Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-04-02
THE EVENING STAR.
CONGRESSIONAL.
OoN0tseStON Of Yesferd0u,s E,,n.>


HOCSE.-After our report Closed
Mr.. Chalmers spoke at length on the a-r,,.
rors for him. A'a no Ter
Mr.. Conger.-I desire TO ask the gentleman
from MISSISSIPPI whether the second reYolution
Mr. Chalmers.-The distinguished gen,,eman
is exceedingly witty. History tells US that Eny
lish kings were in the habit OF keeping testers
at court. with the foolscap and bells. 1t seems
that republican Congress has supplied itself
in the same manner. [Applause.I But instead
OF the foolscap and jiDgling bells (Which night,
perhaps, suit very well 1t has dressed its jester
in swallow-tails. loud laughter on the demo-
Mr. Conger-I asked the heroic gentleman
from Mississippi plain, civil, simple question,
and, instead OF answering ii, he jumps upon his
music box and makes grimaceS TO the country
and the House ECounter-demonstratio on
the republican side, members clapping their
hands and INDUCING in loud laughter for con-
Mr. Chalmers.-The gentleman is mistaken
shall certainly not undertake to play a game
at which any monkey can beat me. Laughter
Mr.. Frye said the other side did not dare to
meet square In the face the issue whether or
not the majority was attempting to coerce the
ought to submit to being called reinorseiess
hyenas and make no sort of reply. He read an
extract from the Ohalona MISS paper, which
thanked God that the south had captured the
capital" &c.
Mr.. Muldrow said that the paper represented
no respectable element OF the Mississippi dem
ocracy. one OF its editors was a man who had
carpet-bagged from OHIO to Mississippi within
the past four years.
Mr.. Frye, continuing, said you have never yet
put your hand upon the Capitol, and, under
God, you never will He said he had not a snad-
ow OF doubt OF the constitutionality OF the law
and until he became satisfied the south will not
murder negroes when they go to vote, he was
In favor OF keeping it there and keeping the
troops near the polls.
Mr. Hurd said IL anything had been settled by
the legislation OF the last quarter OF a century
1t was that general legislation itself might be
attached to appropriation bills, and certainly
no one would dispute the proposition that
the Revised statutes were required to be origf.
mated In the House. The House was right In
insisting that these Objectionable measures
should be repealed. The House was right in It's
demands first, because these provisions of law
were unconstitutional. They interfered vita
Inc right OF suffrage and with the state laws
clared that the House should be com nosad nj
members chosen by the people OF the several
| qualifications requisite for electors of the
| most numerous branch OF the state Ieytsia-
ture. II was therefore the most numerous
Dranch OF the state legislature that determined
the qualifications OF electors, and not the Con-
| stftut1on OF the United States No republic has
ever gone into Its grave save through military
application of universal rule? From the nre.
sence OF troops at the polls to the control OF the
eiectlons py the troops is single step, and In
/ IL,
are the originators OF the power OF free gov
| eminent. Troops at the polls mean intimida-
| ti0n OF voters; they mean the substitution of
the bayonet for the ballot, the encroachment of
the commander-in-chief on the dom ain of the
| President. But the party Of the army has MOI
any power 10 this Congress. Applause on the
aem0craIlc sloe the only question is, whether
Revolution to pass appropriation bills. Rego-
| luton TO repeal an Objectionable statute! No,
II there be revolution it is In the sugge. Ito ,
| frnyr1 fIn
Ohio, (Mr. Garield) II there be reyolu
ton 1t Is In the suggestions which Law
come from others OF the distinguished
House. 1t is revolution against every theory OF
the constitution, to the overthrow absolutely OF
that instrument, for member OF this House, be
threaten the House with veto from the Presi-
dens you dare lar, to 90 light Applause on the
its duty by threat Of the President, much less
the threat OF President whose title to Office is
so doubtful and whose tenure OF Office Is yet SO
followed by deristve laughter on the republican
side, and cries OF "Eyplafh.''l Mr.. Hurd pro
ceeded to speak about the constitutional right
granted to the house GUS 81 Representatives to
as follows:-"I do not know even what will
be the action OF the House on this bill; GER
OF the President when the bill is Submitted e
MN, much less what VIII be the action or the
House II the oil Is returned with his OBJ
jectionS; but this much do know, that IL the
power OF Withholding supplies shall be exer-
cised, then never In all the contests for liberty
| IN English history, never In all the victories
which have made that little stormy island the
center Of civilization for the world never In all
the struggle for the rights OF man was the power
OF Withholding supplies exercised more wisely
| than 1t VIII be when we exercise 1t to preserve
the freedom Of election, to subordinate in time
| ofpeace the military power TO the civil authori-
| ty, and to preserve pure and uncontaminated
| the sources OF free government"
Mir. Williams obtained the floor but prefe r nc
not to speak until to morrow, he moved that the
| committee rise.
That motion, however, was opposed by Mr.
Sparks, and was rejected by party vote where.
| upon MIR. Williams yielded part OF his time tc
Mr.. Haskell lKansas), who argued from the his
| tory OF the ''bOrder ruffian" struggle in Kansas
the necessity for federal protection OF the right
OF suffrage. At the close OF his speech the com
mittee rose, and the House, at O'Clock, ad
1ourned.