New-York tribune., 1879-04-24
SENATOR BLAINE AGGRESSIVE.

bonds.
SENATOR BLAINE AGGRESSIVE.
Az EXCITING HALF HOUR IN WHICH Mr., BLAINE
Has SHARP CONTESTS WITH no LEss THAN
EIGHT or HIS COLLEAGUES.
ley TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
V,euryGToN. April 23.-One Of the unexpected
but intensely exciting half-hour running debates
which are coming to be Of frequent occurrence IN
the Senate. and which bring to the surface more OF
the real essence of pending issue than dozen OF
the formal efforts with which honorable Senators
are wont 20 disguise their party plans, came oil be-
tween 1890 and p N. to-day
Early this afternoon Senator Blaine withdrew his
amendment TO the Army bill which makes II a crime
for any person TO carry arms within one mile Of a
polliucp'ace on the day when an election for mem-
hers of Congress- is being held. At hafpast 4, when
an immediate adjournment was TO be expected SEN
ntor Blaine arose to give notice that he would, at
the proper time, offer his amendment again. lie
said he withdrew it at the request of several Sena
tors who desired to have a direct vote upon mo-
ton to strike out tho political section of the bill
Senator Blaine said that the Democrats are en-
deavoring To work themselves up into state OF
alarm ON account of danger which does not oXist'
Tbcv are excited about an issue which is not
present, and they entirely ignore fruitful and
evcr-present source of danger to the ballot in the
volum, containing the testimony taken by the
Teller Committee, and read brief extracts from the
evidence OF several witnesses showing the methods
adopted by armed Democrats in several parts OF
South Carolina to ntimidate and obStruct Republ-
cans who came TO the polls TO vote
From this point the scene became almost inde-
Fcribable. Senator Blaine was in his most aggros-
sive mood. As one after another, and sometimes
two or three at once, Of the Democratic Senators
yeutured to take issue with him. he dealt his blows
right and left, calling up from his remarkable mem-
ory facts so pertinent and delivering them In a
manner so telling that, single-handed he remained
absolute master of the field while it seemed as If he
left no effort untrled 10 provoke further cOntro
yersy He declared that there never had been such
thing as fair and free election in the South since
the Democrats obtained control of public affairs in
that section. He went into details and pontedly
referred to the murders, outrages and frauds IN
Louisiana, to the bulldOzng and the iniquitOus
location of pong-placcs in out the-way corners
in south Carolina. and the refusal by Wade Hamp-
ton to give the Republicans any representation
upon the Boards of Supervisors Of Election. he
alIuded to the war record of Mcclellan, Of New
Jersey, aud pOmtedly assalled Senator Randolph
for the position taken III hls recent speech: lie
called out vigorous responses from senator Sduls-
bury i'm defence of the Democrats OF Delaware, and
from Senator Groom, of Maryland, in behalf Of his
own State.
An idea Of the vgor and rapdty Of his move
ments may be gathered from the fact that within
quarter Of an hour he had spirited contests with TO
less than eight Democratic Senators. Senator
Butler, of South Carolina, and Senator Jonas, of
Louisiana, made gallant attempts to defend their
own constituencies from the scathing assaults of
the Senator from Maine, but they only served TO
make the demonstration, backed as it was with
host Of terrible facts the more damaging.
After dIspOsing of these gentlemen he returned to
his amendment and said "If Senators intend
in good faith that the bayonet, the dagger, the
shot gun and the bowie knife shall not bo present at
the polls let them say so but" said he, "if you
don't say so the people of the United States will
understand that you want to warn the Government
of the United states off the ground where Federal
election is being held ana then YOU will take care,
as was done IN South Carolina last year by violence
and threats 70 which party SHALL carry the cleo
tion. If yo1 want a peaceful election say that no
party shall 60 near the polls with arms. Don't say
that the United States alone shall not he there,
while every bloOdy-mindcd rufl7n shall have free
and absolute liberty 10 DO as he chooses
Surely the record made during these few minutes
must be met or the name of Southern Democrat
must be written synonymous with haTbaIIsln
Senator Blame turned his attention briefly to the
speech of Senator David Davis Of yesterday. Mr..
Davis was absent but he viii find material for Scr-
Gus and long-cOntnued meditation i'll The HecOrd
which VIII be laid upon his table tomorrow morn
ing. Mr. Blaine said he wanted 20 ask the Senator
listed in the country, what Nh Davis had ever done
to relieve it. He had been IN the Senate
for more than two years. What measure
had he introduced for the relief of the
people Referring 10 the manner IN which Mr.
DAVIS had uggcd IN the name Of Abraham Lincoln
Mr. Blaine said the Senator from Illinois had skill
fully balanced himself, leaning first toOue side, then
the other and finally aliPhted 'quarely the
Democratic side. lie had the right TO 90 where he
pleased. He could sit on the Democratic side of
the Senate the only man there who had given sup
port to the Government of Mr.. Lincoln, but he had
10 right TO carry the name and the fame and the
glory Of Abraham Lincoln into the Democratic
camp.
Referring to Mr. Davis's assertion that Mr.. Lin
coin If alive would have been surprised at the
present course Of events Mr. Blame said the thing
that would surprise Abraham Lincoln most were
he alive to-day would be a Senator on this floor
elected from Illinois over Union General and
coming here with that record behind him to
represent the principles 10 which Abraham Lincoln
was opposed al his life &" No, sir" SAID he, the
Senator has the right to go where he pcases, but he
has no right with the record of the greatest Of
the last ten centuries made up INTO history, TO drag
him into the mire Of the party to which through
all the mutations Of American politics he was
opposed TO the death"
THE EMPLOYEES OF THE SENATE.
MR.. CONKLISG SHOWS THAT THE WORK OF THINNING
OUT UNION SOLDIERS HAS BEGUN.
lBY TELEGRAPH 70 THE TKIBUNE.i
VI l,,riIO no Wo1loca 1,t;