Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-03-29

" words that could make the amendments in
order under the democratic rule which provides
that new legislation cannot be allowed on APP
preparation bills unless il shows affirmatively
rctrenchmcnt of expenses on its face, are the
words land keep the peace at the polls" Re-
publicans will argue that these words do not
carry any retrenchment upon their face or in
point of fact. for the reason that the army has
to be maintained at the same expense, wheth-
err it i at any time used 10 keep peace at the
polls or not.
The Republicans of course expect that
Speaker Randall will rule that the amend
mcnt> are in order, although it is difficult to
see in what way he can Justify his rulings
/ The point of order ovcrruled, the Republi-
cans will oppose the amendments on their
merits and will insist upon the fullest oppor-
! tunitv for amendment and debate. If the
Democrats do not allow this the Republicans
will enforce their demand more effectively and
will decline to pair with the Democrats But
after sufficient opportunities for debate and
amendment have been offered the RepubIi-
cans will not seek to defeat the bill by dila-
tory motions. The key note of the opposition
of the Republicans will he the fact that the
law. a. the Democrats propose to leave it,
degradcs the United States and leaves the
General Government on an inequality with the
!
ihorizc the use of militia to keep peace at the
polls or at any other place on election day
or at any other time. Republicans will insist
that in the general election where the nited
States should be supreme, the GENITAL author
itv must at least be on an inequality with that
of the States that it will not do to say that
rifle clubs white liners, red shirts and all the
machinery of bulldozing in the guisc of par
tisan State militia shall have the right to go
to the polls at Federal election, while any
Government officer who shall go near them
with an armed force for any purpose shall be
liable to a heavy fine and imprisonment.
Fresh CAUSE FOR ALARM.
More than that, the republicans in the con-
sideration of the cause of the amendments
proposed bv the democrats discovered new
causes for alarm. Keller of Ohio first called
attention to it. The present law reads :
'Scction POOP. No military or naval officer,
or other person engaged in civil military or
naval service of the ntcd States, shall or
der. bring, keep, or have under his authority
or control, any troops or armed men at the
place where any general or special election
is held in any State, unless il be necessary to
repcl the armed enemies of the Uuitcd States
or to keep the peace at the polls" The bill
as proposed by the democrats repeats the
words "or to keep the peace at the polls.
A close examination of he language of the
law as it would be left. shows that the demo-
Gratis go farther than to keep any military
officer from the polls with troops to keep the
peace; they keep any civil officer of
the United States, accompanied by an
armed posse. This would prevent a Iuited
States Marshal from going with an armed
posse or with armed policemen to the
polls to suppress riot; would prevent
the regular 'nied States Marshal from going
with an armed posse or armed himself to the
rescue of any supervisor who might be as
sailed. and would in fact prevent the bringing
of any civil posse of the United States to the
polls Cor any purpose whatever.
The point very strongly made in the
caucus that the law proposed by the Demo-
Gratis in this Army bill really covered all that
they hope to secure by the repeal of the
Supervisor law on the Legislative bill. IIouk
of Tennessee. Il Southern member. insisted
that under the law as it would stand the
supervisors would have no chance in the
South and would not be able to remain at the
polls