National Republican., 1879-04-04

hear the gentleman from PENNSYLVANIA (Nfr Whte)
repeat yesterday what the gentleman from Ohio
INF Gariield) had stated last Saturday-that the
obnoxlo lous words which II was now proposed to
wipe from the statute book had been inserted on
.rn e mo,ion @ o. senator POWELL @ OF kGntnSTSy S me
Senator back to the dispersion OF q Democratic
state convention n Frankfort KY, in 1863 by n
military cheftain named Gilbert, who had then
achieved for himself an immortality of infamy,
but had since sunk into the obscurity for which his
Creator designed him.
He gave some "reminiscences Of the desp0to in
reference OF the military authorities with elections
in Kentucky. Fortunately. however, for the cause
ofhuman liberty everywhere, Kentucky was then
represented in the Senate by the lamened Lazarus
w. Powell, always an attentive sentinel on the
watchtower of freedom. When he saw those out
RACES peIpetrated he determined to use whatever
power lay 10 him TO preventive recurrence of such
articles. Accordingly Senator Powell introduced
bill making 4 unlawful iorany onieerof the army
no. such words as those now proposed to be struck
out They had been inserted, on the motion Of Mr.
Pomeroy, of Kansas, and every Democratic Senator
had voted mo- ON that amendment . -
II was true that every Democratic Senator had
voted for the bill as amended The Democracy
stood then where II stood to-day against the inter
proud of many OF her sons, but of none Of them
was she .pronder than Of Mr.. Powell If he had
done nothing in his long and useful career except
stand day after day, and contend manfnly (as he
did for the purity of the bellotbox and for non.
interference Ofthe military with elections, that act
alone would have secured to him the affection OF
than sculptured marble or nodded brass
But little he'll reck If they let him sleep on
In the grave where his people have laid MIN.
Passing on 10 the question in dispute ne asserted
that the words proposed to be struck out We're IN
violation of the Constitution. The army could not
be employed to keep peace in states, either at the
polls or elsewhere except under the circumstances
provided for in the Constitution. Aud yet the
proposition TO strike those words out OF the statute
had been Denounced as rey9l9tons ~ What M was was
stitution of the Government. This idle squib about
revolution in connection with this measure was
too absurd to be ridiculous He had rs much con.
idence as the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Frye
had In an ovcrruling Providence lie believed
that the same Divinity who had led His chosen
people through the desert for forty years. would
lead the Democratic party on till II had captured
the Capitol" bunhe hoped that gentlemen on the
other side would possess their souls IN patience
and notexpect such sack and pilage as they seemed
TO anticipate when that "consummation so de-
voutly TO be wished" was achieved. :,
The Democratic party simply intended, when IT
captured the Capitol" TO throw off the chains that
had been thrown around the people to plant Its
banner on the dome of the Capitol emblazoned
with the legend, Equal and exact justice to all
men. Exclusive privileges TO none" 1t intended
to protect the purity Of the ballot box, which was
the cornerstone of personal liberty and OF iree
government and to see to II that the military shall
at all times and under all circumstances, be subor-
dinate to the civil authority. Il intended TO pre-
serve the ancient birthright of the American citi;
zen to by S m a s SS s
who had fastened, like vampires, on the body poll
tic of the country for years past, shall be driven
forth as the money changers were scourged nom
the temple by the Saviour of mankind
II intended that every abuse of power should be
arraigned, not only before the great bar Of public
opinion. but before the estNblirhcd tribunals OF the
country; II intended to preserve the rights the dig
nifty, and the equality OF all the states unimnaired
as the safest protection Of domestic concerns and
as the surest bulwark against antl'Republican
tendencies: II intended TO maintain the Federal
Government as supreme in its constitutional sphere,
and TO let all the States In splendid galaxy OF
In
ed orbits with the beauty aud harmony that made
the music of the spheres when the morning stars
sang together andall the sons of God shouted for
Mr.. HouK cared not who had enacted the law
which 1t was proposed TO repeal whether Demo-
crSs or RSp%p6S That Sst S
enforced. as he trusted would be enforced again,
the only fair elections which the South had ever
had since reconstruction had taken place. All his
life he had lived in the South, and his sympathies
We're all with that section, and he had waited for
the time when all the laws making distinctions on
accounto politics should be wiped from the statute
books
When President Hayes had naugurated his poll
icy of Cancellation and withdrawn the troops from
lion and the lamb would lie down together, and
both sections would clasp hands across the bloody
chasm When the President had offered peace and
Cancellation he had been answered with bloodshed
and riot. To-day II was well known that major
ity of tho Southern states were Republican, II an
around him and saw but three Republicans from
the Southern States.
lie placed the opposition to the present measure
on the broad ground of its merits. If permitted to
stand on the statute books there would be free elec-
tions in the South and Republicans would be re-
turned to Congress by the voice Of hee people
unawed by buldozers and riilo.clubs. Others might
do as they pleased, but never, while he had a vote
on this floor would he vote to repeal those statutes
pntiI every man in the south Whether M ., white OF
scalawag from the South, should have free and
equal chance at the ballotbox. Applause ON Re
publican side ..
He should continue day after day, and time Of
ter time. to vote against the repeal Of this measure
which, ifwipod out would give an opportunity e
the Democrats to carry elections by the Democratic
methods, which everybody understood. II wa
said that the present law was unconstitutional. Ilt
was too young to be much of a constitutional law
yer, but he had never seen Democrat who did no
cluim to be great constitutional lawyer, whether
he could read 1t or not. Laughter Oh the Republi
can side.
unconstitutional for Abraham Lincoln To put dow
the rebellion, and the same cry had been raised o
Unconstitutional" The Government had to b,
Wreckedo The Democrats had 10 rule. Unlessthe!
could control the Govenmentthey would starve It
| lie was not authorized to speak for the President
but he knew that if the President was good Re
| publican he would veto the bill. II might be suit
| That he CMr. Houk) was waving the bloody shirt
Well ifhis friends on the other side had not bloodiet
il, he would not have had It to shake. He informed
his friends OH the other side that in 1850 the plac
| that knew them now would know them no NOR
| forever. Then, If he were Il member of the House
| he would vote fora bill providing for holding al
| States under the protection of the United states
| and to the exclusion of the States entirely Laugh
| ter on the Democratic side.
Mr. 4, TURNER Oh! abolish the States alto
| gether
Mr.. robson next addressed the House. Hi
remarks will he found in another page.l
| Mr.. BLACKBURN was the next speaker, and pre-
missed his speech with the hope that he would il
no way depart from the plane of fairness in debate
| that no utteTance of his would give call to tn,
charge that any sectional question was involved IL
| the issue under consideration Nobody had beel
surprised at the speech Of the gentleman from New
| Jersey Mr.. Robcson). The performance would no
| have been complete, would not have been iairl!
| rounded out, unless some member of the priv!
| council of that mporialistiC dynasty, under who's
administration the very vicious practice ha!
| grown up, which II was now sought TO repeal
had testified on the floor In is behalf 1t had beel
argued by various gentlemen ON the other side INA
this repeal revolutionary In It's character, tina
| IL haduo place upon an appropriation bill, that
| was ont of line and should be considered as al
! independent proposition. lie was but poor stu
| dent of his cOuntry's history who was not able 4
| satisfy himself that from the foundation Of tn
| Constitution down TO the present time II had eve
been held (anl that by the highest authorities Il
the land) that ii was in the power OF the House
| control the employment of the army by the with
| holding of supplies.
In the very nature of things the proposed repeO
| Could not be revolutionary. Negative Legislation
might be- but not negative legislation. There wa
| no one who would assert that previous to 1868 III
| Executive had held the power which this bill pro
| posed TO deprive him. The Constitution did no
give the right 10 The President TO send armed force
| INTO any STATE even to suppress domestic violence
By no means. IL required the President to pr0teC
every State from invasion, but only conferred upol
| him the right to send soldiers TO that State to sup
press domestic violence when the Legislature o
| that State or the Governor should make u requl
| sitiOn upon him, lie was not permitted to anuci