The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-03-14
The Esrtra Session.

An extra session of Congress has always
been regarded as approaching very nearly
to q public calamity, and eau only be justi-
fed on grounds of absolute necessity-snch
a necessity, IN fact, as is conceded to exist
by both political parties for the extra ses
sion which will begin on Tuesday next
When the 4th of March arrived, beyond
which Congress could not legally extend
it's session, the Two houses found them
selves unable to agree upon at least two
questions, which had been the subjects of
earnest and protracted discussion in the pas
sage OF Two Of the most important appropri-
lion bills. One of these questions WAS the
repeal Of the law, passed in 1866, empower
ing the President to use troops ''to keep
the peace at the polls, " and the other vas
the repeal Of the law authorizing the sp-
pointment Of supervisors of elections in
cities containing over 20, 900 inhabitants,
aud also the appointment of deputy United
States marshsls to attend the elections for
the purpose Of making arrests. These Off
GERS, supervisors and deputy marshals can
only act at elections every other year,
when members of Congress are to be cho'
sen. The Democrats in the House, deny
ing the right Of President to station
troops at the polls for any purpose what.
ever, or Of supervisors to challenge natur-
alizatiOn papers, and at their own whim or
caprice to imprison those offering to vote
on them, attached repeating sections of the
obnoxious laws to certain appropriation
bills, to which the Republican majority in
the Senate refused to agree, thus defeating
the appropriations necessary to keep the
wheels Of government in operation. Hence
the call for an extra session.
In the Congress which has but lately ad
journed, the repeal of these laws was a
contest between a Democratic House and
= Republican Senate, but as both houses
when they meet on next Tuesday will be
Democratic, it will then become a contest
between a Democratic Congress and Re-
publican President, so called. The Demo-
Gratis will pass these repeating acts separ-
ately, and if Mr. Hayes vetoes them they
will be attached to the appropriation bills,
and II the President refuses to sign them
in that shape, the deadlock betweeb him
and Congress will then begin. 1t is not a
pleasant state of affairs to contemplate,
and of which no man can predict the end,
unless one side or the other yields some
thing of its demands. 1t is not thought
that there will be any serio1s difficulty
about bill prohibiting the use of troops
a. the polls, but that the real contest will
be over the supervisors law. This law Ihas
been most scandslously abused by men
ike Davenport, supervisor OF New York,
under whose desPotic and high handed
performances from six to ten thousand
Democratic voters of that city were pre-
vented from depositiug their ballots at the
election two years ago.
Our readers, we trust, will understand
from what we have said what the Demo-
Gratis propose to do at the coming extra
session, as well as the difficulties in the way
Of their success. The country will closely
watch the proceedings and will await the
final result Of the conflicting views between
Congress and Mr.. Hayes with feelings OF
the most profound interest.