The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-04-03
FORTY,SIXTH CONGRESS.
THE QUESTION OF TROOPS AT THE
POLLS DISCUSSED BY
THE HOUSE.
Republican Members Open Their Batteries
Against tho Repeal Of the Measure Garfield
Waves the Bloody shirt Able RsspOn-
ses by Mcmahon, Wood
and Others.
HOUSE.

Washington, D. C.March %.
Mr. Springer presented memorial from ]. J
Wilson, claiming to have been elected from the
Ninth Congressional District Of Iowa, on the 9th
Of November, and offered a resolution referring
the memorial to the Committee on Elections when
appointed. All the sitting members from Iowa
we're elected on the day claimed on the other side
mot the day legally fixed for election. The res.
olutiOn was adopted by a party vote.
MI Young then read an extract from the report
OF the Grand Jury on election In Hamilton cOun.
ty, Ohio, to prove his colleague (Butterworth) and
himself were not considered very bad persons,
ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL
The House then went into Committee Of the
Whole on the Army Appropriation bill
Mr.. Tucker offered an amendment repealing the
law which prohibits any person who has served
in the military naval or civil service of the Con-
federate States from being appointed 10 position
In the army Of the United States.
The point OF order made and Withdrawn by Mr..
Conger was renewed by Mr. Sparks and sustained
by the Chair.
THE REPEALIEG CLAUSE REACHED.
The consideration Of the bill having been con.
Cluded with the exception OF section six, repeal
ing the Statutes allowing the military to preserve
peace at the polls, that section was read.
Mr.. CoDger rose to point Of order that the sec
tion changed the existing law and did not re
trench expenditures, 1t could not be held serl.
ously that striking out the words ITO keep peace
at the polls" retrenched expenditures.
Mr. Sparks admitted that the section changed
the existing law, but argued 1t retrenched expen.
ditures.
Mr. Frye argued that the section did not re-.
trench expenditures. 1t did not affect transporta.
tlon Of the army because the President was Com
mander.in, Chief and could transpo troops wher
ever he pleased, and there was no power In the
House to say that he should transport troops here
and not there.
Mr. Carlisle thought the House and country
would hesitate long time before accepting the
doctrine laid down by the gentleman from Maine
(Frye) that the President Of the United States, as
Commander-in. Chief Of the army can transport
troops wherever he pleases, snd use them for
whatever purpose he peases with or without t1e
consent of Congress He undertook to affirm that
under the Constitution Of the Uuiled States, the
President had no right to use the army ana navy
or any part of II TO protect the States against do
mestic violence or to enforce State laws, except
ne was authorized 10 do 30 by act of Congress. Did
the gentleman on the other side mean to say that
the provision of the Constitution which made IL
the duty of the United States Oguarantee to every
state republican form Of government conferred
upon the President, single officer of the United
States, that power. We're gentlemen prepared to
20 efore the country on the proposition that the
President was the United States. All the authori-
~ which the President possessed to day TO the
army aud navy In protecting States against do.
nestle violence or In assisting States in enforcing
law was derived not from provision of the Con.
stitution which had been read, but from the Act
OF Congress OF the 2Sth Of February 1895, amended
In 1907.
Mr.. Frye-The gentleman In commencing lis
speech stated that 1t was claimed by me that the
President had power to transport troops wherever
he pleases for any purpose whatever l did not
say SO did not Claim 1t and never claimed IT,
What / claimed was simply this: That II thes =
words "To keep the peace at the polls" were
stricken out, that would not be any restriction
whatever on the power Of the Commander-in
Chief Of the army to transport the army from bar.
rack to barrack and from State to Slate as he saw
it. That is all that claim, and does not the
gentleman admit that7
Mr.. Carlisle agree to that
Mr.. Stephens obtained The floor but stated he
was unable 10 proceed at present, and, at his sug.
gestion the Committee rose and the House ad-
joarned. q