The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-06-12

the army bill. I think the civil power
should control this government, and thai
the military should be subservient to it
/ do not see any reason why there shoulG
ever be soldiers at the polls, and / will
not vote for the army bill on that &C.
count. Mr.. Hayes says the soldiers viii
never be sent to the polls during his ad.
ministration. Why, then, should he be
willing to clog the wheels of government
by refusing to sign bill forbidding them
to be sent to the polls at any time? Such
q power ought not to be left to the mere
personal caprice or pique of any execu,
tive. He has conceded every argument
offered against the use of troops when he
says that he will not use them, and il
after such concession he sees fit to refuse
to sign the bills we should refuse to grant
him supplies. The fact is the Republi'
can party have never seen soldiers at the
polls in the light that We of the Demo
cratic party have seen them, because
when they were at the polls they were
avowed friends of the Republican party
If the reverse was the case and Demo
cratic President were in power and were
to send Democratic soldiers of his selec'
ton to overawe Republican voters we
would find the Republicans crying out
and kicking against such a dangerous
proceeding. The fight is simply par.
tisan one, and I will never vote for
partisan measure when I think the re.
verse is q Constitutional provision. In
ten years more, at this rate, we will have
in this country the prettiest empire you
ever saw, unless the conservative agricul'
tural element comes to the rescue of the
government"
MIR. o'CoNNoR's OPINIONS.
Mr.. O'Connor was asked: care you in
favor of passing the army appropriation
bill, pure and simple, before adjourn
mentW
Mr.. O'Connor: CATER the issue made
by Congress with the Executive upon
this measure-insisting that he should be
prohibited from interfering with the free
elections of the people and surrounding
their polls with his troops-I do not see
how the Democracy can entirely. back
down and grant him supplies uncondi,
tionally without disaster. Far better
that no such issue had ever been made
in the first instance than to have allowed
it to be made an. issue between the pow.
ers of the executive and the Legislative
departments of the government, in which
struggle the Congress should be forced to
succrmb. 1 do not think concession at
this time can bode any good TO the for
tunes of the Democratic party, with
whom rests to-day the preservation OF
our free institutions. My idea is that
upon receiving the Presidents veto to
the legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bills the Democratic party
in caucus should at once resolve to frame
a separate bill providing for the repeal
of the jurors test oath and fairer method
of drawing jurors. Also another bill,
modifying the Federal election laws so
as to prevent United States marshals
domineering at the polls and taking the
control of the elections entirely out OF
the hands of the State officers. Pass
these and send them to the President.
At the same time they should pass the
legislative and executive appropriation
bill, and the judiciary appropriations
should be so tied up that not one dollar
could be expended By the department OF
justice to run the election machinery in
the interests of the Republican party.
I think, also, that an army appropriation
bill, with a repeating clause prohibiting
the presence of armed troops at the polls,
but striking out the words civil officers,
which the President made the pretext for
his first veto, so as to leave him no shad-
ow of ground of right upon which to veto
such an appropriation bill, should be
passed, and in that shape send it to him,
and with him leave the responsibility of
its refusal. After Congress has done all
this, which is very large concession
considering the stand that has been taken
by the Democracy, think it can without
fear of the cry of revolution adjourn, no
matter what may be. the action of the
President, and safely go to the people for
their vindication. If the appropriation
for the army is voted plain and simple it
will be received as complete back down
of the Democracy throughout the coun-
try, and will intensity the aggressive
spirit of the Republican party, which is
hourly growing. The issues have been
forced upon the present Congress by a
former one, and they have to be consid-
cred in the light of the bearing they will
have upon the existence of the Demo
cratic party; for if by any mistake Of
conduct or policy this party should fail
in the next campaign, the Presidency be
secured to the Republicans and the
House wrested from the Democracy, il
will be sad hour for the liberties of the
American people"