The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-04-22
NOBAYONETS AT THE POLLS

NO BAYONETS AT THE POLLS
AN ABLE SPEECH OF GEN. WING
The Army Bill came up for final ac'
ton in the House of Representatives
on the 18th inst. The Democrats had
given the Republicans full liberty to
blow off their wind, not indulging at
all in the discussion. When the time
came for taking the vote and the Re-
publicans had exhausted themselves,
the Democrats put General Ewing for
ward to make the final presentation of
the case from their side, answer the
combined objections that the Repub-
licans have made in the debate and
close the discussion. General Ewing's
speech was an able and eloquent eff
fort, and he was frequently applauded
by the galleries.
He said the Democratic side had
been severely criticised for not having
taken part in this discussion. He was
surprised at that. The pending amend
ment was practically Republican
proposition, as at the extra session
only twelve Republicans had voted
against it, and the Republican leaders
had crowed oyer the fact that more
Republicans than Democrats had vot-
ed for it. 1t was practically their
thunder, and the Democratic side had
not supposed that it was expected an
swer their prepared TRADES against
the very amendment which they had
SO unanimously and emphatically sup
ported. Now their objections come
in babel of cries. All were distress
ed at this amendment, from the vacant
chair of the Republican side (Garfield),
which was an eloquent protest against
the sudden summersault of his party,
down to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Robeson), who, having been
absent at the time of the adoption of
the amendment, was uncommitted and
free to dip his pencil in the blackest of
colers, in attempting to paint the eff
feet of the amendment. In twelve
years, the Republican party had placed
on appropriation bills three hundred
and eighty-seven political riders. The
gentleman from Connecticut (Hawley)
arraigned the Democratic party for
placing riders on appropriation bills.
That gentleman had been a member
Of the Forty-third Congress which had
tackled forty-four political riders on
appropriation bills; forty -four rebel.
lions in one Congress Qaughter). He
(Ewing) was not much of an advocate
of riders on appropriation bills, but
he did tremble at the idea that the
Republican party would arraign the
Democracy before the people this fall
for putting riders on appropriation
bills. What were the riders In whose
interest? In the interest of the mo.
nopolies or tyranny No, the Domoc.
racy had put in three riders. The
first had been s prohibition OF the de.
grading use to which the army had
been put, Of dispensing it into little
squads and putting each squad at the
beck and call of Deputy Marshals.
The next rider had been a proviso,
that as long as the Marshals we're to
be used to invest the polls, they should
at least be choaen by the United States
Judges, whose high character would
give the country assurance that the
Marshals would not be used as mere
Instruments of party triumph. Many
Republicans had voted for that rider
Their most distinguished leader had
framed it with his own hand, and had
declared he would vote for it if he was
the only man who did so. But under
the pressure of party exigency,when hi
felt that his party must get up little
political clap-trap and sectional aglta
tion, that gentleman, when the rol
had been called, had been found yot
ing against the amendment which b,
had framed and swore to stand by
The third rider was contained in tn
pending amendment. He quoted from
q speech made by Robson, to the eff
feet that this amendment "bound ou
defenders hand and foot, and save,
the flagstaff of the country" Their
was law on the statute books in tn
very words of this amendment. Th
party of the gentleman from New Jer
sey cast more votes for that law tha
the Democrats had. Where had th
gentleman been when his party ha
been binding "our defenders hand an
foot?" He could not have been o.
junketing, certainly, at such an hou
of peril laughter.
Mr.. Robeson-I was paired with th
leader of the opposition. Mr.. Fernar
do Wood, OF New York.
Mr.. Ewing-Efhat pair did not saw
the Flagstaff Of the country" Wins
a spectacle, he continued, the Reput
lican party binding "our defender
hand and foot.' 1t was a case yer
much like that of Whitaker, st Wes
Point. The suspicion was that th
party complaining had bound itse
[laughterJ. Some gentleman on tt
other side had said that the Democra
ic party ought not to assume that M
} Hayes would use the army unlawful
ly. If George Washington were Pre-
ident he (Ewing) would not be will
ing that he should haye the power
use troops at the polls. Possibly M
Hayes might not make bad use of thu
power. Another President migl
come in after him who would not |
so goody -goody as Mr.. Hayes. Il
; might be a man of ambition and