American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-05-01
Ewing On the Army Appropriation Bill.


On the 18th the House had under con-
sideration the Army Appropriation bill,
and was addressed by Mr.. Ewing. He
said:
The Democratic side had been severely
criticised for not having taken part in this
discussion He was surprised ut that. the
pending amendment was practically Repub-
twelve Republicans had voted against it, and
the Republican leaders had crowed over the
had voted for 1t. 1t was practically their
thunder. and the Democratic side had not
prepared tirpics against the very amendment
which they had SO unanimously and enphat-
fcaly supported. Now their objections come
in Babel of cries. Ali were distressed at
this amendment, from the vacant chair on the
Republican side tMr. Garied' which was an
sault Of his party, down to the gentleman
been absent at the time of the previous adop-
ton of the amendment. was uncommittcd and
free to dip his pencil In the blacklist of cOlOrs
amendment. In twelve we've years the Repub-
lean party had placed on appropriation
ical riders. The gentleman from Connecticut
tMr. Hawiey1 arraigned the Democratic party
for placing riders on appropsiation bills That
third Congress, which had tackled forty-fonr
political riders on appropriation bii!s-forty-
four rebeliiOnS in one Congress. tLaugnter.J
He lMr. EWING was not much of an advocate
of riders on appropriation bills, but he did not
would arragn the Democracy before tho peo-
pie this fall for putting riders on appropria-
interest,"? In the interest of monopolies or
three riders. The first had been prohibition
OF the degrading use to which the army
had been put, OF dispensing 1t into Little squads
all over the country, and putting each squad
at the beck and call Of Deputy Marshais. The
next rider had been proviso that long
Marshals We're to be used TO invest polls they
Judges. whose high character would give the
country an assurance that the Ma.5haiS would
not be used a. mere Instruments of party
that rider. Their most dis in yuished leader
had framed it with his own hand. and had de-
party exigency. when he felt that his party
tionai agitation. that gentleman. when the
roll had been called had been found voting
and swore to stand by. The third rider was
contained in the pending amendment. He
quoted from the speech made by Mr.; kobeson,
to the effect that this amendment g bound our
staff of the country" There was a law ON the
statute books in the very words of this amend
mont. The party OF the gentleman from New
jersey had cast more votes for that law than
man been when his party had been binding
"our defenders hand and foot" He could not
hour of peril. ILaugtrer.1
Nj. KobesonSI was pared with the leader
staff of our country"
What a spectacle, he continued, the Repub-
lican party, binding '.Our defenders hand and
foot" 1t was a case very much like that of
Whitaker. at West Point. The suspicion was
fhas tae party Gop na on Se sher ts sde
had said that the Democratic party ought not
to assume that Aayes would use the neal. army nI-
dent, he (dr. Ewingl would not be willing tnat
he should have the power to use troops ut the
polls Possibly Hayes might not make bad
use of that power Another President might
come in after him who might not be SO gopdy-
ton and of wllfulness. It might be General
Grant-lsltght applause on the Repubiican
1915 in a message to the House, that it was
well understood that the presence OF United
States troops at polling places neser in,esferea
hundred years after this independence had
been fought for and won, the gentleman from
troops ut American polls had a arm for
him. He Orr. Ewing would be ashamed OF
could calmly utter and feel such u sentiment as
that. Had the love of liberty died As arts and
sciences progressed? Had this wonderful adj
vance Of the Country in arts ami scienc ss, this
power which enabled the people to explore the
hidden depths q the universe ana 70 use Ia
companied with the decay of love OF liberty in
the American heart? If he felt that it had, he
up steam and lightning and go back to The
wooden pillow and hewed-log cabin of their
craalc sde He did NOT nnow but that the
Republican party might succeed in breaking
down ali the safeguards of our liberty and IN
handing over term after term and term after
term to the gentleman whom 1T was pleased to
call dgnoring the million and u half of soldiers
who had done the hghting) the savior of his
But whether it could or could not
succeed in mat, those who believed that the
use of troops at poHa should not be permitted.
could not excuse themselves for failing to
make this fight, and no could tell gentlemen
on the other side that IL they proposed to carry
in the position of opposing that
prohibition, the Democsat party would meet
not come of with quite as flying colors as they
did last fall.
Mr.. Humphrey-If we do not succeed, we
will not turn the Government over to you with
a war and rebellion on your hands.
ILaughter.l
Mr.. Ewing in conclusion, declared that on
side the troops might be at election
precincts. bayonets would become the base in
to the polls. Applause on the Democratic
gide.l