Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-20
SEPTEMBER 20. 1889.
Where TO Begln the Fight.

Where 10 Begin the Fight.
We have shown heretofore that the Re-
publicans in Congress and out have made
up their minds to seize the Government
next winter by passing a national election
law. As means of securing the passage
al such q law they hGve determined 70
take possession of the national House of
Representatives in December. This scheme
is not a new one. II was hihted at last
winter when Mr.. SHERMAN, by request"
introduced into the Senate bill for regu-
lating congressional elections. 1t was in
the minds Of the Republicans who at the
last session of Congress hoodwinked the
Democrats and while they were thus blind
ed passed the abominable bill providing
for admitting into the Union the four pro-
posed new States of North Dakota, South
Dakota, Montana, and Washington, and
provided for admitting them. not in con-
stitutional manner, but by proclamation
from the President of the United States.
Elections are to be held in those inchoate
States, and if those elections result as
they are expected to result, and the con-
stitutions and governments are republican
in form, and the proposed new constitu-
tons are ratified, and all the require
ments of the enabling act are complied
with, then and in that case those four
States "shall be deemed admitted by Con-
qress into the Union" In a word, false
hood shall be deemed TO be a fact.
The Democrats in the last House OF Re
representatives. were Outgeneralled by the
Republicans. These four new States can
not constitutionally be admitted into the
Union otherwise than as provided IN the
Federal Constitution. That instrument
expressly that "new States may be
admitted Jy he Congress into this Union"
That Is the same thing az providing that
they shall not be admitted in any other
way. Congress cannot delegate this power
tOthe President of the United States. That
power must be exercised by itself. The
trainers of the enabling act, orrather the Re
publicans among them, evidently foresaw
that question might be raised as to the
right of Congress to empower the Presi-
dent TO do what Congress alone can do,
and so they endeavored to flank this point
by providing in the enabling act not that
the President might by proclamation adj
NIT the four new States into the Union, but
that after certain requirements were COM
piled with the President should issue pro
clamation announcing he result Of the cleo
ZION in each State, and thereupon the pro-
posed States " shall be deemed admitted by
Congress into he Union" We repeat these
significant words They mark an attempt
on the part of Congress To accomplish q
secret purpose by resorting to legislative
lie.
II Congress has no power thus to evade
IN express provision of the Constitution Of
the United States then when Congress as
sembles in December next, IL will be the
duty of the Democratic members, and Of
nil the members who respect that instru-
ment, to object TO the immediate seating
of the persons who may claim to have
been elected Senators and Representa-
tives from those Territories; for Terrific
ries they are and Territories they
are bound to be until Congress admits
them into the Union. The present Clerk
of the House of Representatives should
not dare to enter the names of these bogus
claimants upon the roll of members OF
that House. He should look TO the Consti-
tuition TO ascertain his duty in the pre-
mises-not to an enabling act so worded as
10 put a new gloss upon the constitutional
provision upon which that act purports OF
is pretended TO be based.
Here. then, is where the Democrats OF
the House should begin their fight
They should object TO sitting with per.
sons who have mere color OF title
10 seats. They should not countenanct
evasions Of the Constitution. They
should not consent to lower the standard
of qualifications for membership. They
should, in d word, protest vigorously by
speech and by vote, by hlibustering and by
all other constitutional proceedings
against the admission of bogus members
into the House of Representatives of the
United States.
In few days after the organization Of
the House of Representatives Congress:
can "heal" these claimants of seats in tn,
two houses by passing a law for that pun
pose. In fact as each house Of Congress
is sole judge of the elections, aualifica-
tons. and returns Of its own members
either house can as soon as il is organized
seat its own members. The Senate is {
perpetual body and is always organized
But not so with the House. Out Of the
latter body all bogus members should b'
kept until it is organized according to law
SO much for the time when the Demo
Gratis in the House Of Representative
should begin the fight against nations
election-law. Here in Virginia we must
begin IL now. MALONE is the faithful ally
of the Republicans in the North who pro
pose 10 take the congressional elections
out Of the hands of the southern people
Here and now. therefore, We must besir
the fight by using our utmost exertions Il
defeat MALONE. His election 10 be Cover
nor of Virginia would fully authorize Con
gress 70 pass a law putting our congress
sional elections under the control o
negroes and other Republican partiSans.