Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-11
The RO.sSe.

prOved-Other Washington News of The
Day.
The ROaSe.
WASHINGTON, April 10.-On motion of Mr..
Wood, the House concurred IN the Senate re-
solution providing for the appointment of two
members of the Senate finance committee and
House ways and means committee as joint
committee To take into consideration the al
legged loss of revenue arising from evasion of
the tax on cigars and other articles subject TO
excise duty, and what remedy can be provided
by Law.
The ARMY AT THE POLLS.
The House then went into committee of the
whole Mr.. Springer in the chair on, the army
appropriation bill and general debate was com
menced on the amendment prohibiting the us411
of troops at the polls as police force.
Mr.. Sparks opened the discussion. Hecalled
the attention of the House to the fact that this
Identical clause had already been added to the
appropriation bill. 1t made prohibition of use
of the army one contingency, that the appro-
priation should not apply if the army were used
in a certain way. He had understood that the
great leaders on the other side had acceded t o
the amendment. The vote upon the amend
ment had shown that but twelve Republicans
had voted against it. lie confessed that the
amendment didn't meet his views. This tame
cowardly amendment didn't come up to that
standard of legislation on the subject that he
would have wished, and if he had the power he
would insist on something much stronger than
this aud uuyieldingly insist on its adoption.
He would wipe out this un-Americau, unre-
publican, undemocratic and villainous statute,
which owed its existence to the inspiration of
fansticism and to the era of hate.
Mr.. Conger-Will the gentleman state on
what side the hate and fanaticism was?
Mr. rlyc (vot ba r
disgraces the statute book and insults the SOW
ereign people of this country. With this l am
done.
Mr.. Conger-Does the gentleman. intend to
answer where the fanaticism was?
MI. Sparks-I am not answering questions.
Mr.. Conger (sarcastically)-I will venture to
say the gentleman may answer without being
in danger of being shot on the spot.
The debate continued by Mr. Hawley,
who twltted the Democratic party upon their
evident intention not to participate in the de-
bate, sarcasticaliY inquiring whether it was
afraid it you'd bring about the nomination and
election 81 Gen. Grant, or whether the stento-
rian tones of the whisperer of Gramercy park
had prohibited discussion. The attempt to put
this amendment on the army appropriation bill
was revolutionary. Under the confederate con-
stitution it was impossible to do what some
members who had belonged to the confederate
Congress were endeavOring to-day.
position to the amendment, contending it
meant that the military power should not be
subordinate to the civil power.
Mr.. Keifer thought this Congress would be
known in history as one which threatened to
destroy the government unless laws were
passed which legalized fraud, violence and
crime. 1t would be known as the first one
which had proposed in both branches to annul
the Presidents power to execute the laws and
to preserve the peace at the polls on election
day. He thought the administration might be
regarded as nullity, but if it were it would
have the moral force at least of saying that the
army should not be used to put down riot on
election days. He was opposed to interfering
with election officers or with voters, but he was
in favor of the use of troops at the polls to in
terfere with bad men who got up riots on cleo
tion day To say fifteen years after the close of
the war an attempt was made by stealth to Go
In peaceful way what inexorable war had
failed to do. In the course of his speech he at
tempted to goad the Democrats into making
some retort ascribing to them cowardly mo-
tiVes, and quoting remark made some days
ago by Mr.. McCook, of Georgia, and repeated
by Mr.. Sparks, that any Democrat who enter
ed into debate should be shot upon the spot
This gave rise to good deal of derisive Taught
er on the Democratic side, Mr.. McCook denying
in q sarcastic manner that he had any desire to
intimidate his Republican friends in his re-
maks.
Mr., McCOld thought the amendment was an
extraordinary rider because it did not pretend
to repeal any laws, and contended that the
President, Senate and House combined, had
not the power to dispense with any law
remaining the statute books. It was
tyranical act if the House could assume to dis
pense with unrepealed laws.
hr. Haskell was not sure but that thetDemo-
cratic side was taking the wiser course in re-
naming silent. If there ever was an empty
thing to be discussed, it was this amendment.
After a loEg debate, after the Democratic par
ty had tried to strip the statute books of the
power of the executive and had failed, Provi-
dence or some other power had kindly opened
to its discernment this little trap door out of
which the Democratic party had fed from the
most disastrous defeat. 1t had been whipped
from every battle field, and when this little
trap door was opened it had rushed through
and now tried to make the country believe that
that trap door was of vast Importance
NIr. Frye entertained the House and gallery
with I'm amusing speech, taking for his text
the words of Mr.. Sparks that the amendment
was tame and cowardly.
DIR. Cox, as an answer which ne desired t.
make to the speech, sent to the clerk s desk and
had read an extract from book called
Georgia Scenes" in which the writer depicts
a scene denominated "a Lincoln (Ga) Re-
hearsal," representing what appeared to be
brutal fight between two countrymen, but
which turns out simply to be a rehearsal on the
part of one man, who makes believe he is en-
gagged in rough and tumble fight. from which
he comes out triumphant, after gouglng out
the eyes of his imaginary adversary. The op.
pOsiteness of the quotation seemed to be clear
ly recognized by the Democratic side of the
House, judging blythe laughter and applause
with which it was greeted.
Mr.. Conger rallied at the Democrats for what
he called their cowardice, their paralysis, their
dumbness and their unwillingness to debate
the pending question. After some remarks by
Mr.. Caswell a motion that the committee rise
was voted down by the Democrats, who wanted
to force vote on the amendment, or at least
to close the general debate upon it this even
ing. As no quorum voted and as a call of the
House was imminant, various propositions
looking to a compromise were made. but with
out success and the clerk proceeded with the
call of the roll, to which $50 members re-
sponded-more than quorum.
The committee thereupon rose and on mo-
tion of Mr.. Frost the Senate bill giving twelve
bronze cannon to the Blair Monument associa-
tion, of st. Louis, was passed. Adjourned.
GENERAL, CAPTTAT NEWS