Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-04-02

OF the citizen TO cast his ballot unawed
and unintimidated. He quoted against
Garfield and the Republican party pre-
cedent set by that party in Congress, IN
placing on the army appropriation
bill OF 1868 the provisions winch
President Johnson, in signing the Olll'
had protested against, and also the pre-
cedent, by the same party, IN placing on
the sundry civil bill of 1872 one OF the
measures which il was uOw proposed 10
repeal. If, after the Democratic major
! ity in both houses had exercised Its
constitutional rights, the President took
the responsibility Of stopping the sup
| plies for the government, the RESPONSE
/ bilitv would be on the President and
not on Congress.
Mr.. Chalmers, referring 10 Mr.. Car
\ fields speech, said the remarks made by
/ that gentleman had shown that he had
| forgotten the history Of the laws which
| it was proposed TO repeal. In the last
Congress he had admitted that his par
ty had enacted these laws and was Will
ling to have them mustered out OF SER
vice. In 1877, the Democratic party
had wanted the suspension OF military
domination, and they had asked ior II
in the very same language which was
now on the appropriation bill. lilo
deprecated the attempt 10 blacken
the names of Senator Powell and Rev
erdy Johnson, by saving that they had
been advocates of using the army TO
keep peace at the polls. -.
Mr. Chalmers proceeded with hls
speech and asserted that on this ques-
ton the Republican party was standing
on amere punCtilliO with chip on IT'S
shoulders, while the Democratic party
was standing on one OF the vital princi-
pies of liberty. Ii, said he, this gOvcrn-
ment must be and die at the hands OF
sucha precedent, then the Democratic
party can look in the face of the dying
Goddess of Liberty and say, "Shake not
thy CORY locks at me, thou canSt not
say did it." Applause on the Demo
cralic and ieering on the Republican
side.
To this complexion has it come at
last that majority must 90 like
supplicants on bcnded knee and
pray to their most worshipful highncss
oi the minority to redress the grievances,
or that this government must die. What
was meant by the threat of the gentle
man from Ohio? That gentleman knows
his party is powerless in this lIause and
in the Senate. What then does this
threat mean? Before him when he
made ii sat the Secretary of State, be-
hind him sat the General Of the Army.
We know that the army and the
President are the only inStru-
mcnts by which the Republican
party can carry out its threat.
Ii it was not mere bravadO, not a mere
galvanic shock intended to stir up the
spinal column of the President, it was
intended as threat to the American
people, that If we dared To redress
most grieveOuS wrong by putting this
repeal on an appropriation bill, 1t would
be denounced as revolutionary, and
that the President with the army and
navy at his back would put down that
revolution. The name OF revolution has
no terrors for us. Sneering d,mOnstra-
tons on the Republican side. We
learned to love it in our childhood; it
brings back 10 us that good struggle for
freedom when our revolutionary anCCS-
tors lett their foot prints stamped in
blood in the snow of Valley Forge.
| may take heart whenever
the hour OF peril shall come on uS.
Military dcspOtiSm now threatens on
every side Troops have been assem-
bcd at the polls OF Il free people at
elections. Troops have been assembled
at the Federal Capital To intimidate the
House of Representatives in counting
the electoral votes. The battle cry OF
1880 has already been started.
4 government of law is not
10 be administered by the Judiciary
but with an army strong enough to en-
force il. Whenever it comes tOaquestiOn
between freedom and deSpotiSm the
Democratic party will be found stand
ing where our ancestors stood in lI76.
Mr.. Conger-I desire to ask the gentle
man from Mississippi whether the
second revolution OF 1851 had any ter
rors for him?
Mr.. Chalmers-Thc distinguished
gentleman is exceedingly witty, His
tory tells us that English kings were in
the habit OF keeping testers at the court
with FOOLS cap and bells. 1t seems 4
Republican Congress has supplied itself
in the same way. Laughter. But in
stead of a FOOLS cap and jing-
ling bells, which might, per
haps, suit very well, it has
dressed its Jester in swallow tails.
Laughter on the Democratic side.
Mr.. COnger-I asked the heroic gent
from Mississippi a plain, civil simple
question, and, instead Of answering il,
he Jumps upon his music-box and
makes face To the country and the
House. TCountcr demonstrations on
the Republican side, members clapping
their hands and indulging In loud
laughter for some time.
Mr.. Chalmers-The gentleman is mis-
taken. shall certainly not undertake
to play a game at which any monkey
can beat me. Laughter on the Demo
cratic side.
Mr.. Williams, OF Wisconsin, obtained
the floor, but preierring not to speak
untilto-morrow, moved that thccOmmlt-
tee rise. The motion was opposed to by
Sparks and rejected 10y party. Where
upon Mr. Williams yielded a part
Of his time % Mr.. Haskell, who argued
from the history OF the bordcr-ruifau
struggle i'm Kansas, and the necessity
for federal protection OF the right OF sui
irage.
~ the close of his speech the Com
miltcc rose and the House adjourned.
MARTINSBURG. w. VA.
Suicidc bN n Prominent Rail-