The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-04-17

lions without q shadow or substance Of military
power whether State or Federal. He wanted
provision. of the Constitution to be the law OF
the land In the name Of the people he In part
represented, He asked that this menace be re.
moved and that the State have control In the
preservation of peace at the polls, as they sho'd,
Even In poor, down.trOdden Mexico, when our
troops were there In lSi7, request was made
that they should not appear at the polls, as It
might be supposed they were there to control
the election in progress. Our military com.
mander 0beyed the laws OF Mexico.
Free election was impossible II we put II In
the power OF the President to send armed men to
the polls He did not care whether there was
only one soldier TO two or twenty thousand
square miles. That one soldier a ted under the
authority Of military power, and the man In
blue coat with gun In his hand, was the rep
resentallVe OF forty millions OF people. We pro-
pose 70 take the bayonet away from the ballot.
We propose to restore to civil power Its absolute
| control over military power. We propose 10 re-
store TO the American people their own system.
We neither seek to c0erCe the executive nor sub.
NIT to be Coerced by IT, II is the right Of legsla
tive power ITO raise and support armies, TO make
rules and enact laws and we follow our plain
duty. This bill votes the pay OF troops, Cannot
| the law making power say how they should be
employed We violate no provision Of the Con-
sululion. No one pretends we do. We act with.
in the scope Of our power as we judge our duty
calls us.
Flst-The right to place legislation for the pro.
teetion Of the rights Of the pt ople upon money
bills belong to the legislative branch and cannot
| be denied by any other branch of the Govern
ment. We are the judges OF our powers and du-
| ties In this regard Our Judgment cannot be i'm.
| pugned by the Executive or Judiciary. They
may criticlse the subject matter but not the form.
second-This right is sanctioned by the prac.
| tice OF Congress for many years. The Revise
Statutes, under the head Of general and perma-
nent statutes affecting the army, contain 27S sec
tions. OF these 80 came directly from eppTopTia'
| ton acts.
Third-It is sustained by precedent as old as
| the time of Charles the First, and no power
dreams of denying Its possession by the Com
mons.
Fourth-The legislation proposed is constitu
| tioDal and necessary, and violates no right oi
any branch OF the Federal Government. We
| have no right to assume that any feature Of the
bill Will meet disapproVal anywhere.
NO THREATS TO DENY SUPPLIES.
The bill makes no threat to deny supplies. Lei
US look at this subject of coercion The Presi
dent, Senate and House are Independent each in
It's sphere Each possesses negative upon the
| other. The Senate and House each has an abso
lutte veto on the other, while that Of the Execu
| tive Is limited If the Senate refuses to pass
House bill because Of Objectionable matter. and
makes Its removal q condition for Its passage, il
coerces the House to that extent It has thii
right. 1t is not revolutionary. 1t exercises III
Constitutional right to judge Of the measure
This right is vital; the check Invaluable. The
same is true of the Executive negative upon leg
islahve power. II the Executive dissents and OF
reconsideration there are not two thirds, the Leg
islatlve branch may declire to act. II has thii
/ > hau Ind Of
alone for itself must judge Of the fitness, necessity
and Consttutlonality of the measure proposed
It cannot cocerce the Executive, nor can the Ex
eeutlye Goerce 1t, Each is responsible to the peo
/ pie for It's conclusions and actions and must act
in full view Of that tribunal. If the Legislative
branch could be coerced to act In this mode, the
| will of the majority would be controlled by the
minority. The patr mage of an unscrupuloui
President and minority could dictate legislation
No such purpose is intended by a constitutional
negative, The defensive power Of non action Il
the protection Of the liberty OF the people. Mr.
Clay IN 1917 expressly asserted the right OF non
action by legislative power. II has limits-t to III
use, 1t is an appeal to the people, Its power fol
the destruction of uncOnstituuOnality or hasty
| legislation Is invaluable, but II was never in
tended nor used to keep yoke on the people OF
| prevent the repeal Of statute 1t was never in.
| tended aud never used to deprive the people OF
| free elections or to strike down the rights Of O
| free people. When II is used for such purpose,
| the people will correct the wrong. This legsla-
ton places check on military power That du.
| ty Is placed upon us. In the interest Of the peo,
pie we must restore the original principles from
| which four years Of war have diverted the Gov
ernment bring the military to strict subordina-
| tlon TO the civil power, permit a free system OF
laws to be based upon free ballot, and expunge
| the standing menace upon free institutions
Mr. Wallace, in the course of his remarks asked
whether the Senator from Maine, or any other
Senator would deny the right to restore to the
people their own system Of free election. Would
the Senator deny 1t belonged to the people? II
80, why not IT store III The Senator from Maine
said there are so many troops and you have not
| been interierIed with, but there is law which
| gives the President power to interfere at eeC
| tons Nobody contends that partisan control is
right The Senator from Maine said that this bill
| was the dictate Of the Democratic caucus, but he
| (WallaCe) asserted that no caucus ever saw this
bill: 1t was the production OF the House Com
mittee on Appropriations.
Mr.. Blaine Qnterrupting) said the admission
came from the Senator from Kentucky (Beck)
that committee of the Democratic caucus was
preparing these measures. 1t was au issue of fact
| between the Senator from Pennsylvania and the
Senator from Kentucky. Mr.. Blaine read from
| the Congressional Record In support Of his asser.
ton.
Mr.. Wallace, resuming, repeated that no Dem.
ocrauc caucus ever saw the pending BILL and In
conclusion repeated that its only object was to
restore to the people the rights of whicn they had
| been deprived.
Mr.. Logan obtained the floor but gave way to
| Mr.. Ferry, who moved the Senate proceed 10 the
consideration Of Executive business, which was
agreed to. After an Executive session, the Senate
| adjourned