever OBI
event rion to the legislation upon appro2rlat
# the bills may be made. 4n an ordln
rcised case it does not apply where
tution elections and the liberty OF citizens
event concerned. We have the powe7 to 7
lor or money! let US anneZ the conditions to It
, nun- insist upon redress OF the grievaneet
ian at another distinguished member of
led to house, it was said the right OF the +
auised resentative of the people to withhold
Sec. plies is as old as English liberty. Hist
itizens records Numerous instances where
on nc- Commons, feeling that the people we're
,di,inn Dosed by the laws that the Lords W.
. OnG NOT coasent to repeal by the ordIr
nal ~, methods of legislation, obtained red
h ner. at last BY refusing the appropriation
PENIS Hess Accompanied by relief measures tha
section question is of the gravest magnitude
Sites now in this country was raised by
nesce course of the proceedings was fully re
ctione. nized, also by its defenders IN the ser
,orized 1t was said by distinguished senator