National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-04-23

by the Constitution and any attempt to influence
legislation by suggestions of what he may or may
not do Is an obtrision deserving rebuke.
IL Will be time enough to crticise the net OF the
President when he shall have exercised his const.
tutional right, aud any discussion of his supposed
course before then Is wholly out of place in this
body. Let us hope Mr.. President, when this BILL
has passed from our hands, that the angry debate
which has attended 1t will operate as electricity
does in purifying the atmosphere and that we will
all come together better disposed to give TO the
country what has been given to party in q united
effort TO provide relief for the prevailing distress IN
every pursuit in life.
Mr. ioGAN said he understood his colleague to
remark that the laws were obeyed alike in the
Mr. DAVIS. mean the Federal laws.
Mr. LOGAN differed with his colleague and then
referred to the general report of the Commissioners
of Internal Revenue for the year 1878 to show the
very large number Of violations Of the internal
revenue laws IN the South rs compared with the
North, and that five murders IN that connection
North.
Mr. DAVIS said he had no doubt violations Of the
Internal revenue laws were taking place all over
the country.
Mir LoGiN asked his colleague whether he could
show solitary murder committed IN the North or
men wounded in the execution of the Inv, aud re.
pcato1 his former assertion that the lawssare not
equally obcycd North and South,
Mr. DAVIS said his colleague was determined to
have the last word. lie (Mr. Davis did not know
whether the criminal laws were obcyed as well ~
the South as in the North, but he adhered To what
he had already said that the Federal laws, rs sys-
tenn, are obcyed with as much allegiance IN the
South ms i'll the North.
Mr.. ALLISON, in the commencement of his re.
marks, asked il it was possible they had been sit
ting day after day and hour after hour debating
whether in II republic there should be free and
honest BALLOT Was there any party Orrnycd against
principle so well groundedl If there was such
party i was not the Republican party. The pend
ing bill was protcsscdly an appropriation bll, nro
vding for the support of the army from the first
day ofJuly next for Que year, and unless TINS bil
should pnss before that day then all the uses Of an
army must stop or go on without an appropriation
An army was necessary for the protection OF the
frontier aud forts and nrSenals and for the protec
ton, as well, of our treasure and archives and
other property concentrated here. .
The ARMY was MS old as the Government ilscll.
The Democratic Senators Insisted that the skin
section of the bill was put there for the purpose OF
redrcssing grievances, although there was no pend
ing grievance which required to be rcdrcsscd now
9nd here. lie believed It was The senator from rom
of grievances. The Democratic party had been IN
power IN the House since 1879 and he challenged
contradiction when he said that 10 petition from
any source had been presented asking repeal or
modification of existing law. Nor had any such
| petition been presented in the Senate.
Mr. ALLISON then argued that this proposed re.
| dress of grievances was suddenly discovered, and
| had no foundation for action.
Mr. HILL (Ga.) asked whether the senator would
vote for the section prohibiting the presence oil
troops ut theEpolls
Mr. ALIls6N replied that If the Senator from
Georgia would wait it would be seen whnthe would
| do and said the Democrats did not discover that
| the law ought to be repealed until February last
There was no necessity for encumbcring ne bill
|
| have n majority Of all the voters in the country
! and this would be everywhere apparent If there
were II free ballot, and therefore IL was unNir to
them to insist on such legislation ;!esides ii
| ought not to be DONE as this measure affected or
might affect, the cnfTanchiscd race, and consider
ing that of the forty DemOcntiC Senators thrty-two
of them from the section more nearly affected
| by the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the
| Constitution.
The real issue, Mr.. Allison continued, is whether
civil officers of the United States shall be permitted
to enforce the laws by calling ON the military IN
case ofnccesity If troops had ever intertcred in
elections they had done SO in violation of law, and
were liable TO fine and imprisonment for II. There
was ample legal protection against undue inter-
| ference.
Mr.. BAYARD said the authority of the marshas
was not TO be incricred with, but he was opposed
to any armed force State or national being present
at the polls, because 1t would prevent free elections.
Mr. ALLIsoS. But suppose there is an armed mob
there, driving away voters, cannot AN armed force
be used TO preserve the peace?
Mr. BAYARD. Then the election would be farce
and void. The House of Representatives judge the
qualifications of those claiming TO be elected its
members.
Mr. ALLISON We say that under section A. article
l, of the Consitutlon.it is the duty of Congress TO
provide for fair election and TO secure each State
It's representation, not subject to the report of a
, Congressional committee, which may not be made
before the end of session. In the course OF further
remarks, Mr.. Allison, having alluded TO the inct
that IN South Carolina voters had been obliged IL
travel long distances 10 vote,
Mr.. BUTLER said that 1877 the number of polls
was reduced because in 1873 II had been increased
for the special purpose of allowing repeating to be
done.
Mr. TELLER. Arc there not fewer polling places
in Charleston County now than there were twenty
years ago?
: | Mr.. BUTLER No sir.
Mr.. TELLER The testimony before the commit
| tee of which was chairman shows that there are
. In conclusion Mr.. Allison said there must be
r laws securing the people fair election, and they
would not consent TO any infringement of then
rights by the overruling OF one department OF the
Government by any other department.
. | At four p. M the Senate went into executive SEES
sion and shortly aiterwNrd adjourned