New-York tribune., 1879-05-06
THE REPUBLICANS IN COUNCIL.
TIE NEW DEMOCRATIC MEASURE "ohoh ',-,,'r,
y,rsr oxE-ITs EFFECT MORE FAR-REAChlN"-

vIrsr oxF-ITs EFFECT MORE FAR-REAChiNO-
TIE PARTY UNITED
Try TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNEI
v-,euxcroS. May 5.-The Republicans OF inc
eo,,o+o and the House of Representatives. heiu
,oirt caucus the Capitol this evening" LOT inc pun
go of considering the bill to prevent the use VI
80 IN Federal elections, perfected by the De'no
- in their caucus on Saturday, and lhTouuceu
in both houses to-day. .,,i
eonaior Allison presided. Nearly every Republi-
- sector and representative was present. Inc
a1, corsnicnous absentees were Senator Diane,
,rho hos becn in New-York for several days. ana
General Garfield, who Is IN Ohio
TI,o copcus was called to order shortly after
o,1ocl and proceeded without delay to the discus
eion of the subject il had met TO cohsluer'
A careful analysis Of the new bill by inc
host Republiean lawyers of Congress as
closed important features which mlenV Do
overlooked IN casual reading of it ana tue more
a.. nrovisons were studied the stronger seemed 10
be the opinion of majority OF the hepuoi'''N'
that il could not be supported by their party
The principal speakers were senators CoIhins
ord Tdmunds, and Representatives, Frye, Rooeson
and Conger, each of whom occupied conSidolapIe
time. They showed in the first place that TINS piii
i more Objectionable than the rider that was put
,,non the Army bill in that it is moro far-reachihs
Tho sixth section of the Army bill SIMPLY
rronosed 10 strike out eight words OF the
Revised Statutes, while this bill, aIter uecii
ING il TO be unlawful to bring 10 OF
employ at any place where general OF Spec,'i
election is beng held in a State any part OF uhe
Army or Navy of the United States, except IN t"o
contingencies proposes in terms to repeal all laws
that are inconsistent with 1t. No one can
tell how much of a Trojan horse TINS re-
oealing clause is, what It's ehect may De-
IL certainly Tepeals the act OF the hIsV
Congresses passed in pursuance of one of the spechc
provisions of the Constitution, which authorizesthe
President to use the soldiers of the United states
f,r the enforcement of the laws What other effect
the hill will have in the repeal of existing statutes
no one can tell until he has gone through the
whole body of the laws and collected those
bearing on the use of the Army. Because OF the
all embracing provision, and because OF the eVldeh1
design of the trainers of the bill to degrade ana De-
little the Federal Government, the Republicans
were almost all of the opinion that they could not
support the bill. Another objection to the measure
was that it proposes to exalt the powers
of the States at the expense OF the Unteu
States Ii authorizes troops to be sent to the
Ill ,-banaver the Legislature OF Governor of
S+o+o calls upon the President for them under
orticle A. section of the Constitution. but takes
AWAY from the United States GOvernmentthe power
TO use them of its own motion on any occasion eX-
co,,t to repel the armed enemies of the
United States. In other words, the Cover
nor Of State can cause troops 10
he present when Federal election is in progress,
but the President of the United States cannot send
them TO the polls when the persons who are 10 be
voted for are to be electors OF Representatives IN
Congress.
The first regular business of the caucus was the
submission of resolution by Representative Joyce,
II. -, ,1,eto red
Republicans did not propose TO change the position
they took upon the Army blll but would insist that
the Executive should not be crippled in his consti-
tutiopal powers or be restrained in the means
which the Constitution and laws give him to exc
cute the Federal laws.
As soon as this was read Senator Edmunds made
speech forty minutes in length upon the bill pre-
pared Inv the Democratic caucus He analyzed its
provisions and showed their relations to existing
laws, to the Constitution and to the Presi-
dents late veto. He took the very strong
ground that the alleged compromise
bill reported from the Democratic caucus
is more monstrous in its provisions even than the
rider to either of the appropriation bills that ii is
more dangerous to the liberties of the people and
eroser violation OF the rights of the Executive, and
should therefore be opposed by the Republi-
cans unitedly TO the last extremity. He ad-
dnced many illustrations to show wherein
the proposed bill would tie the hands of
the President. The Executive, he showed, is
sworn TO execute the whole Constitution and not
ore article of one section alone this bill proposes
and also to execute all the laws He is sworn to eX
ecute some laws which it would be utterly lmpossi-
be for him TO carry out if the Democratic caucus
bill should be passed.
Mr.. Edmunds was questioned in an informal way
during the course of his speech by Representatives
Kefer Hawley Bowman, COnger Joyce and others.
lis advice to the Republicans was to remain firm
TO their convictions OF duty, land this was received
with loud applause.
Representative RObesOn followed but took
scarcely SO radical view Of the effect of the Dem
ocrotic caucus bill as did Senator Edmunds. lie
Thought il ngh perhaps be considered quite as
dangerous and not interfere with the constitutional
prerogaives Of the Executive In so direct manner;
but Mr. Robson said he certainly should vote
against the bill and did not think the Republicans
could afford TO support il.
Senator Conkliug followed in a speech nearly hall
an hour in length, which is pronounced by those
who heard it to have been more vigorous and reso-
lutte aud earnest than his speech IN the Senate the
other day. He analyzed the Presidents message
and said that he took different view
Of 1t from that taken by some, ara
he did not see how the Democratic
caucus bill could be approved by the President III
the light Of his veto message. Senator C0nkllng
advocated a Tesolute adherence 10 the position
maintained by the Republicans and advised that the
party oppose the bill sOlidy. Mr. Conkling also
tad that this bill ought 10 be judged by the clrcum-
stances surrounding it, and he called attention
10 the tram of circumstances that had
led up to its adoption by the Democratic
caucus. As an attempt to coerce the President, the
present proceedings of the Democrats were In his
opinion, just as Objectionable as before, when the