Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-04-15
Speech Of Hon. J. Ran. Tucker.

On Thursday week, Hon. J. r. Tuck
er made the closing speech in the gener
al debate on the army appropriation
bill with its rider repeating the law au
thorizing the use of soldiers at the polls
which has been discussed for some days
in that body. His time was limited to
an hour, yet he made, as he never fails
to do, an able speech.
The following is an imperfect ab-
stract of it,
He argued that there was nothing in
the constitution or in the rules of the
House to prevent the passage of the bill.
What right has any member (alluding
to Mr. Garfield) to say that the Prssi.
dent would object to the rules ef proceed
President to object to the mode of pro.
ceeding used by Congress? That man
ner was to be prescribed by Congress
alone. The President could not veto the
bill on account of the method of its pas
sage. It must be on the merits of the
bill, and what were those merits They
took away from his excellency the right
to preside with his troops at the polls.
If it was the power of Congress, and it
was its duty to do what it was now do
ing, it was bound to stand there forever.
He would tell gentlemen on the other
side that in the conflict between power
and liberty, if power would not yield,
liberty was just as firm. All legislation
was matter in which there was NO
free consent in the sense of the absolute
consent of the mind. Was there anv in
1857 when Andrew johnson had been
compelled to sign an appropriation bill
for the army with provision by which
he abdicated the constitutional prsroga-
tive as executive? The House was
bound to do what it was doing; it was
part of Its Inherited privilege to hold the |
purse in hand as a means of redressing
grievances. The army would die on the |
Both of June unless Congress would re-
store it by legislation. Congress would |
restore it without giving to the Presi-
dent the power to keep the roops at the |
polls. 1t was not question of repeal,
it was question of re- enactment. New |
er by his consent would Congress give |
money for the support of an army to be |
used as keepers Of the pells at so-called |
free elections, He liked the army in |
its place, but Its place was not at the |
polls. The great danger when troops
were used at elections was that the car
tridge-b would be exchanged for the
Oallot-box. Would his friend. Garfield
and Hawley, vote for the proposed re.
peal as separate measured?
Mr.. Garfield.AI would vote for a re-
peal of these clauses If they were
brought up separately, but not to make
hem &c you propose to make them.
Mr.. Tucker, continuing, said his
friend stood on the very narrow ground
that on its inertia the law sheuld be re-
pealed, but on account of the method of |
Its passage the President ought to veto |
it. He was in faver of an army, the |
not the master of the people. |
he had no purpose in view but to make |
the Union glorious Union among the
nations of the earth, and to make the
government success for the liberty,
and independence of its peo-
pie. His actions now were dictated by
what he believed to bs his duty here and
what he believed to be the highest inte-
rest Of his mother Commonwealth there
pointing to the South.) He hoped that
The wounds of the war were healing.
God knows they would have been heal
ed more RAPIDLY if gentlemen had not
kept the sore running. He would MAIN
tain the power Of the federal govern
Acu1 III ali ItS Integrity, anu ne would
preserve the power of the Slate in all
their autonomy and LEGAL self. govern
ment. He would have law on the
Judgment seat wearing the civic crown
and ermine, and gently and with un-
mailed hand leading forth liberty as his
welded wife. He would have the army |
and navy to be the willing servitors Of |
liberty, to expel on her call all invaders |
upon her rsacredprecincts or to put down
the despotism of licsntious mobs. If|
his aspirations and hopes, his dreams
and visions could be breathsd, feeling as
he did that the ssre and yellow leaf was
that the evening of his life |
was coming to its close, he might then. |
with humble reverence, repeat the |
prayer. Nov, o Lord, lettest Thou
Thy servant depart in peace, for mine |
eyes have seen the salvation of my pee-
ple's liberty, and seen restored the grand |
and noble system of the constitution of
our forefathers." During the course of
his speech Mr.. Tuck er was frequently
interrupted with applause, and at its
conclusion he was warmly congratulate
ed,