Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-22
T6a 0nstIng 81 e.. TLLlman.


their stead Radical pretenders until q
quorum shall have been secured at all |
times and under all circumstances, the !
Republican majority in the Lower House
Of Congress, on Wednesday last, turned
out Hon. George D. Tillman, Of the Fifth
South Carolina district, and gave
his place to one Smalls, cOlored
aspirant to his seat. But the honorable
gentleman thus summarily defrauded of
his rights did not yield until he had
fred a few rounds Of particularly hot
shot in the ranks of the seat stealers,
which have left them sick, sore and dis
abled, and in the course of his remarks
he preached a subject which is well
worth the consideration of the people.
This was the constitutional provision
which declares that each House shall be
the Judge of the qualifications of its own
members. This provision of the organic
law of the Republic was embodied therein
for wise purpose, the object being to
assure the dignity of both branches
of Congress. by comforting upon them
the privilege of passing upon the claims
of narties to membership in their Ie-
snective bodies. Longheaded as were
the statesmen who, after mature de
liberation, united upon the Fundamental
PRINCIPLES of the government. they never
anticipated that a party would rise 10
mower in this country which would
abuse its constitutional privileges to
partisan ends, and which would be gov
erned In its action not by patriot
ism, but by party prejudice, and
so would act g contrary to
law. evidence and justice" Such a
marty has arisen, however. in the Repub
iican It's sole end and object in life is
not the welfare of the country, but Its
own political existence and its hold upon
the SPOTS and the public purse strings.
To this end all things are subOrdinated,
even the United States Constitution
itself. Fortunately the Supreme
Court of the United States stands, in
theory at least. as a check upon partisan
usurpation and recklessness, and its mis-
sion is to hold the party in power within
the limits of the organic law. Unfortu
nately, however, in such cases as the
seating or unsea ting of members, that tri-
bunal is powerless, because the COns;itu-
ton makes the two Houses absolute
Judges of the claims of contestants to
seats in their respective bodies, and this
tie Radicals have taken advantage of 10
strengthen their position in the Federal
Legislature.
1t is time, therefore, that the privi
leges of Congress in this respect be cur
tailed. If the country were composed
of true patriots, who made party and all
things else subservient to the common
veal, as was the case in the early days Of
the Republic, it would be well and good.
But when, as is the case in these later
DAYS. control of the government has
fallen within the hands of reckless and
INSCRIPTIONS partisans. and when states
men, so called, only desire power ard
place so that they may rob, cheat and
defraud the people to the extent of their
ability, then constitutional privileges
become simply instruments Of danger.
It would be well, therefore, when the
Democracy are again restored to power
that they. in order 10 guard against such
scenes in coming years as have been re-
Gently enacted in Congress, propose an
amendment to the Constitution repeating
the provision under consideration, which,
| as we have seen, may in the hands of an
unscrupulous majority, be converted into
| an instrument of usurpatiOn and Oppres-
sion. After all, when strict jus
tice is considered, the qualification
of member of Congress should be
decided by the States themselves, for, in
every eense of the word, member of
| Congress is essentially State and not a
Federal officer. He is elected by the
people of his district only to represent
the State from which he comes, and see
that her rights are protected. and that
her welfare is not endangered by the acts
of the general Congress. tits eminently
pro7er. therefore. that when the people
of any State and any district send a
Representative to guard their interests
in Congress, and the claims of such
Representative are contested, the State
who grants him bis credentials shall
be the final arbiter OF the issue. 1t
has been clearly demonstrated that Con
gress is not always fair in its decisions,
and it should not be permitted that body
to fasten upon any State alleged Repre-
sentatives who, like Smalls ct a., are
antagonistic to the interests of such
State. but make her welfare second to
that of the party of which they are mem.
hers. This actually defeats the very
purpose for which Congress was estab-
lished, viz. TO protect the interests of
each individual sovereign common
wealth, while legislating for the general
good of the copartnership of States of
which that commonwealth is an equal
member.
1t is a shame and disgrace to the Union
that the Congress cannot be trusted in
this matter, and it speaks poorly for the
American people that they have been
working to keep g revolutionary party
careful for nothing but plumber and
place-in power so long. Still. such is
[ the case, and what has been done may
be dons again. Therefore, as we have
said, for the geaeFal welfare, and to pro
tect the country in futaae against the
] misrnle of parties as grasping and Eeck-
| less as the Radicals of today, this and
all other constitutional privileges. not
absolutely essential, should be alb
rogated. and Congress should be
allowed as little latitude ss possible. If
that body were rigidly confined at pres
eat simply to making laws within the
limits of the Constitution, the spectacle
wOsid not to DAY be presented OF the
rights Of citizens of sovereign States