New-York tribune., 1879-04-15
XLVITH CONGRESS-IsT SESSION.

SENATOR BLAINE ON THE DUPLlCllf of ihS DEM
ocRATIC PARTY-RRvIEw OF THE ARMY BILL
INFLATIoNIsTs FOILED IN THE HOUSE.
SENATE. WASHINGTON April II. 1879.
Various memorials and bills were INTRO
duced and appropriately referred.
Mr.. ANTHONY Rep., r. H., from the Committee on
Printing reported resolution, which agreed to, to
provide for the printing Of the observations OF the
transit of Venus In 1874. made under the direction Of
the Navy Department the copies O be for the use OF the
Senate.
Mr.. CARPENTER (Rep., W,s) introduced a bill TO
amend the Revised Statutes in regard to the election OF
Senator'S Referred to the Committee Privileges and
Elections.
SENATOR BLAINES SPEECH.
The Senate. at o'clock resumed the consideration OF
the Army Appropriation bill. the pending question
being on the amendment offered by Mr. BLAINE Utep,
Me which add the following words at the end OF
the sixth section:
And any military, naval civil officer or any other
person who snail. except for the purpose herein
named appear armed with 4 deadly weapon OF any
description either concealed or displayed, within mile
polling place where general or special eectiOn
for REPRESENTATIVES. Of Congress Is being held, shall
couvicfton he punlshed with a fine OF not less than
$500 more than $4,000 or with imprisonment Tor
period not ess than months more than five years
or with both fine and Imprisonment az the discretion OF
Mr. ELAINE said the method adopted in tho pending
section to got Of the eight closing words of the sec
ton OF the Revised Statutes proposed to be repealed
namely d" Or to keep the peace at the polls" was an
UNUSUAL and extraordinary method The ordinary way
to repeal single sentence is 10 strike out the particular
words objected hut the mode chosen IN this Dl IL 10
repeal ana reenact the whole section except the Ias
eight words He was persuaded tnat TINS unusual
course nOttaken accidentally, but deslghediy. II
he might so speak, 1t came OF cunning the the intent
being to create the impression that the
Government had used troops right aud
LETT in every direction and that seon az the Demo
got into they proceeded 10 enact THIS pro-
hlbtory sixth section and Democratic stunpsFeakers
would doubtless make great political capital ont OF tGs
enactment Of the Republican party. whether lnten-
tionally not the issue thus presented was dishonest
There were forty-sx Senator'S sitting in the Senate
Chamber at the time, OF whom only ten, or at most
tivts was overwhelmingly Republican. We were IN the
midst Of war. The Republican Administration had l.
aud under the circumstances with the amplest power
interfere with the elections had they so chosen with
States the Republican party themselves placed that on
the statute book and Abraham Lincoln signed IT, he
asked attention the tact that this was the first
instance IN the legislation OF the United States IN when
statute books III regard the OF troops at the polls
and that Il was passed by the Republican party ana
signed by Abraham Lincoln when he had more troops
under his command than Napoleon Bonapare ever had
This Democratic Congress has attempted by rasingan
tssue false i'm every detail 10 create the Impression not
only IA America but in Europe and throughout the
civilized world, that elections in this country are at
the issue as false He held in bis hand abstract OF all
the troops of the United states east OF Omaha ncudng
the states bordering the Mississippi RIVER the West,
embracing territory populated by 41000OO0 at least
ont of the 45.OO0OO0 supposed to be IN this
country today Is, this statement he showed that IN
all that great territory only 2707 soldiers stationed
within this domain fOry-hye fOrtncatlous are manned
and eleven aIsenas projected. To every 100000 peO
pie there are about sixty soldiers. In New-England
they had $50 soldiers, about l2O TO every lOOOOOO
peoplr; whereas the ratio in the south was quite
seventy. Yet the people of New England never com
paned of the military power. The tendency OF TINS
ak as ne had said was TO msrepresent abroad and
the Democratic party stood indicted, and Le hereby
creating the impression in the civilized world that we
But, continued Mr.. Blame, the real motive Of the
to get rid OF the Federal supervision ar the Federal
elections rid or the civil power Of the United
states in the election OF Representatives to Congress
with the bill which was before Congress at
The last session, known as the Legislative
Executive and Judicial Appropriation bill. 1t
was not proposed by the otner side TO prey mt the
State officers from being a. the polls or from bringing
any forces there but said that the United states
IN election winch specially concerns the Federal
Government, shan not nave anything to do with the
conduct election although the Constitution,
broadly language can do cOners upon the United
states Government this absolute control OF the Whole
subject.
There is denial that this law IS constitutional or if
there is. 1t is merely denial based on personal opinion
and mans view OF IT Is as authoritative as an
OF the United states under the pretence OF
keeping the troops away from the IoIs and
on that point ami show whether the Federal Govern
all except by two men OF straw; without any power,
who merely look He would 20 so tar a. 10 say
II
nder of the law In regard 10 marshals and superl
yisOrs would be worth nothing, since there would be
provisions.
STOPPING THE WHEELS OF GovERYMENT.
We are told, said Mr. Blaine and it is rather move
thing that if we do agree the bills offered we
are to have the appropriation That has been an-
nounced in both branches of Congress, he supposed
the authority OF Democratic not merely the
Army appropriation they did not stop there but IN the
Legislative b came from the caucus, there was an
appropriation for defayng the expenses OF the supreme
Court Circuit Courts and District Courts of the United
States, provided that certain sections Of the Revised
Statutes repealed. He had always understood that
the Government was divided into three distinct de-
MISUNDERSTANDING, Executive. and Judicial. |
but now the Legislative branch steps forward
f ss 'I'' "a offers It VIII sarye %S' the S Jndciary @ W
This carrying the matter further than he had ever
known To 20 before ana beside starving Judlemy
the other side would refuse to appropriate dollar for
the expenses Of tue Capitol building and
fho Congressional library. The Department OF
State. OF which the country had reason 10
a TO be disabled and our diplomatic relations
must cease unless tho President signs these bills The
beacons and warning lights on 1000 miles OF coast
must 90 out the MInts OF New-Orieans, Denver. san
Francisco ana Philadelphia must stop me Pension IA
reau must suspend operations all the Executive Ine-
tions OF the Government are taken by the throat IN
n ghwayman style ana eonlnan4ed 10 STAND suu
deliver III the name or the DemocIaIlc caucus.
Senators this floor could remember some Presidential
ment some of the oldest of them bered the veto
Of the National Bank bill by Andrew jackson IN 1882,
ana sOiue, not quest NcJO u lHo
National Bauk bill 1S4l by Tyler. Those
yetOes shook the country with political exotic
mcnt, ssch had, up 10 that time, hardly IL
parallel IL then believed, whether rightly
or wrongly is immaterial now, by those WHO
advocated these measures, that they were or the
highest importance TO the welfare OF the people. Clay
aud Webster believed them TO he so, but when those
pills were vetoed suggestion was made To put the
charters Appropriation bills and refuse TO vote
money to carry ON the unless the bills were
signed
POWER or THE SOUTH.
loading Democrat boasts publicly that the Demo
Gratis power for the first time in eighteen years
and they do not intend to stop until they have
wiped ont oyery vestigs OF tho Republican meas