, 1890-07-02

WASHINGTON, July 1.-The house re-
sumed consideration of the federal cleo
ton bill, the pending amendment being
that offered by Lehlbach providing that
the chief supervisor of election for each
judicial district of the United States shall
take such action as is requisite to secure
such supervision in every congressional
district as is provided bv the laws of the
United States. Considerable discussion
followed.
Hill of Illinois satirically twitted the
Democrats for ~denouncipg the bill and
then rushing pell nell in support of the
proposition which made the provisions Of
the measure compulsory instead of volun-
tary.
MIR. Stone of Missouri made a ~constitu-
tional argument against the bill The
men who. thirty years ago, with rifles in
their hands sought 10 destroy the
autonomy of the nation were no more
guilty OF high treason than were the men
who assembled under the marble arches
and bullying dome of this capital and
were soaking and plotting to destroy the
autonomy of the states.
The Lehlbach amendment was re-
ieeted-yeis 1872. nays 1873.
Finally, on a rising vote, Lehlbach's
amendment was rejected. Tellers were
demanded and the amendment lost-l38
to l32.
Hemphill of South Carolina offered an
amendment eliminating from the bill the
provisions for United States boards Of
canvassers and providing hat from the
returns of the supervls ors the chief super
visor shall tabulate and forward to the
speaker of the house. to be submitted by
him TO the house, the results as they an
pear therefrom in each congressional dis
trict under his jurisdiction in which this
act has been in force.
Mills of Texas pointed out the dangers
which would arise from the application of
the law. Suppose the house was Demo
cratic by twenty-five majority and it was
SO showed by the certificates of the
various governors Suppose the super
visors certified twenty-five majority the
other way and the clerk of the house
acted upon these certificates, what would
be the result? The gentlemen ought not
to forget that this was the Anglo-Saxon
race; that the race had always been ieal-
GUS of its rights and bold to assert them.
and never counted the cost of doing so.
Carsuth of Kentucky asked what had
the Republican party done for the ne.
groes? AT the close of the war they we're
shelterless, and it gave them no shelter;
they were hungry, it fed them not; they
were naked, and it clothed them not;
when they attempted to save money for a
rainy day, the Republican party, through
the organized Freedmen's bank. stole the
first fruits OF their labor.
Dolliver of Iowa believed the time had
come when the Republican party must
discharge not only its promises but its
duty to the American people, and he
trusted the Republican party would stand
as one man for the s~anctity of American
citizenship.
Mason OF Illinois said the Republican
party had given the negro feet to walk
with and no board or plank to walk on.
The South counted the negro when the
census was taken; the South counted him
as a voter, and the Republicans proposed
to do him justice now and let him vote.
Wilson of West Virginia said there
had never been and never could be any
bill which would strike a more dangerous
blow at the very elements and founda-
tions of free government. The gentle
men dared not strike at the freedom of
the press, but they did attempt to strike
down the freedom of representation in
the house.
B~utterworth presented the conference
report on the legislative appropriation
bill, and the house voted to adhere to its
non-concurrence in the senate amend
ments regarding senators clerks, etc.
Lodge offered an amendment to the
election bill providing that as soon as the
certificate of the board was made public
any person who was a candidate for cleo
ton may by motion before the United
States circuit court having jurisdiction IN
the district contest the correctness OF the
certificate made by the board and demand
an examination and compilation of the re-
turns The returning officers shall pro
duce before the circuit court ali returns,
reports. tickets and all evidence on which
IT acted In advance 10 awarding the GER
t~ifcates The circuit court shall there
upon determine and certify the person