Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-04-04
TELEGRAPHIC.
Another Day of Voluminous
Speechifying in Congress-
The Army Appropriation Bill Still
Demanding Attention.
The Democrats Floundering Terri
bly, Under Garfeld's Lashing.
Congressman Houk, of Tennessee,
Makes His Maiden Speech.
XLVI CONGRESS.
XLVI CONGRESS.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, April 3, 1879.
The Senate, on meeting, proceed
ed to the consideration of the report
of the Committee on Privileges and
Elections on the credentials Of
Charles II. Bell, claiming a seat as
Senator from New Hampshire
The debate on the Army Appro-
priation bill was opened by Mr..
Knott, of Kentucky. He spoke of
the great and historical Importance
of principle involved in the ques-
ton. Ho characterized it as the
great fundamental principle of re-
publican libelty-that the ballot-box
should be protected from the shght-
est approach of military power, and
that voters should be left absolutely
free in exercising at the polls the
highest prerogative of a citizen.
He quoted the English statute of
George III for the removal
of troops from place to place
where an election is to be held,
and citing Blackstone, as writing
that it is essential that elections
shall be absolutely free, and that,
therefore, all undue influences are
illegal and are prohibited. He had
expected that such a question would
have been discussed on the other
side with calmness and dignity, but in
this he had been grievously disap-
pointed, particularly in connection
with the speech of the gentleman
from Maine, (Mr. Frye) That
speech, while it might have been
appropriate Gin the small fry" of
his party at a crossroads or village
bar room, was unjust to that gen.
tleman's genial and generous nature.
Mr.. HOuk, Of Tennessee, followed.
He was Southern born, and SYM
pathized with that section; but, he
said, when the President had offered
peace and Cancellation he had been
answered with bloodshed and riot.
To-day it was a well known fact
that a majority of the Southern
States were Republican, if an hon
est election could be had, and yet
he looked around him and saw but
three Republicans from the South
ern States. He placed his opposi-
ton to the present measure on the
broad ground of it's merits.
If permitted to stand on
the statute books there would
be free elections in the
South, and the Republicans would
be returned to Congress by the
voice of a free people, unawed by
bulldozers and rife-clubs. Others
might do as they pleased, but never
while he had a vote ON this floor
would he vote to repeal those stat
utes until every man in the South,
whether white or black, whether a
carpet bagger from the North or a
scaIawag from the South, should
bear a free and equal chance at the
ballot-box. applause on Republi-
can side.) He was not authorized
to speak for the President, but he
knew that if the President was a
good Republican he would veto the
bill.
Representative Robson, ex-Sec-
retary of the Navy, then addressed
the House. He intended to confne
himself to the question of law in
Volved in the discussion. 1t is pro-
posed, he said, to restrain the civil
office Of the United States from
keeping the peace at any election in
any State. By what means? By
civil means, not by military means,
for the right of the civil officer, the
Marshal of the District, if you
please, to summon the posse comitatus
Is Alright to summon ordinary military
companies that may be within the
body of his bailiwick. The right to
summon armed troops, if they be
within the body of the baiIwick, is
civil, not military right, and is in
the interest cf the inviolability and
the strength of the civil law.
There was considerable contro-
versy between the Speaker and Mr..
McLane, of Maryland, as to wheth~
er there had ever been any ruling of
the Supreme Court recognizing the
right of the United States to keep
the peace.
Mr.. Robson said he had never
known that question to arise in that
form. But there have been rulings
of the Supreme Court to the effect
that wherever there was power
given and guaranteed or secured by
the Constitution of the United