Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-05-29

I
of the country il Is constitutional, wise
and necessary TO clothe the Executive
with authority 10 interfere with and
control the election of members to this
House, and I shall deal with them as
laws enacted and maintained for that
purpose.
This is no sectional question and IL
ought not to be even a party question.
1t is Il question Of vital interest to every
friend of constitutional liberty and to
every lover of free parliamentary gov.
| ernment throughout the whole country.
IL is n question which affects the people
of the North more than the people OF
the South. According to the census of
1870 there were sixty.nine cities in the
Union to which the most offensive and
most Objectionable parts of these laws
are applicable, ifty.fve of them in the
North and fourteen of them in the
South. The ifty.fve in the North con.
tanned population of nearly five mil.
lions of souls. while the fourteen in the
South contained only little over one
million and two hundred thousand.
II we look at the expenditures we will
find that moro than five times as much
money was disbursed in the years 1876
and 1873 to pay for the services Of su.
pervisors and special deputy marshals
OF elections in the Northern States as in
the Southern States. The whole ex.
pendIture in 1876 was $27j, ,29G. 60, of
which the sum OF $3.50 j22 was paid for
services In six Northern States and only
$ii.71i.G0 for services III the South. In
1873 the whole sum expended was S2O2,.
29l 08--so far ~ reported-and of this
the sum of $l17,G52 was on account of
services rendered by these officers mt
elections in the same six Northern
States and $2i ,G39 in the whole South.
But, sir, shall not go at length into
that matter. ! long to see the time
come when the patriotism Of our public
men aud the traternal feelings Of our
people shall be broad enough To &c.
knowledge but one boundnry-thc
limits of this whole Union. Applause. !
II that time has not arrived it is a con.
ISOLATION to me to know that have never
purposely said or done anything 10 post
pohe it.
Mr.. Chairman, greater than all other
questions affecting the constitution and
organization Of this House il the qucs.
ton whether this power Of the EXecu.
tive 20 interfere in the election Of its
members shall be continued. If there
be one principle in our Federal system
more yalu able TO the people than an.
other ii is that which was intended To
secure the perfect independence of their
Representatives This is the peoples
House this is the only place in the
councils of the Union whore they speak
and vote through Representatives
chosen directly by themselves. The
right to choose their own Representa-.
tiycs belongs and ought 10 belong TO
them exclusively. The power Of the
Executive, 20 far as il can lceitiul atcly
affect the action OF those Representa-.
tives, must be exercised for the first
time not only after the election but
after the will Of the people has been re-
corded here in the passage Of bills.
Under the Constitution he may with.
hold his assent from our measures when
they are sent TO him in the regular way. /.
but he cannot elect our members or in.
teriere with their elections without n
violation Of every fundamental princi.
pie of free Republican government and
a subyersion Of our most cherished in.
stitutions
He may not come into this hall and
dictate the measures we shall pass or
shall not pass; he may not without the
grosscst indecency, even send his ennis.
sAries here to influence our deliberations
either by threats or disapproyal or by
expressions Of appreciation and yet it
Is contended that he ought to have the
power to dictate our policy in advance
by choosing the men who are to consti.
tute our membership. Let the country
understand distinctly what it is the
gentlemen on the other side are contend.
ing for. They are not contending for
free and fair elections they are not
contending for pure ballot and fair
count, because these results can be bet
ter secured without Executive interier.
ence than with it. They are contending
for the power of the Executive to lay
his hand upon the vote when he ap.
proaches the ballot box to choose his
representative, to bribe him with Office,
to intimidate him by threats Of prose.
cution OF in distant aud expensive tri.
bunals, to seize the munlments OF his
title to suffrage. to arrest his person and
to coniscate his estate by the imposition
Of ruinous fines and forfeitures Tor tech.
nical offences.
| am not one of those who would
willingly obstruct the Executive in the
exercise Of any Of his constitutional
functions or deprive him Of any Of HE
constitutional powers but ! am one of
those who believe that every attempt to
extend his authority beyond the limits
prescribed in the Constitution ought to
be resisted by every lawful means at
our command
Sir. without these odious laws the in.
huence Of tho Executive department
upon the politics of the country is al
most irresistible. IL commands the
army and navy; it directs in a great
measure the financial policy Of the
country; it disburses more than $780,,
100000 Of the peoples money every
year in defraying the ordinary expenses
Of the Government; 1t appoints all the
judges Of all the courts IL directs the
execution of all the laws. and tbere(ore