Morning journal and courier., 1890-07-01
THE FIFrx.FIRsr CONGRESS.

THE FIFTY-FIRsr CONGRESS.
Further Debate ON the Federal Klec-
ton Bill-An Eloquent Address In
Favor of the Measure by mr.. Bar
rows of Michigan-Passsse OF the
Agricultural Appropriation Bill In
she senate.
WASHINGTON, D. O., June 30.-Debate on
the federal election bill was resumed, Mr..
Herbert of Alabama being accorded the floor.
There was one chapter in the history of the
country, he said, SO full of bitterness that
every American citizen would gladly forget
it If he could. Il was the era of reconstruc-
ton. But it was necessary to look into that
chapter and learn some of the lessons 1t
taught. The passions of the war had been
still fresh and the people of the north had
been driven to approve the reconstruction
legislation by just such speeches as had been
made here in advocacy of this bill. The re-
suit had been that all the reoonstructive gov
ernments Except Virginia) had passed under
negro domination. The taxes had been in
creased and every dollar of the increase had
been spent or stolen. The color line had
been the inevitable result of the
reconstruction laws, and the manner of their
administration. The negro had been taught
to distrust the southern white man and dur-
ing the reconstruction period the southern
states had been represented in congress by
republicans. Now they were represented by
democrats. and hence the necessity for
national election law. In the. south the era
OF peace and prosperity had come. The
rpsn 1ak MOI fork so
interest to array himself solidly against the
white man, and the white man was doing
everything in his power to teach the negro
this lesson. If the south were allowed TO
work out the problem for itself the time
would soon come when the negro, being ed
ucated as the white man was, would be able
to take care of himself both as taxpayer
and as citizen. This bill would have the
effect of arraying race against race again in
the south.
Mr.. Houk of Tennessee said that his advo.
cscy of a national election law did not grow
out of any supposed emergency or necessity,
notwithstanding that there were variety of
reasons now that the power of government
should be asserted. It had been his convic-
tuition that it was paradox inconsistent with
the harmony of the national government to
leave to the states the control of the election
of national officers.
Mr., Coleman of Louisiana announced him.
self as q republican, both from condition and
principle, as a southern man by birth, edu-
cation and association. He had been elected
to the house as republican, but he was OPP
posed to the enactment of federal election
law at this time; and notwithstanding the
fact that the promoters of this measure
aimed to secure the great desideratum of
free ballot and fair count. he did not think
that this was the proper time to make this
political experiment.
Mr.. Finlay of Kentucky spoke in support
of the bill.
Mr.. Turner of Geo. gia opposed it. He
pointed out the dangers which he considered
would ariee from the administration of the
law.
Mr.. Waddell of Virginia said that If the
bill would do only small extent of what Its
supporters claimed for it, 1t was bill which
should be hailed with delight by all men.
The cry of the southern men that all they
wanted was to be left alone was the cry that
was made in 1861. He warned them that
modification of the colored vote and of the
constitution in 1890 might do for them what
secession did in 1861, and that the white
republicans of the south would not submit
to be ruled by force. The supervisors sys-
tenn, he declared, was the only show for hon
est elections in the south.
Mr. Tracy of New York earnestly opposed
the measure which he declared that no
patriotic man could vote for. No attempt to
make the bill respectable by assoeiating with
1t the name of the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts (Mr. LODGE would succeed in hiding
from the public that this was proceeding
prepared to continue the republican party in
power in the Fifty-second congress in case
the people in the election decided otherwise.
MI. Cultivate of Ohio opposed the measure
and was followed by Messrs. Hopkins of
Illinois and Burrows of Michigan in favor.
The latter said: When the popular vote was
tampered with representative government
existed but in name. Referring to the small
vote by which msny of the southern repre-
sentatives we're elected to congress he ad-
mit.ed that the elections were quiet. So
was a cemetery quiet. He hoped that the
future historian would not be compelled to
declare "you made a solitude and called 1t
peace" If there was anything in the bill
which ovsrstepped the bounds of the consti-
tuition let 1t be stricken out, but let all stand
together In maintaining free ballot and a
fair count as the only safety of the republic.
A crime against the ballot box was the crime
of crimes. He had rather the government
had been taken by force in 1S61.65 than that
it be taken now by fraud. He could forgive
man who, in the moment of passion or the
hour of revolution fred on his flag,
but that man who crawled to the
Dall0t DOA Wnere tepoeeo Inc latest
born offspring of the sovereign will and
took it's life was an assassin. In the
presence of such a crime as that treason
itself whitened into virtue. Some gentle-
men said: "Do not psss this law, but let us
go home TO the people and cry liberty
liberty!" Liberty for WHAT Liberty to
stuff ballot boxes, to falsify returns, to over
throw the will of the peoplsa He wanted to
pass a measure which would proclaim to the
,,aopIa th az tho ynyarrnant had af 1aak m adj
true the declaration of the msrtyred Lincoln
that this was ga government of the people
| by the people and for the people,"
Mr.. Chapman of Michigan assailed the Law
| a. unconstitutional, because it conferred i'm
proper power on the judge, because it re
| quired companies of fifties and OF hundreds
to put 1t in force and because it was not BY
| its terms meant to be of uniform application
to the whole country.
The debate was suspended long enough to
enable Mr.. Cannon OF Illinois to report from
the committee on appropriations resolution
extending for thirty days, or until the bill
| now pending before congress become laws
the provisions of the appropriation acts o.
10000 in pro rata.
The consideration of the election bill wal
then resumed and Mr.. Lodge of Msssachu
sets on behalf of the committee submitted ,
series of amendments, mainly formal in thei
character, and they were agreed to.
Pending further debate the house took
recess until o'clock.
Mr.. Clarke Of Alabama spoke against tn,
bill and portrayed the evils of negro domino
ton in the south.
Mr.. Allen of Michigan emphatioally uphel
the doctrine that every man who was entitle
to the right of suffrage should be at libert
to cast his ballot as he liked, and have tbs
ballot fairly counted.
Mr.. McRae of Arkansas opposed the bill g
being unconstitutional, unnecessary, partiss
and sectional.
Mr.. Rainss of New York thought It big
time trouble should be made for violators
election laws. That supervision was neoe
sary In New York could not be doubted, an
the same was true Of other states.
Mr.. Nutchler of Pennsylvania said tn
was the last resort Of the republican party
maintain its waning supremacy.
Messrs. Moore and Hare of Texas oppose
the bill.
Mr.. Russell of Connecticut defended b
state against charges of being misrepresente
in political affairs by means of unjust appo
tionments.
Mr.. Frank of Missouri from his person
experience testified that the present supe
visory system was efficient and only needle
to be extended from cities to rural district