The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-05-02

JUDGE DAVID DAVIS, United states
Senator from Illinois, addressed the Sen
ate on Tuesday of last week on the army
appropriation bill, and although his
speech occupied only twenty minutes. he
said all that can be said against the use
Of troops at the polls, and infinitely more
than Conkling in his subsequent bloody
shirt harangue. occupying three hours
and overfiowing with malice and hatred
towards the Southern people, could weak
en- or destroy Judge Davis, unlike
Blaine and ConkIing, does no speak with
q view TO extoTt applause from the gal
Ieries by indulging in well studied and
extravagant defamation, but addresses
his audience with all the calmness and
deliberation of a Judge in delivering his
charge to . jury. His speech has at
tracted wide attention and received de
servedIy favorable comment from the
leading papers Of the country, and we
propose to lay a few extracts from it be
fore our readers. In referring to the
sixth section of the bill, which contains
the repeating clause and is the point IN
controversy, he says
The sixth section Of the appropriation bill pro
POSES 10 strike from both sections the words or to
Keep the peace at the poll" " and nothing more, 50
that the Army cannot be used hereafter elections
there be any rational objection to this? Ought
the Army to be used at the polls when there has
been profound peace for more than decade Does
any one believe that such a law would ever have
received the approval of the American Congress II
il had been brought forward in time OF peace? II
o "a
grcss. taxing TO the utmost the resources Of the
country
And again. in speaking of the instinct
i've feeling of opposition experienced by
every right-minded man against all and
everything which interferes with the
freedom Of elections and the sanctity of
the ballot-b0x, he said:
tits no new thing in time of peace to repeal 4
law passed in time Of war. Indeed, no wise states
man will hesitate 70 do Il if the law be unsuitable
TO the changed condition Of things. II is part OF
the very nature OF every man OF our race 10 rebeI
against anything which iuterlereS with the freedom
Of elections, and the days Of the Republics are mum
bercd il the people ever consent 10 place the ballot
box under the protection of the bayouet."
A few days before Judge Davis ad-
dressed the Senate. Blaine. in concluding
his speech against the bill, summoned
the ghost Of Abraham Lincoln, who
signed the original bill in February,
1868. to the side of Mr. Hayes to protest
against his giving it his approval. Mr..
Davis was the warm and intimate per
sOual friend of Abraham Lincoln for
many years before ne became President,
and after his death was one Of the adj
miuistratOrs OF isestate. He knew Mr..
Lincoln much bettcrthan it was possible
for Blaine ever to have known him. and
his judgment Of what Mr.. LincOln's ac-
tion would be if ne We're now in Mr..
Hayes place is freely expressed in the
concluding portion OF the following eX-
tract from his admirable speech
Can &c he possible that q principle Of common
luW-tLe right of the people TO have an election
from the presence OF truOps-so dear to English
men one hundred years ago is not equally dear to
MIR. President, it viii require some one now
vIugto write accurately the history of these times.
for the future historian will be slow to believe that
there was any basis ON which 20 rest such AN in
Quiry in the Congress of the United states during
the latter part OF the nineteenth century. Why,
then, should not the law of 1865 be altered IN the
manner proposed by this uIllE'
1t is said that 1Ir. Lincoln signed it. and the
change 1t. Ios say the least this is pretty strong
presumption from such a predicate. No man love
Nr- laucFlr better OF Aohpf' MS hiei-'E- u''l z
than do. had any one greater uppJrtuEitle5 20
learn the constitution OF his mind and character
and hIs habits of thought He "as laESe-heAFt-l-
wiser rlLu those associated with him. full OF -yul-
yathy Tor struggling humanity. MlLAyLl iH'tlte-
trg with deep Devotion and intensely anxious 20
save IT, belieFt ing a. DO JiIt ne va raised PIP ly
Froviignce for the great crisis OF the Nr oi te re-
bcIIuu. have equal belief. had he lived. We would
have been spared mucu tho strife OF these latter
days. and that we now would he ON the nigh road
90 prusl lcrltg- SUcn man. hating All forms oi up-
preS-i ion. and deeply irabued with the principle
that induced Lhc men Of 1870 to resist the stamp
tax would never have willingly iutrustcd power tu
any one unless war was hagrsut. 20 send troops to
oversee an election.
when it is remembered that Nj. Davis
is not Democrat. but occupies am indie
pendent position in politics, his ndOrse-
meut of the position taken 10y the Dem
oeratic members of Congress against
military interference at the polls viii
carry with it very great weight and con
siderdtIOn.