Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-21
SENATE AND HOUSE.
Mr.. spooNeR, OF WRacoNs'N, SPEAKS
IN FAVOR or THE FORCE BILL
Linked bitterness Long Drawn Outline
South still Land Of Lawicssness-
Hoar Jewel.
By telegraph to the pispasch.l
WASHINGTON, December 20, 1890.

nBy telegraph to the pispasch.l
WASHINGTON, December 20, 1890.
senate.
Mr.. SAWYER asked unanimous consent
for fixing an early day in January for
the consideration Of the postal-telegraph
bill.
Mr.. Wolcott objected.
Mr.. ingalls,. at his own request, was
granted two weeks leave OF absence.
FOR A SUPPLY OF KocHISE.
Mr.. Platt introduced Joint resolu-
ton appropriating 100000 to enable
the President to take action to obtain
from the German Government supply
OF the remedy discovered by DR.. Koch
and formula for the manufacture OF
the same. Laid over.
The morning hour having expired the
presiding officer laid before the Senate
the elections bill.
THE PURE-FOoD BILL.
Mr.. Paddock gave notice that after
the consideration OF the pending bill and
before it should be concluded, if its de-
bate was to be protracted to any great
extent he would ask the Senate to take
M the pure-food bill, which was de-
manded by the farmers from one end OF
the country to the other.
sPooEER FOR THE FORCE BILL.
Mr.. Edmunds demanded the regular
order and the floor was taken by Mr..
Spooner in a speech in advocacy of the
bill. A stranger in the gallery, he said,
listening to this debate without know
ledge OF the history of the coun-
try would he impressed with the
idea that all love OF liberty and
devotion TO the Constitution and free
dom from partisanship were to be found
on the other side Of the chamber. he
hoped that tho gentlemen on the other
side would not assume that the Repubh-
can senators were not equally with
them-lovers of liberty.
A PLEA IN ABATEMENT.
He took pride in belonging to party
whose history had been love OF liberty
and defence Of liberty. Senators on the
other side constantly asserted that they
spoke for the Anelo-Saxon race. The
| Republican senators we're also Anglo
Saxons. and they would be as unwilling
az Democratic senators to disparage or
| degrade the race. The gentlemen op-
posing the bill denounced it as clearly
unconstitutiona and spoke OF their de-
votion to the Constitution. He begged
them TO remember that devotion to the
| Constitution was not confined to the
Democratic side. Republicans were de-
nounced as psrtisans. He begged to
| suggest that possibly some persons might
imagine that the ferceness Of the oppo-
| sition 10 this bill was attributable IN part
| 10 partisanship.
| BEGGING THE QUESTION.
Senators ought to be willing to concede
that in the consideration Of measure OF
this character there was room for an hon
est difference of opinion, and should not
forget that denunciation was not argu-
ment, and that epithets never convinced
any intelligent mind. This debate had
been characterized by something OF
rudeness. The Committee on Privileges
and Elections had been referred to IN
language of discourtesy. Almost every
Senator on the other side had made harsh
and bitter reference TO the Senator from
Massachusetts, (AIr. Hoar).
GRANNY HoAR A JEWEL.
That Senator needed no defence, and
if this were otherwise, he was abundant
lv able to take care of himself. But he
hoped that the Senator would not thlnh
him oiIicious in saying that he had heard
the attacks with regret and Indignation.
When Massachusetts, counted her jewels
none would be found richer and bright
or than the name and fame of the Sena
tor in charge OF this bill. He was the
peer of any man who had ever Spoken
for Massachusetts in this chamber.
JOHNNY DAVENPORT DEFENDED.
| Mr.. Spooner then proceeded to de-
fend John |. Davenport from the at
tacks made upon him, and contended,
fortifylng his contention with docu
mentary evidence. that the Federal
election law instead OF being offensive tC
the Democrats of the North had beer
put in operation at their request in many
instances.
Mr.. Spooner then proceeded to dis
cuss and defend the details OF the pend
ing measure in reply to the structures
upon them made by Messrs. Gray anC
Daniel.
THAT SAME OLD CORY UNDEBGARMENr
A good deal had been said. Mr.
Spooner remarked, in connection will
what was called domiciliary visits,
but nothing had been said OF the domi
ciliary Visits Of night-riders at thu
South or of the shooting OF men anc
whipping of women. All the indigna
ton of Democratic Senators had been di
rected at the domiciliary visits involving
only polite inquiry by Federal OIL
cial as to who lived in the house so as tC
enable him 20 Judge whether person.
voting from that house were legal voters
| The Committee on Privileges and Elec
I, tons had been criticised because i
, would not es, mate the cost OF the en-
, forcement Of this bill. 1t was impossi
bic to make such an estimate because thu
committee would not know the extent Il
! which the bill would have to be en-
/ forced. But whatever its cost the PEG
: pie would not hlgRle over any coSG luh
} would secure fair elections.
= AN ADMISSION.
It had been said on the other side tina
the bill was aimed at the South. Itwas
in part. 1t was aimed at every spot i
the United States where by fraud o
force men who had right to vote 70
members Of Congress were cheated on
of that right. The South, he thought
was where the bill was specially needed
In proof Of this he read extracts from
speech made by a Mr.. Chrisman in the lat
Constitutional Convention of Mississippi
declaring that since 1875 there had nc
! been far election in that State ths
, in plain words they (the white people
had been stufing ballot-bo1es, commi