The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-04
DEMOCRATS STANDING FIRM.
FREEDOM At THE manor BON MUST
NE GUARINIEED 10 TOIERS.

of warm nebste In the Lower House.
WAsItlNGroN. April O." Standing upon
the broad ground OF our constitutional power
and hedgcd about by prccedents upon prcce-
dents we make the issue that the ballot must be
frco and chcArluy accept NIL The responsible
tics this grcat issue carries with it. Tho con
tcst upon which We have entered will never
ceosc TIL the sacred right OF an American frco-
man to deposit his ballot free fiom the super
vision Of Federal officials. free from thu intimi-
dating presence Of deputy mnrshals free from
no oyerawing array Of troops Mt the polls is
secured. or the Foriy.siXth Congress expires by
lts constitutional Imitation"
In these bold. manly. and eloquent words Mr..
blackburn answered the intimidatine threats
of n Presidential veto which have been so freely
INDUCED in by tho Republican leaders OF the
uousc. The Democratic side responded to tho
sentimcnt OF their impassioned orator with
loud and prolonged applause. That no ex-
pressed their firm resolve to stand unninchingly
10 their demand no one doubts who knows tho
temper OF that side Of the House. II the appro-
rriation bills are vetoed. then tho wheels OF
Government will surely stop and tho means to
start them will not be granted so long as there
Is Democratic majority in the popular branch
OF Congress. As Mr.. Blackburn. with fervid
speech. declared to-day they are ready 70 60 to
the people upon the questions involved in this
issue aud not until judgment has been pro.
bounced against them by the sovereign power
Of the land will they yield. The Democratic
majority has borne patiently the threats ot co..
ercion which the next friends OF the Fraudulent
Administration have made; threats which
would have at once brought the offender In the
English House OF Commons to the bar for
daring to question its independence. and the
4
Tho debate in the House to-day WIS as lively
and interesting as yesterdays discussion WIS
stupi and wearisome. When the House met
westerly gale was blowing. which filled the air
with dust and almost hid the city from view
from Capitol Hill.
Proctor Knott OF Kentucky was tho first
speaker. As Chairman Of the Judiciary Com
mittce in the Forty-fourth and Forty-ffh Con-
crosses. Mr.. Knott has shown repeatedly his
ability to make u fine legal argument His Ia
Gus Duluth speech was masterpiece Of witty
eloquence. Tho members who listened 10 Mr.
Knott this morning expected good speech
and were not disappointed. There is nothing
in the personal appearance OF the man which
indicates his ability. II his stubby white nous
tache should be removed Knott would resem-
bic big-headed country school boy He Is
short. full about the shoulders and rather in
clined to be bow-legged. When gcsticulating in
debate his black hair falls down upon his
forehead. and looks as though it had been
banged. He uses choice language in
his speeches presents the telling points Clearly.
describes eloquently. and has at his command n
fund Of satirical expressions and amiable in :
yectives. He never speaks unless he has care
iuiiy studied MS SUBJECT. He is not an otf-hund.
cut-andithrust de6ater. In opening to-day, he
quoted the English law. enacted in the reign OF
George H.. TO prevent military Interference
with elections. and made the point that the Ro-
V.taf.N GfRtr
founded upon principle which the English
Parliament century and half ago, saw WAS
fatal 10 civil liberty. Frye Of Mnne was caress-
ingly reproached for his bloody-shirt speech.
made on Tuesday.
Mr. Knott said that the question under dis
that had ever challenged the attention Of the
American Congress- principle paramount to
dent, principle in which every freeman ~
the country. whether Republican or Democrat.
had vital interest principle which lay, AZ the
foundation OF all political institutions. and upon
which their purity and p"rpctuity depended
in word, 9 great fundamental principle Of re-
protected from the slightest approach Of
military power and TIE voters left nj
the high prerogative OF sovereign citizens.
The words proposed to be struck out were in
violation Of the Constitution. The army could
at the polls or elsewhere. except under the cir
cumstances provided for in the Constitution.
And yet the proposition to strike those words
out OF the statute had teen denounced as revo-
luton. What was revolutions II WIS mate
rial change in the constitution Of government
This idle squib about revolution WIS too absurd
10 be ridiculous. He had ~ much conflden -
as the gentleman from Maine Mr.. Frye had in
an everything Providence He believed that
the same Divinity who had led HIS chosen
people through the desert for forty years would
s4dd the o On 6opea 94f
tlemen on the other side would possess their
souls in patience" and not expect such sack
and pllage as they seemed to anticipate when
that contamination SO deyoutiy 10 be wished
was achieved.
next orator. Mr.. Houck represents the only Re-
PUBLICAN district in his state. He Is a Now
10y himself. for the next Congressional Dire.
tory. says that he never went TO school but
three months in his life. educated himself nj
knot as all great self-educated statesmen study
by that sort Of light. and was cab
profession lawyer. Mr. Houck is m
ordinary appearing. midd!e-hged man
HIS bearing Ia the discussion showed that he
possessed a great deal more assurance thar
most Congressman acquire AT the end instead
o. the beginning OF their first term % Office
He answered with great deal II buster. II no
wisdom. every question that was put TO him
HIS speech was particularly appropriate 10 TIT
stump He cared not who had enacted tho law
which II was proposed 10 repeal. whether Dem
ocrats or Republicans. That was immaterial tC
statesm and patriots. When that law was on
the only fair elections which the South had eyel
had since reconstruction had taken phce;
SfcOr HODeAnn maze tle most cons lcuOus
speech Of the day on the Republican side. Clos,
attention was paid 10 what he said by both par
ties. He stood in the first aisle To the left II th'
main aisle on the Republican side. De GOyrl
Garfield twas seated AT RObesOns right hand
The appearance Of these two patriotic eX
ponents Of Republicanism was inspiring. Gar
field lay back lazily in his chair looking NJ int
the face Of the eX-Secretary Of the Navy. II
big head. fat checks. yellow complexion, anC
eanctimoniOus expression Of countenAnce con
trusted strangely with RObcsOn's appearance
The countenRnce Of the latter Is as rosy as
dead ripe Jersey peach. Every feature
Indicates that he Is well acquainted
with canvas back aud Burgundy.
Robson is never quiet while speaking
HIS hands are always moving SUCCESSFULLY from
on' 4 cket 10 another, or saving the air. !
favorlte gesture is to interlace tho fingers an,
hlld both hands down I'm front Of him. The
only humorous remark made by him in h
speech was his assertion that he loved the Law
mingly until Mr. MrLane who is u fms consti
tutiOna lawyer, tripped him up on q statemeu
that the Government Of the United States hu
the right 10 Keep tho peace within the States
and then Robson WAS at sea.
Mr.. Blackburn's speech was tho event u ih
day. The Kentucky orator has made many nm
speeches in Congress in the pust lour years. bu
none OF them WAS equal 20 his effort this after
noon. Blackburn has predmlncAtly th" KIT O
speech. He is never at n loss for words. an
they fall from his lips with wonderful huency
Ha hua "a Nna vOiee II rich and deer