National Republican., 1879-03-31


nor, and for the information OF the House. the his.
tory Of rule Ill., which provides that the rules of
one House shall be the rules Of the succeeding
House until otherwise ordered. lie had read by
the Clerk the debate which had taken place ut the
time Of the adoption OF rule III, and also state
ment made by Speaker Grow In the Thlry.scvcnth
Congress TO the effect that he would constue the
rules OF The preceding Congress rs continuing In
force until otherwise ordered The Speaker pro-
ccedod TO soy that he had been unable to find any
decision of any subsequent Speaker at variance
After some further debate the Honsc nt 1910,
went into Committee Of the Whole (Mr springerin in
Mr. STEPHENS obtained the aoor aud proceeded
to speak in clear voice. He did not desire to say
section against which that point had been raised
was clearly germnnc to the bill All laws renal in
their character were to be construed strictly, bnt
liberty and public policy were TO be literally con
strIed. not strictly. The gentleman from Maine
face retrenGh expenditprcs That was not The
question. The question was, "Would itprobably
IetIench eXpenditnres% He thought Il would;
The past history of the country. showed that
enormous expenditures had attended the use of
troops at elections. He went on to argue that the
acts of lT95 and 1907 only authorized the use of the
troops to put down domestic insurectons. The
provision for the use Of troops for civil purposes
was on entirely different matter The law author
iztng the use of troops at the polls had never any
existence until 1865, and the danger of such law
would not, he presumed be denied by anybody.
If there was any man on the floor who was in la-
vor of peaceful elections and order throughout the
length and breadth of the land, he Gtcphens) pro-
tossed to be equally strong with himin that feeling
lie was Tor law and order.
He had witnessed the soldier Mt the polls. and
had seen no good oft The country had got along
three quarters OF a century without having troops
ut the polls and the sentiment of the people was as
much against their presence there now as II had
ever been. The future harmony, order and pros
perity Of the country would be greatly promoted by
adherlngt otheprncipes and precepls ofthe fathers
of the Republic Congress had n right to raise
armies and to designate, the purposes for which
they should be used and the Presidents right to
control and direct their movements was clearly an
executive one, with which Congress had no power
to interfere.
But It could say that the Executive should not
which he dc did noethink the Executive @ would @ denyJ
to say that the military should not be used at the
polls Let the land forces he devoted TO protecting
the frontier. Let the navy be allOat on the sea,
projecting the countrys flag and commerce. Let
each be in the sphere to which ii was entitled, in
which in the past It had won such honor and glory
for the common country; Let them perform their
duties and let the civil administration of the coun-
try go on in its own channel. Let members of Con-
gress be returned MS heretofore and any man was
deirauded of his right Then let the high court oithe
country, the House of Representatives decide the
question and not the bayOllet OF the soldier.
Mr. REED argued against the section both MS to
its substance, and as to lis being in order under the
rule. The rule demanded two things-frst, that the
proposed amendment should be germanc 10 the bill
and second that IL shall reduce expenditures. lie
argued that 1t did not on its face retrcnch expendi
interest of parliamentary aw) to construc the rule
with the same strictncss that Speaker Kerr con.
strued 1t. He also argued that the amendment was
not germane because the bill was an army appro-
priation bill, and even IL the proposition TO restrain
army officers was germnnc, the proposition to re-
strain persons in the civil and naval service was
not gcTmane.
The Chairman then proceeded to rule on the
point of order, which lie did by declaring the Sec
ton to be in order both on the ground of its being
germanc and of IFS rcrenching expenditure.
Mr.. GARFIELD then addressed the House. His
remarks will be found clsewhcre.l
Mr.. CoNGER appealed from the decision of the
chair and the decision was sustGined-l25 to l07.
Mr.. New offered an amendment providing that
nothing contained in the section should be held
TO abridge or effect the duty or power of the Pres
ident under Fourth Article of the Constitution, to
send troops into states on the application OF the
Legislature or Executive.
The amendment was allowed to stand over for
the present.
Mr.. MCMAHON said that gentlemen on the other
side improved every opportunity that offered to read
gentlemen on his side lecture as to their past
and present conduct, That sentiment was re-
echoed by partisan press. He wanted to know
where those gentlemen had received their author
ity TO hold over Southern gentlemen the threat that
the feelings created by the war were not yet paCi-
fed. If ii was not competent for Southern men to
be admitted to The door of the Hoyse WIN With @ fnll
right of voting on vital questions MS their judg.
ment dictated, then the war for the Union had
been failure.
What had been the meaning OF the public procln.
nations held out to citizens OF the South2 II had
been an invitation to the South to return TO the
Union, TO return to the Halls OF Congress and, IN
and because gentlemen did so their conduct was
chamcer2ed as revolutionary, and partakng OF
their action In 1860 and 1861. II they saw I'll 10
speak for liberty ot the polls. were they to be de-
nounced as revolutionary, and as wanting 10 sHrve
the Government? He reminded his friends on the
other side that they were in large minority To be
sure they had the precedent, but everybody knew
how he became President.
He was surprised that his friend from Ohio (NIr
Garllcld had not discussed the merits of the propo-
siti0n under consideration. He did not know
whether the gentleman confessed that II was right
& N Ilnatl In
unwilling TO commit himself on the question. The
law of 1865 had been passed during the war, when
it was popular with the Republican party TO ag-
gr0ndze the Executive power and when almost
every conceivable outrage was perpctrated under
Ihe plea Of preserving the peace at the polls That
law had been passed when the DEMOCRATS had no
power in either branch of the legislature
Why had not that gentleman stated whether the
measure was an unjust one or not? II came with
an III grace from any Republican to say that the
provision was improper because II was put upon
had passed many measures in the same way. II
had never been considered revolutionary, but, on
tho contrary as a protection against arbitrary
The Democrats wanted the juryboX purified, the
use of the troops At the polls prohibited and tho re-
peal of the most Infamous Of all measures, which
put il in the power of m0rshNls and their deputies
TO corrupt the ballotboX and intmdate honest
voters
The statute books were nI of infamous laws
placed upon them by the Republicans. Some oil
them Ms n party proposed to repeal at the present
time (Which, he thanked God, was not far disan5
when all the Departments OF The Government were
in the hands of the Democrats. Then the gentle
man from Ohio (Alr. Garield) would witness that
revolution which was always going ON when q
Republican official was TO be nut out Of office
Laughter on the Democratic side
lie was proceeding TO argue against the use oi
troops TO quell slight disturbances arising on ae-
count of violation OF State laws when he was in
tenupted by
Mr., WHITE, who remarked that during the Johr
brown RAID distinguished officer hnd been sen
up with the military, but hearing of disturbance,
IN Maryland he had gone there ior the purpose O
making arrests. That officer had been no less d
person than Robert L. Lee,
Mr.. MCMAHON John Brown had intrenchet
himself In property.
Mr.. WHITE, John Brown was IN all at Charles
town ut that time. Laughter
Mr.. MCMAHON. i am not so well acolnintpf
with the John Brown affair as the gentlemen III IA,
party, whose political pabulum ii furnished fn
many years. Laughter
Mr. WHITE, There was no call for aid but Rob
eTt Il. Lee went into Maryland to make arrests
Mr. MCMAHON The same distinguished gentle
man once marched into the genteman's own State
Mr. WHITE. Yes, and The friends who are work
ing with the gentleman (McMahOn) o-day did no
assist In driving him out.
Mr. WARNER. l beg pardon. There are gentle
men on this side who did help 10 drive him out
Applause OH the Democratic side
Mr. WHITE. They do NOT make majority of tn,
gcntleman's party,
by the same flags and the same guns that we di;
then.
Mir MAGNNIs, More on this side than on til,
other
Mr. MCMAHON then proceeded to argue in hyo
Of prohibiting the use of troops at the polls Civi