The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-24
FREEDOM OF THE BALLOT
8OAR'S RESOLUTION CONFLICTS
WITH STATES RIGHTS.

Senator Daniel Expresses Amazemen ent
at the Proposition of His Colleague
rom massachusetts - The Republi-
south, Which They Are Blind to in
tho North
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23--ln the Senate
to-day Mr. Hoar moved to proceed to con
sideration of his resolution as to alleged
election outrages
Mr. Harris demanded the yeas and nays.
Mr. Salisbury appealed to Mr.. HOar not
to insist upon his motion, las it must be
very apparent, - but the rest Of the sen.
tencs was cut off ny demand from Mr..
Hoar for the regular business.
The motion was agreed to by party
vote. and the resolution was taken up. 1t
reads;
Res0lued, That the committee on privileges
and elections he authorized To inquire whether
tn any state free and lawful expression of the
will Of tile people in the election OF members OF
the Fifty first congress aud asCertalnlng the
result thereof, or In election Of members OF
state legislatures who have elected or are to
elect senators OF the UniteNsS ates who claim
seats during said congress and aScertainiug the
result thereof. or in the choice of the election
of President and Vice President of the
United States in 1898 and declaring the result
thereof has BEEN prevented by violence intiml-
dating bribery ar other unlawful use OF money
fraud or oihar crime. Also whether the laws
governing such elections in any states have be n
go framed or administered as to accomplish or
permit the defeat of the will of the people in
such elections. Also to inquire into tue facts
of the recent election in the state of Louisiana,
held on April Il. 1873, at which there was chosen
q legislature which has siuce elected two United
STATES senators; aud said committee shall also
inquire whether there we're in connection with
the aforesaid election, illegaIItes, frauds, false
canvasses a d false returns, extensive and
systematic in their character, as TO show that
there existed on the part of The various state
election officers deliberate plan to apparently
carry said election without regard TO
the votes actually cast. and TO choose
state legislature by such Illegal, false
and fraudulent means, and il so whether
said legislature was ACTUALLY and daily elected
hy tile people Of Louisiana or was in fact sub
EtAntially the creation solely OF the returning
and cinvas,ing officers and whether said state
Of Louisiana has a republican form of govern
ment, including legislature entitled to choose
United States SENATOR'S, and to provide means
for the appointment of electors for President
and Vice President OF the United States.
STATES RIGHTS VIOLATED.
Mr.. Harris gave notice that be would
move to amend the resolution by striking
out the words referring to the election Of
members of the state legislature Of Louisi-
ana.
Mr.. Butler asked Mr.. Hoar to allow him
to call up and have passed a private bill as
that could be done as soon us the resolutio
was out of the wav, (which will not be-"
Mr. Butler remarked, before next Christ
mas"
Mr.. Morgan moved that the resolution.
"which is purely political in its nature and
cannot accomplish any good, be postponed
till Monday, and said that if that motion
.f..IL ~ >
proceed to consideration of the bill to pro-
vide for printing government securities in
the highest style of the art
The motion was rejected by vote of %
yeas to Z6 nays
ELECTED BY STATES RIGHTS.
Mr. Daniel addressed the Senate in oppo-
sitiOn to the resolution. He began by say
ing that states rights had elected BENJAMIN
Harrison President of the United States,
and had recalled the republic aus t. power;
while ma jority of "a, 601 voters had cast
their suffrsges in favor If Grover Cleve-
land.
Here a side remark of Mr.. Hoar attracted
Mr.. Daniels attention, and be inquired
what the remark was
Mr.. Hoar-I owe an apology to the sena-
tor from Virginia, which | will now make
| made remark to one of the senators ne r
me in rather too loud a tone. What [ said
was, that that was the very fact which he
desired to have inquired into.
Mr.. Dauiel-The inquiry would have
been more felicitous if it had been made be-
fore counting the vote for Harrison.
PANDEMoNrUM AVOIDED.
He then proceeded with his argument
against the resolution. AS the republican
party, he said, owed debt to states rights
for its incoming President, so the country
owed debt TO states rights for
the domestic tranquility which hailed
his coming. Having ialludsd to
the democratic charges of bribery In New
York during the recent election, of the pur-
chase OF voters in Indiana ''in blocks of
i've, and Of the colonization of aliens in
West Virginia, as well as to the cou1te
charges made by the republicans, he asked
what pandemonium, what terrible suspense,
what paralysis Of business would have fol-
lowed bad not states rights exercised their
conservative aud healing sway.
HOW HARRISON GOT HIS TITLE.
Gen. Hsrrisons title of president, he said,
which had been sealed and delivered to hun,
was not given to bin by the nation, OF by
a majority Of its people, but by tine sover-
eign states, which had commissioned him
as their chief magistrate. States rights, be
sad had held the ladder for Benjamin Har-
rlson TO ascend the presidential chair; had
e"o 'oHhb'tH LilbIl pIciNBdJlNeSs anu
Gad lifted the Republican party out of the
slough OF despoud, and over the hill of diff
Guilty, and brought it within sight of the
goal Of It's desires
AN OLD AXIOM.
1t was an old axiom that the traveller
must prize the bridge which carried him
over the stream. And now that the states
Hghts bridge had carried the Republ can
party safely over the turbulent stream OF
conflict 1t was time for that party to con-
ts7s that, after all, it was a pretty good
oHdge. That republican would be an in
ate who would turn his back to the very
bridge which had done him and his party
30 good turn. II would be Gstonsh ng
Indeed, II tue New Eng Land senators should
unite to break it down.
RIGHT OF INQUIRY.
Mr. Hoar asked Mr. Daniel, whether, in
MS Judgment, congress bad authority to
MAKE an Inquiry into the existence Of crime
asal st elections for members of the House
VI Representatives, ard into the question
whether the constitutional right to vote was
abridged in any state.
Mr. Daniel said he did not doubt the con-
sItutlonal authority of congress to inquire
IpIo the state OF the suffrage. where It was
auesed Ia such manner as 10 command
gsp.ct and attention & at the constitutiol
uau been violated In relation thereto. As
70 Tie inquiry into the election Of mem b rs
The House Of Representatives, be
auihitted that there might he times.
Si icuustances and conditions under which
fF0sa q