The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-06-19
PEACEABLE ELECTIONS.
&@A kIkAAMST "a
Speech Of Hon. Thomas j. Hem
derson, Of Illinois. III

Delivered in the National House Of
Representatives.
This controversy has higher significance,
Mr.. Chairman, than the mere question Of the
repeal or modification of these statutes. It in
wolves the independence of the two houses OF
Congress and of the Executiyein the enactment
of laws. 1t involves the stability of our con-
stitutional Government. am satisfied we are
the right, and that we can safely go to the
country upon the issue presented. But as to
the veto power. It has been, asserted upon the
other side Of the House that there is no ground
for veto in this proposed legislation, and some
gentlemen have argued the question as if we
were convention sitting for the purpose of
amending the constitution orwere discussing q
resolution proposing an amendment to the con-
stitution modifying or repeating the veto power
of the President. 1t is not9a question, Mr..
62a be whether Re the por pgssdeo should
Our fathers in adopting the constitution
made it necessary for the President, to approve
every bill passed by Congress before it should
become a law, or, if he did not approve, they
provided he might return such bill to Congress-
with his objections. Now,gwe may entertain
and express our opinions as TO the propriety or
impropriety of any particular veto; xbutl it is q
clear, constitutional right of the President if he
does not approve BILL any bill that may be
passed by Congress and presented tohim, to re-
turn the same with his objections, and if he
does so, unless upon reconsideration tvs
thirds of both houses shall vote for such bill,
it shall not become law. tits, therefore, clear
constitutional right of the Executive to exercise
the veto power; one that we cannot take away
from him unless we first amend the constitution
for that purpose, and one that should not be
annulled or overridden in theway proposed by
this bill.
do not know sir. but I would be in favor Of
modifying the veto power 80 as not to required
two-thirds vote on q reconsideration Of a bill
vetoed by the President; but I cannot and will
not now or at any other time sanction any at
tempt to annul the power of the President to
veto bill which contains provisions objec-
tonable to him while the constitution remains
as it is. But, Mr.. Chairman, / have said was
opposed to the repeal and modification of the
sections of the election laws proposed do
not for one moment doubt the constitutionalitv
of these laws believe the constitution gives
to Congress full power to fix the time, place,
and manner of holding elections for Senators
and Representatives in Congress and for Presl-
DENTAL electors, excepta as to the place of elect
ing Senator's; and that exception is for the reason
that it would give to Congress the power to
change the place Of meeting of State Legis-
latnre: and having the power to fix the time,
place and manner of holding elections, it is
clear that Congress has the power in providing
for the manner of holding elections to make
any provision deemed necessary to secure q
fair and honest elecdon to prevent fraud, in
tmidation and violence, and to keep peace at
the polls 1t has the power to secure every
citizen entitled to vote in the right to cast a
free, untrammeled BALLOT and, having that
right, believe, Mr.. Chairman, it to be the
duty of Congress to exercise it, If were to
own section most earnestly demand, it
would be that we shall have peacea BILE
elections everywhere throughout the
entire country: that every citizen of the United
States who has the right to vote, wherever he
may live, whether in Illinois or Mississippi,
Louisiana or New York, Maine or South Caro-
lima, shall be permitted to exercise that right
without any interference, and that those who
have no right to vote should not be permitted
to do so; that ballot-boxes shall not be stuffed
with tissue ballots, and above all that armed
bodies of lawless men shall not be permitted to
interfere with the rights of citizens and control
elections in which every citizen Of the United
States has deep interest. ~
This is the feeling, sir, in the section of
country where I live; and I believe it exists
among Democrats as we'll as Republicans And,
Mr. Chairman, while have the honor Of seat
in this House shall insist in all our legislation
affecting elections that every citizen shall be
protected in his right to exercise the elective
franchise If that is not done and we do not
maintain free, fair, honest elections we can
not maintain our free institutions, and there is
no hope for the republic l will go as far as
the farthest in providing laws necessary for
the purpose of securing every citizen the right
to cast an honest ballot, and will go equally as
far in preventing fraud, Intimidation, violence,
bloodshed, and murder resorted to control
elections The polls must be free and accessi-
to be all element OF power in the politics of the
country.
Now, sir, great deal has been said about
fraud in elections. The gentleman from Wis
consin (Mr. Bragg] few moments since said
that the Republican party wanted to retain
these officers provided for in the election laws
Of the United States to enable them to con-
troll elections Fand carry them by
fraud do not believe this, Mr.. Chair.
man, for moment. All the Republican party
want is an honest vote and fair count. / can
more truthfully say that the Democratic party
desires to abolish these officers and repeal
these provisions of the election laws enacted to
prevent fraud to enable them to perpetrate
those frauds upon the ballot box, for which
that party has been heretofore distinguished
I have heard great 6eal said during the last
two years, on the floor of the House and else
where about fraud in the last Presidential
election, and about counting in the President
by fraud Mr.. Chairman, will say in all can
dor, because believe it to be true, that if the
electoral vote of Louisiana in 1876 had
been by any possibility returned against
the Republican party, and the cleo
ton of the Demo cratic candidate for the Presi-
dency had been thereby secured it would have
been the greatest outrage upon the elective
franchise ever committed in the history of our
country. l believe, sir, that there were parishes
and parts Of parishes in that State taken pos
session of by armed bodies of men; that Re-
publican voters were forced to keep away from
the polls on election day. and that no free, fair,
honest election was held in euch parishes I
believe that the Democratic majorities in such
parishes were obtained by an organized system
of violence and terrorism, by intimidation, and
by bloodshed and murder such as was dis
grace to our civilization and age
And now, Mr.. Chairman, while we are talk
ing about concord aud fraternity between the
different sections of our country allow me to
say that what we want to establish is more
freedom of thought, of speech, and of action.