The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1879-05-29
THIRD EDITION
|ROOPs AT THE POLLS,
n, or senator Mcdonald In the
sennle ON Monday.


senate ON Monday
r.. McDonalds (Dem., Ind bill reg
\ i-,o the employment OF the militia anu
~. INV and navy was taken up ana ne
X IN ;ts support. lie said that when
kHclause giving Congress power , W i
ve4e the time and manner vi ho'a'ns
reflections for members was dlsc.sseu W
the trainers of the Constitution lear was
expressed lest such power mlght DC ms
used to exclude all but favorites Oh ooh,
efess from Office, but those who favored
Hhe clause urged its necessity III oruer 10
3ecure uniformity. They argued that It's
mproper use could only occur whan
Congress should become corrupt ana
lease to represent the peop'e. Ii IL mad
been supposed that the clause would ever1
have been construed as it Is now con-
strued, 1t could not have been adopted.
That construction was never though OF
until party necessity dictated It's adop-
ton. Supervisors Of election are geDel
ally supporters OF the party III power, and
tie evils of this partisan system were
annarent. Under State laws impartial
boards were obtained. His objection to
the present laws was that they violated
the Constitution by seeking to thwart the
will of the people in choosing Represen-
tatives; that they surrounded the polls
with emissaries of the dominant party,
/and that the elective machinery had been
used and would be again used to obtain
party triumphs. In 1878, by the aid Of
these laws, the Republicans OBJ aimed
twelve more Representatives than they
would have elected without them.
Though nominally to protect vo'ers in
the South these laws had been used to
control elections all over the country.
In Massachusetts alone more money
was paid to supervise elections than in
all the States lately in rebellion. He
supposed this was to prevent the people
from electing General Butler. That gen
tleman was no favorite OF his, but as a
citizen of Massachusetts and candidate
for Governor he was entitled to fair play
and the people had right TO choose him
If they wished. 1t was the Presidents
duty 10 repel invasion and suppress in
snrrection, as provided by the Constltu-
ton; but another barch OF the Govern
ment was the maker of laws aud the
President could not USE troops at bis
pleasure. The use of the army must be
directed by Congress. Under existing
laws the dscr, ton in the use Of troops
in certain cases was vested in the Presl-
dent. In 1864, in his State, armed troops
left their camp hear certain town and
came around the polls wi h arm, in their
hands, driving away citizens as loyal as
they were, and voting, though not citizens
of the State. lie saw this himself aud
KNEW that similar scenes occurred else
vwhere in the State. The bill now intro
huced was not only to avert dau ger, but
10 remove the apprehension Of danger
from the use OF The military by the Pres.
Hen', and place all control Of election:
4 h the hands of the proper civil power
fi.hout at all GRIPPING the lawful powel
of the Executive. 1t also aimed to re
peal the laws in regard to Federal sup r
vision of elections. The Republican
party was in minority in every Stat,
in the Union except four. 1t held TIN
Presidency by fraud and had no h, pc o
the future but to array one section a. aims
the other. 1t required no prophet TO fore
tell its downfall, for it had been weig
ed in the balance and found wanting.