The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-05-01
The Case in o Nutshell.

We quote from speech OF non. M
ram Price, Of Iowa, in the House of
Representatives, the following which
gives clear view of the question on &C
count of which this extra session of
Congress was called The reader can
Judge whether the interests involved
are sufficient to justify the expense to
the country: T-7i
"The whole question that has caused
this failure TO pass the appropriation
bills in this Forty-ffth Congress, and
has called together at thisl expense of
time and money the Representatives Of
the people from different parts of the
Union in this extra session, is simply .
question whether we win vote the sup
plies to keep the machinery of the Gov
ernment In operation. When it comes
to be divested of all the trimming and
tinsil foreign to the real question at is
sue it amounts to this: that the Republi.,
can party land read frem the bill, that
there may be no mistske) say that - Il
Every onicer Of the Army or Navy, or 9TH
service Sc R Of the United States Who orders,
brings, keeps, or has under his authority or
control any troops or armed men at any
place where . general or special election is
held in any State, unless such force be nee
eeeary 70 repeI armed enemies OF the United
States, or to keep the peace at the polls,
shall be fined not more than Is, 900, and suf-
fer Imprisonment at hard labor not less
than three months nor more than Ave years.
Divested, of all surplusage, the Re-
publican party say that none of these
things shall happen under penalty of
fine and imprisonment unless it be, nee
essary. But / ask gentlemen ON the
other side of the Chamber, in all good
faith and honesty, are they prepared to
say that If il is necessary this shall not
be dones In all this discussion-and /
want 10 bring this before the committee
and before the country-no one man up
on the other side of the Chamber has
had the courage to say that in case
there is q necessity for 1t, it should not
be done. But in general terms gentle.
men on the other side propose to strike
from the law these monosyllsbles, 'or to
keep the peace at the polls;" the effect
of which would be that no power, civil
or otherwise, shall be used, even if nec-
essary. This is the difference between
the Democratic and Republican parties
on this bill. Republicans say the peace
shall be kept at the polls and good cit:.
zens protected in their rights, and that
force shall be used If necessary. The
Democrats say it shall not.
The principal object have in taking
the floor at this time is to make this
mattsr plain to the people of the coun-
try, because it is very evident that the
whole object of this discussion and the
failure to pass the bill in the Forty-fifth
Congress and the efforts to defeat its
passage in this Congress is to make po-
iitical capital for elections in the future.
Nobody will dispute that ; 1t is patent to
erybody.
The battle-cry, the slogan of the dem
ocratic party is ''free elections !" and the
attempt is made to create the impression
that as q consequence, If they are in
favor Of free elections, then we, as q re-
publican party, are opposed to free elec-
tions. Well, the only difference, Mr..
Chairman, is this: we are in favor of
free elections for honest men, law-sbid-
ing citizens, order-loving people of the
land who are entitled to the use of the
ballot and on the other tide they are in
favor Of free elections for men who do
not obey the laws, for men who are dis
loyal to the country, for men whose bus
iness II Is to see that the ballot-box is
not kept pure bnt is corrupted, that
there shall neither be q fair vote or u
fair count. i make this charge fearless
Of successful contradiction. The history
of the country in the past and the prsc-
tices in the present justify me in the dec
Iarstion. To-day, while we are discussing
this question upon this floor, there are
men in the Atlantic cities Of this Repub-
lie who are hidden away in the dark
alleys, in the dens and in the cellars,
who, when night draws her sable cur
tain over the earth, will swarm out Of
their hiding places to prey upon honest,
lsw-sbiding citizens. Every one Of these
men wishes the democratic party sue
cess in the repeal Of this part Of the