New-York tribune., 1879-03-29

apprOVe of their p0lucal IeglSaIlon' Iney
think that the President cannot reconvene
them during recess. 1t is held that they are
wrong in this The Nationals have held an
other caucus. Removals in the Life-SaVlng
Service are reported.
THE BATTLE IN THE HOUSE BEGUN.
THE CoNPEDERATEs oUTGENERALLED IN THE VERY
FIRST MOVE, AND COMPELLED TO FIGHT AT A
DISADVANTAGE PROM THE START
IBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBuNE.I
WASHINGTON March 2S.-The political contest
which is expected TO be the feature OF the present
extra session Of Congress began III the House 10
day The other portions of the Army Appropriation
bill having been disposed of In Committee OF the
Whole the sixth section was read. proposing so 10
amend the Revised Statutes of the United States as
to forbid any military naval or civil officer OF the
United States to use troops or other armed men 10
keep the peace at the polls on election day.
Mr.. Conger at once made the point of order that
uDder Rule 100 it had no right to be in the bill.
MIR. Copger called attention to the fact that the
Speaker in interpreting this rule, had often SAID
that an amendment to be in order under 1t must
upon its face retrench expenditures. he declared
that this one did not do that
The Democrats seemed to be taken by surprise by
this point Of order. 1t evident by their be-
havior that they felt that the minority had the
right on its side They would have been glad to
have ESCAPED from the discussion which followed.
The arguments they were forced to make III
order to sustain their position were SO weak
and strained that they were evidently ashamed
of them themselves But having put their
hand to the plough the Democrats were unable 10
turn back and they very soon disclosed the only
defence under the rules that was possible to be
made Weak enough 1t turned out to be.
Mr. Sparks said in substance that if troops should
on any occasion be used to keep the peace at the
polls, expense would be involved IN moving them
from their quarters TO the place where they were to
be used while the foTbiddng of such use would pre-
vent that expense from being incurred, and would
therefore retrench expenditures.
The weakness of this position was remorselessly
exhibited by all the Republicans who spoke. Yet
the Democrats were able to find no other peg upon
which to hang an argument in support of their pO-
stion Every speaker on that side of the House,
except Mr. Reagan who denied the binding force
of the rule since il had not been formally adopted
by the new Houscl, presented this weak and disln-
genuous argument and other, unless he drifted
away from the discussion of the point of order and
spoke on the merits of the amendment itself.
The Republicans, although apparently speaking
without preparation dealt some hard blows at their
opponents. Messrs. Frye, Robson and Haskell led
their opponents up to the point of admitting that
the President, if called upon by the Legisla-
ture or executive of a State to suppress
domestic violence would be obliged to
send troops anywhere where the violence existed,
even if IT should be to the polls They then put the
troublesome question whether the officer
lnanding such troops would not act in violation CT
the law which the Democrats proposing to
enact. They also brought out the fact that
always since the Constitution was adopted has
il been lawful for troops to be used to
the law of 1865, which it Is proposed to amend,
instead of extending and enlarging the lawful use
vi the Army. was a law Of limitations altogether.
1t made IT unlawful TO troops under certain cir
Cumstances where before it had been law
full, but IN cnacting these new restrictions
Congress made two exceptions, and declared
that il should continue TO be lawful, as 1t
had been for nearly thTee-quarers OF q century, to
take troops to places where elections were in pro-
gress for the purpose of Tcpelling the armed
enemies of the United States or to keep the peace
at the polls. When therefore, the Democrats
attempted, as one two did to-day, to make it
appear tkat they are attempting to repeal Repub-
lican legislation authorizing the use of troops not
contemplated by the Fathers, they falslfed the
facts.
The Republicans in 1865, placed what have
proved TO be wholesome restrictions upon the use
Of troops at elections and what the Democrats now
propose is to add new, unnecessary and unwlse
ones.
They attempt this too at time when there
is no complaint anywhere that the right
10 use troops to keep the peace at
the polls las ever been abused or is likely to be
abused When General Grant sent troops into the
Southern States previous to elections they were
rarely used to keep the peace at the polls and when
in few instances they were so used, the officers IN
command Of them behaved so discreetly that they
were rarely or never criticized by the Southern
people.
One of the most troublesome speeches of the day,
and one to which the Democrats did not attempt to
reply was that made by Mr. Robinson, of MaSsachu-
sets Quoting from the record of the last Congress-
Mr.. Robinson showed that Mr.. Hewitt, when
he originally offered this amendment had
Voluntarily admitted that ii was subject
to the point of order that has now been raised and
he had appealed to members on both sides OF the
House not to make 1t. Mr.. Hewitt would not have
pretended that il was IN order and he would not
SO pretend today if he were amembero Of the present
House but it remains to be seen if there is Dem
OCTat the floor who Will not now wrench his
conscience III order to gain political point.
The debate on the point OF order wall be CON
tinqed tomorrow II MI Springer, the , Chairman
order an appeal from his ruling will probably be
taken.
speech tomorrow.
APROPOSED RECESS OF CONGRESS.
THE DEMOCRATS EVOLVE THIS IDEA IN ORDER TO
FmGHTEN THE PREsIDENT-THE NOTION A
FOOLISH ONE.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUEE.l
WASHINGTON. March 2S.-" The last ditch of
which the Democrats are now talking in cOnnec-
tion with the present campaign against the laws
guarding the ballOt-bOx is recess of Congress
until December in case the President should veto
the appropriation bills. Their idea in proposing
tins, as expressed by several Senators and num-
Der Of Representatives, is that such action would
leave the President pOwerless. because while Con-
gress would be absent from Washington it would
be constructvely in session, and the President
could not call it together
The Democrats may find themselves much mis-
taken in tins matter Some consideration has been