The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-05-15
The LAST WORDS.
The Closing Debate on the Dem
ooratic Caucus Election Bill.
Some Very Plain Talk by Senator'S
Edmunds, Chandler 3
and Blaine, .9RW ~{s


SGT III '----sGE @HEd 5'Hof.
Mr. Edmunds called attention to certain
clauses of the constitution, to various laws and
to the writings of Hamilton and Madison as the
foundation of his remarks on the bill, and said
ne had read from the constitution and from, the
series OF laws on those parts which bore on the
power of the Executive Department to show
that from the beginning Of the Government it
had beea conceded and maintained that wher-
ever there is law there must be power to
carry it into effect, and there still existed ex-
press authority for the President to exert the
military powers Of the Government wherever
the execution of the law, on all occasions and
everywhere, is Obstructed by combinations too
powerful for the civil authorities to suppress.
The United States Marshals, too, have ex-
press power to command all necessary assist
ance IN the performance of their duty, the
power being the same as that of Sheriffs in
their respective States. The Executive was not
aatyrant, but civil officer, and was authorized
to exercise all the force at his command for the
due execution of the laws made in pursuance
OF the constitution, which he is bound to pro-
tect, preserve and defend. The preservation
OF the peace was not arbitrary The state of
order and tranquility was found in the due en-
forcement of the laws. President Jackson an
nounced the possession of power conferred
by the constitution, and laws passed in
pursuance OF it. when, in 1888, the people
of South Carolina set up their will and
dominion against the execution of the
national laws. The same arguments and
pretexts, the same defiance, the same claim of
the exercise of State sovereignty and State
rights, the old heresies are reproduced on all
occasions, and often in the same language that
was employed at that time He repeated there
was express authority to exert all the force of
which the republic is capable to prevent infrae-
lions OF the law. If the elections fail. or are
prevented, what becomes of the republic and
the liberty of citizens? Justice may fail, the
courts may be closed by armed bands When
the power of law overcomes opposition nobody
has lost anything except by delay. If YOU de.
stroy the fountain of power. the republic is at
an end Il we, said Edmunds surrender at this
tune one thing esteemed to be SO small by some.
and 80 great by those who seek to carry their
schemes through, we surrender ALL If you
follow the red rag in the title of the bill for fear
unless you pass the bill prohibiting military
interference at elections the capture of power
would be at very cheap rate.
Mr.. Edmunds then proceeded to analyze the
Dill, and said the preamble was contradictory
of its body.
The preamble declares that the presence of
troops at the polls is contrary to the spirit of
our institutions and the traditions of our people,
and tends to destroy the freedom of elections"
while the body of the bill declares that the
troops may be present at the polls even on cleo
ton days, in the manner and under the circum
stances the constitution provides If the pre-
amble be true, the body is false
Mr. Edmunds said, in reply to the Senator
who had preceded him, that the Government
Stotn 4 ;o,s 4
the muscle OF every man. He wished it was in
the hearts of all men of the republic. The
bill reflected the doctrines of those
who supported it, namely, that this Gov
eminent, nearly century old, hoary
with renown, after so long vindicating this
right to exist, should be treated as an extrane-
Gus neighbor, and sometimes as a friend or
foe denounce such Il doctrine. The army
Is IN the end the power of the law. Men have
denounced the affirmative power of the consti-
tuition to regulate the election of members of
the House of Representatives, and by sophistry
they fritter away the traditions of the con-
stitution, and deny the teachings of it's trainers,
and say there is no liberty unless it be obtained
by the supremacy of State rights Was there
not a scheme on foot to prevent appeals from
State to Federal courts, thus taking away the
rights of citizens? Where are you going to
stop? have seen within the last two or three
days in this Chamber another step to deprive
portion of the people of their rights. Ihave
seen the majority of this body enter upon the
consideration of a measure more violative of
tradition, the Senate, the spirit of the consttu-
ton, and the safety of the republic, and de-
signed to overturn the decision that gave to the
Senator from Louisiana (Kellogg) his seat. in
order that different man may take his place.
DO you, IN mandatory manner, in your hour
of triumph, intend to sweep away everything
which the wisdom of our fathers achieved and
the valor of their sons preserved? The bill be-
fore us was the first step in that direction.
There is somewhere in the constitution. unless
we go into anarchy, power which, in spite of
threats, will stand as q bulwark against the
effort to break down the constitution and laws,
and when you recover from your emotions you
will have the peace of which the act of 1865
speaks. But you will have peace at the polls
only when you recognize by deed as we'll as by
word the political equality of all citizens, and
the free right of lawfully voting under the law
and for the law. 1t will not be the peace of
the reign of terror and of the grave but the
peace of justice and liberty, asserted in a legal
form for the expression of the public will. when
bygones will be bygones, and peace and har-
mony everywhere prevail.
Mr.. Blaine said: Mr.. President, I want to
make single remark on the bill itself, if there
is to be a veto upon it. desire simply to put
punctuation point in the progress of things as
they are now going on, and that punctuation
is to mark the high tide which the ancient doc
trine of State rights is reaching in this
Chamber and in this Congress This question
has engaged the attention of the American
people for just about fifty years. 1t has had
its ups and downs, it's victories and defeats. 1t
was strangled for time by Jackson 1t was
dallied with by Van Buren,. It rose to it's full |
strength under Polk and Pierce and Buchanan.
1t marshaled itself for deadly struggle under |
and, if mistake not, majority |
of the members who sit on that side of the |
Chamber supported Breckenridge when he en-
bodied that deadly heresy. In whatever there
was in the issue between Calhoun and Jackson,
that side of the Senate Chamber represents |
Calhoun. Whatever there was in the contest |
dividing the Democratic party between
Breckenridge and Douglas, that side OF the
Chamber represents all the evil there was in