The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-18
In LONG POLITICAL DEBATE.
BOTH HOUSES or CONGRESS DISCUSSING
THE ELECTION LAWS

THE ELECTION LAWS
Mr.. CariisIe's Powerful speech in the House
-GarneId's Cry of Revelation Sneered At
by KeIley-Voorhee. and the Grant Party.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-Two strong
speeches in support OF tho legislation on tho
appropriation bills proposed by tho majority
in Congress were made to-day. Mr.. Voorhees,
upheld the Army Appropriation bill in the Sen
ate. and MIR. Carlisle advocated the repeal OF the
Election laws on the Legislative. Executive. and
Judicial Appropriation bill. in the House. Mr..
Oarlisle's speech was the nblest that has yet
been delivered In either House OF Congress on
either Of the appropriation bills After the
morning hour expired Mr.. Kelley OF Pcnnsyl-
vania took the floor. As the father OF the
House he exercised his parental perogutivcs
with grent impartiallty. He bastlnudocd De
Golycr Garfield for attempting to revive sec
tiona strife, denied that there was ANYTHING in
the Democratic programme which savorcd Of
revolution. and showed that from the time to
which the memory OF man runnoth not to the
contrary 1t had been the custom to place
riders" upon Appropriation bills. Mr.. KEEL
Icy said that he would vote for the measures
proposed 10y the Democrats II they were con-
taned in separate bills. but he was opposed to
their cngraftmcnt upon appropriation bills.
and should therefore oppose them.
Garfield denied that lie had ever said that to
place riders" upon appropriation bills was row
dictionary and Kelley insisted that he had said
so. For time 1t looked as though there would
be n row in tho Republican camp but the II fl
Guilty was smoothed over. Tho Congress onal
Nestor pronounced against the martial spirit Of
the debate upon the Army bill He said the
Democrats would make tho North as solid as 1t
was in 1861 apparently forgetting that he had
deprecated sectional discussion only moment
before. Mr.. Kelley came very near lcaping into
the bloody chasm himself. After attacking free
trade and honest money and bestowng glow
ing culogy upon the past greatness of tho Re-
| publican party. Mr.. Kelly finished.
The floor OF the House wore a different look
while Mr. Carlisle was speaking from that
when Mr. Kelley had II. Members who had
been lounging in tho cloak rooms and con-
versing in the renr Of the desks took their seats
! Gclyer Garfield Secor Robson. and other Re-
| publicans clustered about Mr.. Carlisle All Of
hs SMygrs n CSps @ere 1 enn n w,n
! bis second term IN Congress He was preceded
here 10y reputation Tor legal ability. In tho
methods OF legislative business closely. but
IoSk s ii,te part IN The des@tes In The
he was useful working member. He had
| mastered the rules and parliamentary practice
parties. Mr. Carlisle is not an orator. lie pos.
| sesses none oi the tricks Of voice which make
| his colleague. Mr.. Blackburn. such an entertain
! INK speaker. He has a good command Of Ian
| guage. however. always speaks extemporane-
| ously aud In tones which can be heard In every
! pnrt Of tho chamber. Seen from the galleries
| Mr. Carlisle looks to be about thirty ilvo years
! OF age Ho is. however, nearly iorty-ive. A
| smooth face gives him a youthful look.
At the beginning Of his speech to-day he
| mentioned the Legislative practices Of the past
| 10 show that riders upon appropriation bills
| have always heen customary. He said that the
! minority insisted that the proposed legislation
should not be put upon an appropriation bin
! The Executive is not the master OF Congress
and legislation cannot be shaped to meet his an
| proval. The issue had been tsquarely made.
! and could not be withdrawn. The duty OF the
House was sacredy to represent the will OF tho
| people and to redress their grievances. Mr.
Carlisle said that the laws which II IL sought to
repeal give the President authority 70 control
the ELECTION OF the Representatives OF the peo-
pie. The question was o. vital interest TO the
| lovers Of constitutional liberty. The odious
| election laws affected the North far more than
| the South. There are fity-ilve cities in the
| North with population OF over 1--WE millions to
which tho laws are applicable while they
| bear upon only fourteen cities and about
one million people in the Southern States
Ten times Rs much money was spent 10 nay
| the North In the South. Mr.. Carlisle EN-
| phasized the point that the House OF Represen-
tatiyes is the peoples House and that the Ex-
ecutive had no right to dictate 10 the reprcsen-
| tatives 81 the people tho laws which they shall
! enact In contrast with this truth. he showed
| tenance OF laws which give Hayes the power to
dictate the policy OF the House in advance by
| controlling tho election OF Representatives. He
| charged the Republicans with contending for
| the right Of the President TO lay his hands on
! the voter at the ballot box and dictate 10 him
| the manner in which he shall vote; Mr.. Car
| lislo illustrated the operations Of the election
| laws by relating the manner in which John |.
| Davenport prevented thousands " voters who
| held naturalization papers Of 1865 from voting
| In New York city last November. The full his
| tory Of Davenports knavery was published in
| ypeferlay's SIN
Mr.. Carlisle then considered the election laws
| from constitutional standpoint He began by
| ami hilating m argument made by RpbesOn In
| discussing the Army hill. that citizens Of the
| States who vote for members Of Congress arc
| entitled to the protection Of the Federal Gov
| eminent. Reading from the Constitution he
| showed that II RohesOus reasoning were car
RED the Federal Government would exercise
! It's power oyer members OF state Legislatures
| In the election Of Senators and also could in
| terfere with actions OF Governors OF States.
Kobeson did not attempt 10 reply He simply
| said he should ike the opportunity TO speak on
| the point al a future time. Mr.. Carlisle pre-
faced his article on the consttutionality Of
! the election laws by saying that the Federal
| Government could not protect citizens in all
| the rights conferred upon them by the Constis
| tuition. The rights OF citizens are clearly recog-
! nznd in that instrument. but the power TO pro-
| tect them in those rights rests mainly with the
| States. The rights and qualifications Of voters
are fixed 10y State laws and as the Constitution
| makes Congress tho solo Judge OF the rights
| HhI quNlHc'll'l!s Oh i.s OWL hYWp,Is, - ipI
| Congress 10 determine tho Legality OF the
| votes cast for the election OF those members.
| The Speaker gave full force to that section OF
| the Constitution which provides that Congress
shall have the power 70 regulate the time, place.
| ana manner Of holding elections for Repre-
| scntatives The language Of the section was
| broad and explicit Congress had the un-
| doubted power 10 make or alter the regulations
| Of the States with the respect Of the manner.
| time. ana place Of holding the elections for
! Congressmen But the Constitution does not
confer upon the Federal Government any right
| to touch the voter. II cannot compel State
officers to perform their Official duties. and yet
| II the laws which it Is sought to repeal are con-
| stitutional. It is possible that Federal officers
! might surround the State Executive. examine
| the credentials OF members Of State Legisla-
lures, and cite them belole a United States
! Commissioner for violations of law.
| Mr.. Carlises peroration wis eloquent. He
! demanded the repeal Of laws which give the
| Executive power to control the peoples repre-
sentatiVes II the question was not settled In
| Congress- an appeal would be taken To the peo-
| pie and with tho motto Of Impartial Juries
and Free Elections " he had no doubt Of the re-
suit Of that appeal.
PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE.
Senator Voorhees, delivered written speech
| in tho senate to-day on the subject Of military
| Interference at elections. VOORHEES, II good
| speaker. and the galleries were well filled, not
! wthstanding the stormy weather.. Gen. DO
| Johnson and n few members OF tho House came
to the Senate to hear him. Carl Schurz wac
among the spectators. Mr., Voorhees, speech