National Republican., 1879-04-02

and the North, in its humiliation, had responded
as rapidly yielding point by point. until, In their
pride Of power they asked too much and then the
solid North had said Nor one single step further.
When you demand this thing us, is thy servant
a dog that he should do it?' And then had come
Mar-not brought on by poor old John Brown at
Harper's Ferry, when he had frightened Virginia
with fifteen men and some old musket.-b serious
war. At another time the South had had It's troops
on the heights above the Capitol Why had they
not taken 1t? lie could tell his friends on the other
side that there was n God that ruled over the affairs
of nations os we'll as over the affairs of men. That
war had had logic, and by that logic Burns had
become free man and an american citizen; But
ieaguers, aud hundreds Of poor black mon had
been murdered. Then the troops had been sent
down and peace had been restored but the troops
hHd been soon withdrawn, and the resultwas solid
South. There had been half dozen dusky faces
faces now?
The South had sald that the places that once
knew them should know them no more forever,
Gcntlemen OF the South thought that because they
had The two Houses of Congress they had captured
the Capitol Of the country The gentleman from
Mississippi tSlr. Chalmers) should not have acted
so triumph0ntly. The Democracy had the House,
out they had TO keep very well aud attend closely
TO business to keep even the House. They had The
Senate, but, thank God, they did not have the
iiSe Ei1ecutiye yet Applause on The Republican lean
would have him by threatening him they were
making nh entire mistake They had begged out
OF him on bended knee the withdrawal OF troops
from the South. Because they had done that they
should not presume too much. They should not
presume that they could go to him with pistol
IN their hands and demand oil they wanted. lDc-
rislvc laughter OH the Democratic side
Mr. HousE. Are you in favor Of retaining on the
statute books the law which permits the army to
keep peace at the polls? DO you advocate that law
Mr.. FRYE. lhave not shadow of doubt about
is constitutionalily, and until L become satisfied
that the South will not murder negroes when they
go To vote will he in favor of keeping 1t there and
Keeping The troops near the polls.
MT STEEL The gentleman stalking about muir
der IN The South-will he specify any special sec
uon OF country where this thing has taken place.
Mr.. FRYE, Does the gentleman desire me to
write book? IL would take a book TO inventory
political murders there.
Mr. STEEL. DO you charge this thing to have
taken place in North CuronuH
:, Mr.. FRYE. 1 am not certain about North Caro-
lima.
Mr.. DAVIS IN. C.) There have been more polid.
cal murders in Philadelphia than have occurred
in North Carolina since its organization as state.
Mr.. Frye. Inm not certain about North Carolina,
because it is very nearly Republican State. II IS
dangerous to shoot men where there Is good,
large party Of white men on the other side.
-, Mr.. STEEL Does the gentleman ollege that this
thing does not occur in North Carolina because
they are afraid to it, because there are white Re-
pubcans therc2
Mr.. WHITE, That is about t..
Mr.. FRYE should not wish to say that, because
do not know that there have been murders for
political purposes In North Carolina:
Mr.. CARLISLE called attention to the fact that the
use OF United States troops in Boston III 1891 was TO
assist the United States marshas in executing pro-
ccsses issued by United States commissioners under
authority of United States courts. and was a very
dinereiA thing from using the army to enforce the
laws of Il Stale,
Mr.. HOOKER said that the gentleman from Maine
had expressed his regret that tho half dozen col
orcd men who had sat in the last Congress not
here now. Would not that gentleman admit the
fact that in the States of Maine and Massachusetts
there had been reared aud educated some of the
most intelligent cOored men In this country and
how did II happen that in all the history of the
country the people of those States had never
thought enough OF the colorcd man to elect him to
Mr.. FRYE. People simply preferred to elect some
| body else Laughter on the Democratic side.
Mr.. BREHTz proceeded to read speech, but III
compliance with the suggestion to print he only
read small portion of it,
Mr.. HuRD then addressed the House. He com
menced @ ey quoting the provision Of the C3nst t,,
| nate IN the House of Representatives. He thei
| sketched the history of the question in the las
the House was right in the position which Il
| took at the last session, and that II wa'
right in the, position which i took now. 1
| anything had been settled by the legislation o.
the last quarter century 1t was that general legsla
| ton itself might be attached TO appropriation bills
and certainly no one would dispute the proposition
| that measures In regard to economy aud bearing
on the revenue were required TO be originated IL
the House. The House was right in insisting tina
| these oblectonnl measures should be repealed. II,
should not speak to-day Of The tcstoath bill, bu
only of the two measures that relate to elections
because they were both governed by the same prin
ciple and both must be settled by the same consti
The House insisted that tho law should b.
amended so as TO prohibit the use of troops at TIN
polls and so that supervisors ofclecion appointcC
| by Federal authority should no longer posses
| their present powers, and that there should be
repeal OF all statutes comforting on United State
officers the power to interfere with or regulate
| State elections. The House was right In that de
mand, first because these provisions Of law wcr
unconstitutional. They interfered with the righ
| Of suffrage and with the State laws The secOnC
section OF the Constitution declared that the Hous,
| should be composed of members chosen by tn,
people of the several States, and that the electOr
| should have the qualifications requisite for eleCtor
OF the most numerous branch of tho State Legisla
turc.
| II was therefore, the most numerous branch o
the State Legislature that determined the qualihca
tons of electors and not the Constitution of tn
United States. There was no such thing as tn
right of suffrage for citizen Of the United States
The right of suffrage was possessed and enjoyed
under the laws of the States, expressly rccognize
by the Fundamental law of the land. The Suprem
Court had recently so decided. On what theory
then. did this legislation rest ? On what theory d
the Government send troops to the polls at Stat
elections? Only on the theory that the right O
of the United States and that II was the business
Congress to protect that right. He had shown, how
ever, by the express phraseology of the Constitu
ton, and by the decision of the supreme Cour
that no such right did exist under the Constty
tion. and therefore the consequence was inevitabl
and irresistible that any legislation OIL that subjeC
lie alluded to the fact that the measures which
was proposed TO repeal were from theryery natur
dangerous and destructive to civil liberty, and said
All history IL full of warning on this subject. N
republic has ever gone into It's grave save throug
military interference Shall we escape the fore
and application OF n universal rule? Ispower les
sweet are rights more sacred Is liberty more sc
cure that we can dare, without harm, to tampe
with the danger that has wrought ruin eyerywher
before? From lands where republics have pei
ished, where monarchies have been erected on thei
ruins; from lands where the contest for liberty
now going on all over the world; from land
where the shadow of despotism oyerturns ever
household and compels every citizen toseek shelto
In foreign lands, helpless TO free themselves a
home, there come the solemn notes of warnin
OF troops at the polls to the control of elections
The troops Is Single step aud in that step frc
elections fall and free elections are the originator
of the power of free government. Troops at tn
polls mean intimidation of voters they mean tn
substitution Of the bayonet for the ballot the ell
croachment of the eCommander-in-Chcfo on the dc
main of the President. | was astoundcd and II
GREETED to hear from tho other side arguments |
favor of the use of the army; but my regret Is lo
In Joy when / reCollect that the party of the arm
has not any power In this Congress Applause o
the Democratic slde.l
1t has been said that II means revolution for us
pass these bills rs we propose From the beginnin
Of the Government has not the House originate
appropriation billSP Has II not been competent I
pass Il bill repeating a law on the statute books
The only question Is whether We can make a repei
on the appropriation bills. Revolution TO pa
appropriation bills? Revolution to repeal a
Objectionable statute? No. In the exercise of Il
inherent constitutional power the House does a
this. If there be revolution, II Is in the suggcsO