Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-02


tons were repeated he would order the galleries
MI. Price-The gentleman must know that John
Brown and bis sixteen men were not fighting to de-
stroy the Union and that the first gun against the
Mr. Chalmers went on to say that If the proposed
legislation was revolution, then the Republican
party mad accomplished TevO!OtiO after revolution
One of the most niQuitous acts OF usurpation ever
perpetrated by the Republican party, to violate the
which President johnson protested against
Mr.. Hawley asked Mr.; Chalmers whether he was
not aware that the Republicans had more than two
thirds majority in congress, and could pass the bill
over the Presidents veto.
Mr.. Chalmers admitted that II was so.
MT Bslio5o n3g ssF mat 17 RonDnean party
Mr.. Chalmers d., aga thank God it is true
Applause on the democratic side
Mr.. Bedford In the last house you had seventy
Mr.. Chalmers proceeded with his speech, and as
serted that on this question the Republican party
shoulder. While the Democratic party was standing
on one OF vital principles of liberty. IT, said he
such President then the Democratic party can
look on the face Of the goddess Of liberty and say:
did gappsass the e SS and
jeerng laughter on the Republican side.J To this
complexion has 1t come at last that the majority
must CO. like suppliants on Bonded knees, and pray
to their most worshpful highneSs OF the minority to
de W5af wss meant by the threSt of the GENTLE
man from Ohio lGarieldi? That gentleman knows
that his party is poweres5 in this house and senate
What, then, does this threat mean? Before him,
when he made 1t, sat the secretary or state behind
him sat the general OF the army. We know that the
army and the President are the only instruments by
which the Republican party can carry out its
threat. If it was not mere bravado. not
a mere galvanic shock OF eloquence intend
ed to stimulate the spinal column or the President,
1t was intended as threat to the American people
that If we dared to redress most grievous wrong by
putting its appeal on appropriation bill, IT would
be denounced revolutionary, and that the Presi-
down that revolution. The name Of revolution has
no terror for us: lSneering demonstrations of the
hood. II brings back to US that good struggle for
freedom when our revolutionary ancestors left their
footprints in blood In Valley Forge that we their
children, may take heart again whenever the hour
OF peril shall come upon Military despotism
sembled at the polls to IntimIdate free people at
the elections; troops have been assembled at the
Federal capital 10 intimidste the house OF represen
tatives in counting the electoral vote. The battle
cry of 1880 has been already started; government
OF law, not to De administered bg the Judiciary, but
with an army strong enough TO enforce it, Whenever
II comes to question between freedom and despot-
ISM. he Democratic party will be found standing
where our ancestors stood in 1777.
Mr.. Conger-l desire to ask the gentleman from
Mississippi whether the second revolution of 1851
Mr.. Chalners-The distinguished gentleman is ex-
ceedingy witty. History tells US that the English
kings In the habit of keeping testers at their
courts, with FOOLS cap and bells. II seems that a
Republican congress had supplied itself in the same
manner laughter, but instead of the FOOLS cap and
jIngIing BELLS which might perhaps suit very well,
1t has dressed its jester in swallow-tails. Loud
M. Conger-I asked the heroic gentleman from
Mississippi plain, CIVIL simple question, and in
and makes grimaces to the county and to The house
Continued demonstrations on the Republican side
the members clapping their hands and INDUCING in
loud laughter for a considerable timej
Mt. Chalmers-The gentleman is mistaken. 1
snail certainly not undertake to play game at which
any monkey can beat me. Laughter on the Demo-
MI Frye said that he did not know how long the
Republican members would be compelled t. sit still
and listen to the harangue that they had for eighteen
reeIing and reeking through the land or to the
declaration that this was military deSpotism,
that it was left for the Democratic parry to restore
to the millennium OF peace. He did not know how
long they should have to submit to being told that
tnell sU,GS ON s0t t hss5 tat tne' offend some
arouse the ghost Of the old blSody thsg ntHHs s
know but that they ought to submit quietly to the
cnage tha1 Ingy tnd dd stees roon aesp0S De
to New York city to keep the peace h
did not know but that they should keep
city had murdered scores of black men before any
United States troops were sent there TO keep the
remorseeSs hyenas and make sort of reply. Two
gentlemen from Mississippi had spoken to day,
Mississippi newspaper had said. HE went
to the CLERKS desk and had read an extract
God that the south had captured the CAPT
tai; in 1881 its man would walk up the White
House steps and take his seat in the Presidential
chair, that then the glory of the south would be
respectable element of the Mississippi Democracy.
One Of its editors was a man who had carpetbagged
from OHIO to Mississippi within the past four
Mr. sparks-It is reported tina, he was sutler In
Michigan regiment. Laughter on the Democratic
Mr. Frye-I have heard again that cry as to the cap
ture of the capitol You have been to 1t than
you are to-day, but You never put your hand upon
the capital and under God you never Will. Jap
pauSe on the Republican SIDE and great excitement
| throughout the hall.
Mr. FRYE COMMUNICATION had turned upon the
north and made demand after demand In rapid sue
| cession, and the north in its humiliation had re-
sponded as rapidly yielding point by point until ii
their pride OF power they asked too much, and ther
thy servant dog that he should do it2" and the1
| Brown at Harpers Ferry. when he frightened Viz
ginia with fifteen men and some old musketS, but
serious war That war had logic and by that leglt
| but then came the kuklux and the white leagues
and hundreds Of , the ne poor poor black Sda mel
down and peace had been restored, but the troop;
were soon Withdrawn and the result was |
dusky faces in the last congress, where were thos
| dusky faces now9 The Democracy had the senate
| but thank God they didn't have the executive yet
| Applause on the Republican sIde.l When the Dem
| ocTats thought they would get him by Threatening
| him they we're making an entire mistake. They ha'
| begged out OF him on Bonded knee the Withdrawal
| of the troops from the south. Because they hat
should net presume that they can 20 to him witt
a pistol In their hands and demand all they wanted
| LDerisive laughter on Democratic side.
Mr.. House-Are you In favor OF retaining on tn
statute book the law which permits the army t
keep the peace at the polls? Do you advocate tina
Mr.. FTye-I have not a shadow of a doubt abou
its cOnstitutionality and until become satisfied tn
south will not murder the negroes when they go {
vote will be in favor Of keeping it there and keep
ing troops near the polls.
Mr. Hooker said the gentleman from Maine har
expressed his regret that the half dozen cOlore
Now would not that gentleman admit the fact tina
In the States OF Maine and Massachusetts there ha
| been reared and educated some of the most INTEL
gent colored men in this country; and how did
happen that, In all the history of the country, th
people of those states had never thought enough G
l he QDln m IN
| Mr.. Frye-The people simply preferred to cleo
someP91y d esd Il aSTHg On ha a9e aSad sde
legislation of the last quarter of century 1t was tn
general legislation itself might be attached to III
appropriation bills, and certainly one would dis
| pute the proposition that measures in regard
economy, bearing on the revenue, were required I
Insisting that these Objectionable measures shoul
| be repealed. The house was right, first, becaus
tionai ana interfered with the Hight {
suffrage ana with state laws The second sectio
should be composed Of members chosen by the pei
pie OF the several States and that the electoI
| shsuld possess the qualifications for electors
| the most numerous branch of the legislature
| was, therefore, the most numerous branch of
of ltctors and not the constitution of the Unite
States TheIe was no such thing as the right of su
frage for citizens of the United States The right
, suffrage was possessed and enjoJed under the Law
of the states and expressly recognized by the funds
mental laws OF the land. Toe supreme court ha
legislation rest3 On what theory. did 4
| government send troops 90 e POLLS at u
State elections? Only on the theory tn;
; | the right of suffrage was a right guarantees
by the constitution of the United States and that
was the business OF congress TO protect that RICH
He had shown, however, by the express phrassOlg
of the constitution, and by the deels1n of tha $
preme court, that no such right did exist under Il
constitution, and the consequence was inevitab
and irresistible, and that any legislation the su
|: 1ect was unconstitutional. He alluded to the IA
Z that the measures which it was proposed to repe
were from their very nature dangerous and destru
tive TO CIVIL liberty, and said all history Is full
| warning on this subject No republic has ev
I gone into its grave save through military Int
ference: shall we escape the force and applicable
OF universal rule; Is power less sweet are rpl
more sacred; Is liberty moro secure that we C;
1t | dare without harm to tampeT with danger that b
| wrought ruin everywhere before from the Ian
/; | where republics have persisted, where monarch
have oeen erected on their remains. From Ian
where contest for liberty is goiRg all over {
l. | world, from lands where the shadow of despOtis
IS overturns eYery household and coa4pel the citizen
seek sheltef In foreign laud helpless TO free hims
at nome there come Solemn notes of warning again
military interference from the presence of troops
n | the pols. To control elections by troops Is but
;, single step, step whereby free elections fall a
Tree electons are the orglnatOrs of the powers
y | free government Troops at the polls mean intin