The New York herald., 1879-03-30
SENSATION IN CONGRESS-

:
ening letter.
SENSATION IN CONGRESS-. 2
wAsHlxGTox, March 90 1879.
The SPEAKER said that in view of a discussion
which took place yesterday in Committee of the
Whole. and which he had not had opportunity of
hearing, he decided TO give in intelligent manner
and for the information OF the House. the history of
rule 147 which provides that the rules of one House
shall be the rules OF the succeeding houses until
otherwise ordered. He had read by tho clerk the
debate which had taken place at the time OF the
adoption Of rule 147 and also statement made by
Speaker Grow in the Thrty-scventh Congress, to
the effect that he would construe the rules of the
preceding Congress continuing in force until
otherwise ordered. The Speaker proceeded to say
that he had been unable to find any decision of any
subsequent Speaker at variance with the statement
Mr.. MILLS. (dem.) of Texas. sent to the clerks
desk and had read ruling of Speaker Kerr that the
constitutional right Of the House to adopt its own
rules could not be superseded.
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS STARTS A DISCUSSION.
After some further discussion the House. at forty
minutes past twelve P. NJ. went into Committee of
the Whole. Mr.. Springer. of Illinois. in the chair.
ON the Army Appropriation bill
Mr. STEPHENS. (dcm.) OF Ga. obtained the floor
and proceeded to speak in clear voice. He did not
desire to say much outside of the pending point of
order. The section ag inst which that point been
raised clearly germane to the bill. All laws penal
in their character were to be construed strictly,
but laws involving questions Of public right public
liberty and public policy to be literally con-
strued-not strictly. The gentleman from Maine
dr Frye) had said that the section did not. on its
face. retrench expenditures That not tho ques-
| trench expenditures ?" He thought it would. ana
not only possibly or probably. but certainly. The
past history OF the country showed that enormous
| expenditures had attended the Of troops
the acts of l7o5 and 1917 only authorized
the use of the troops to put down domestic insur.
rection. The provision for the use of troops for
civil purposes entirely different matter The
| law authorizing the of troops at the polls had
never any existence until 1865 and the danger of
| such q law would not. he presumed. be denied by
anybody. II there was any man on the floor who
| was in favor of peaceable elections and order
throughout the length and breadth of the land he
Mr. stephens) professed to be equally strong with
him III that feeling. He for law and order. He
had witnessed the soldier at the polls. and had
good of it. The country had got along three-fourths
of century without having troops ut the polls. aud
| the sentiment. OF the people was as much against
| their presence there now as 1t had been.
The future harmony. order and prosperity OF the
herring to the principles and preceps of the fathers
of the Republic Congress had right to raise armies
and to designate the purpose for which they should
be used; and the Presidents right to control and
direct their movements clearly executive one,
with which Congress had no power to interfere.
But it could say that the Executive could not use
such forces for particular purpose. II had right
that the military should not be used ut the polls
Let the land forces be devoted to protecting tho
frontier. Let the navy be afoat on the protect
ing the country's flag and commerce. Let each be
in the sphere to which il entitled, in which, in
the past, it had won such honor and glory for the
common country. Let them perform their duties.
the civil administration the country go on
in its own channel Let members of Congress be
Of u his e the Ss any am az the
country, the House of Representatives, decide that
question. and not the bayonet of the soldier.
REVOLUTIONARY DECISION OF TIE CHAIR.
The Chairman then proceeded to rule the point
of order which he did by declaring the section to be
in order. both the ground of its being germane
and of its retrenching expenditure There could
scarcely DO doubt as to its being gcrmane. for
uses to which the army may be put. ''Germane
did not mean synonymous, bnt meant something
near akin closely allied. relevant to the
pcnditures, he referred to the official estimates
and to appropriations heretofore made to show how
much money had been expended transportation
and other expenses attending the Of the troops
the polls The ending section proposed to retrench
sac expenditures % & for IL the & fmture For these and
Mr.. CoSGER. trcpD of Mich. appealed from the de-
csion OF the Chair. and the decision was sustained
Mr.. Nr-w trcp.) of Ind. offered an amendment pro-
viding that nothing contained in the section should
be held abridgc affect the duty power of the
President under the fourth article OF the constitu-
ton to send troops into States the application of
the Legislature or Executive
The amendment was allowed to stand over for tho
present
Mr.. GARFIELD. rcp.l OF Ohio. then took tho floor.
He commenced his speech by referring to the gravity
and solcmnitv of the crisis that had now been
brought upon the country. and declared that the
House had. to-day. resolved 70 enter upon revolu-
ton against the constitution and the government;
and that the consequence OF that resolve. X
persisted in. meant nothing short of sub
version OF the government. He sketched the
point at issue between the two Houses at tho
close of the last Congress. and read from,
report OF of the Senate confcrccs to the effect
that the democratic conferccs ON the part OF the
House were determined, unless the action of the
House wns concurred in 10 refuse making appro-
priations 10 carry on the government. and he also
quoted from the speech of senator Beck
another OF the confcrccs) 10 the effect that the dem
ocrats claimed the right which'the House OF Com
mons in England had established, after two centu-
ries OF conquest, to say they would not grant the
money OF the people unless there was redress OF
grievances. These propositions continued Mr.. Gar
field. in various forms, more or less vchcmcntly.
repeated in tho last House. aud with that situa.
tion of affairs tho session came its close. The
republican majority In the Senate and tho
republican minority In the House expressed
tho deepest possible socitudc avoid tho catastro
desire avoid the danger to the country aud to It's
business of an extra session OF Congress- and they
expressed their willingness TO let 20 what they
sidcrcd the least important OF tho propositons-not
as matter OF coercion at ALL but as u matter OF fair
adjustment and compromise, IL they could be met
In the spirit OF adjustment on tho other side. I'm
fortunately, no spirit OF adjustment appeared on
the other side to meet their advances. And
the new Congress Is assembled, and after
ten days OF delibcration the House Of Rep
rcscntatvcs has resolved substantially to rcafiirm
the propositions OF its predecessor, and these
propositions are met to-day This is no time TO
enter into all this am not prepared for IL
myself But shall conine myself to the one phase
of the issue presented in this bill.
THE LINES
Mr.. ATKINS, ldcu.) OF Tenn, asked Mr.. Garfield
whether he understood him to state that there had