New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-06
,BY ~LEGaA TO THE TKIBrNE.I

hthS y
,BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TkiBCNE-I
wasbirc+or nec ,-Today,s debate in the Senate
On the Election bill was decidedly dun ana leaIuIerI9,.
Mr. GRAY. Of Delaware. the leading minority hiehoo'
# the Committee on Privileges and Elec'lohS' u'oh Wv
floor In opposition to the bill and taiKeu ""' 'O '"0
for adjournment. lie VIII rene" "S :, On
morrow. and there is some chance that IL may oo Al"
lshed before the legislative work OF inc : -. 49,
morrow evening. Mr.. Gray is an easy ana a' un''
q noe+ acreesble talker, but his set speeches are 700
freouentlv proHx and interminable. lis criucis" u
the Election bill was minute ana e'a'c" nav W" ",
directed toward proving that measure III ooliiV' VIZ"
tho eyistinc relations between the States a"u nv y"
eral Government. u,ouu vis.,
- Tod N the discovery that, by a mistake Of
.H,.or that nrovision Of the House bill. winch
h.a hoen stricken ont by the Committee on fflVhesee
and Elections. had been rcinserfed In 'he senate suoS"
,r,a The mistake will be corrected before a Vo'e D"
the bill is reached. s .o
sraw ND and submit a rule for closing ucoa'o Ia -
49, meeting today, but ii was decided to wait nun
~ ro;ror;,v sbould show an evident disposition 10
49, 10 Obstructive methods before attempting 10 lo'oc
the adoption of " the previous question: oeNcia' ~ w
publican senators are vet to speak on the V'o u
and at least another week can be leSitinatei' o''up'1
l., ashate There are a number of Democratic senators
,bo do not wish TO engage in a flibustering hght' anu
,ovor allowing a vote TO be taken on the Election OH
aHor a discussion of reasonable length. 1t VIII oepoH'
.ntirely upon their ability to control ana
opinion on the minority side whether OF ho' q" o ~,
and ont struggle over the adoption OF a ne" r'ue vi"
be made necessary. o-.
The hill. Mr.. GRAY said. was confessedly OF the hrSt
importance. most far reaching in its consequences w
fin the opinion Of many most menacing TO the pe"'c,
,anpiness and freedom OF the people OF the seNc''
.,ate- Notwithstanding the sheer uttered oy the rIVef
sent of the United states as 10 the objections ol "o'
Who opposed the bill. there were those on MS Nv Vi '
chamber and throughout the country-he ooho''"
majority of the frcemcn of the country-"ho ~
that the bill was one that threatened the integrity
American institutions. state and National that IL Vas
fraucht with the greatest danger 10 the "'uro pIu,
neritv OF the whole country and that IL menaccu inc
liberties of the people of all the states IL was 'o
first time in the history Of the GoVerhhen' '"' "
measure was proposed on the theory thal uo ~
were no longer able to provide for ana that .c poop"o
of the States were no longer fit 10 be Intrusion "N"' 'N
control of their own elections.
Taking up the 14th section OF the DILL III So"
Jurisdiction on election matters 10 United states courts
and Judges. NJ. Gray argued that snch extrsluo'c'd'
duties could not be imposed by Congress upon courts
and tud ces. and he fortified his argument by quo'n
ttons from the decisions of the supreme court
Mr.. George suggested the question whether, II the
powers described in the 18th section were !uuN'"i'
,hcv could be conferred on a board OF canvassers
ana II INV "N
be conferred upon a Circuit Court,
Mr.. GRAY thought that the question was a striHinS
elucidaton Of the doctrine which he ma been Gu
dcavorine 10 develop and discuss. II the powers "oro
judicial II was beyond the competence OF Cons'ess
10 confer them upon a board OF canvasseTs ana II
they were not judicial they could not be conferred
upon the court.
Mr.. Hoar asked Mr.. Gray whether he held that
o State legislature could not authorize q board OF
conrsssers TO count votes and 10 declare the title
10 sn Office: and whether 1t could not provide, mrthef'
that there might be all appeal TO the judicial power
10 revise and control the action OF such board.
Ny. Gray replied that the correct answer 10 the
question would depend largely on the Constitution OF
the particular state.
Comins to speak of the application Of the law to the
Southern States. Mr.. Gray referred to the improvement
of affairs there since the Reconstruction period. ana
asked why that amelioration should now be inter
iered with. "Why, in the name OF humanity ne
asked. should this measure be pressed as a new
difficulty, as a new source OF danger and animosity'
and a new burden on those people VINO nave ahc"N'
borne so much1'
Pint the law. he continued. ais National IN It's
effect. There IS no State in the Union whose FREQ
people will not feel the pinch and the degradation
Of this supervision. And, therefore, | come 70 the
discussion of this bill as a great party proposition 10
turn rack the traditions of a hundred years OF oTdcriv'
rational and pcaceable Government under the ConSti-
tMl0D OIL lH lIlifA CAoNN7s h"N W
ideas and sentiments that have warmed the breasts Oh
American freemen through three generations"
Coming 10 the section which provides that a super
visor of elections 90 be selected as a discreet man
may make a house TO house visitation 10 inquire as u
r.mes notifies. nationality. etc, Of It's male inmates
Mr. GRAY Characterized that Official as "uhs 'zai
that js 10 be: this satrap Of a province
Nr snooner asked Mr.. Gray whether he was now
,..or,ng n what was known ~ the domiciliary clause
Mr.. Gray said that he was.
Mr. srooner said that that clause had been strucl
nut by the committee.
:. put - said Mr.. Gray. d" it IS in the bill as reported
Mr.. Ioar explained that it was in by a r1iSfahe
either NJ the clerk or printer but he subsequently al
no,.,cd that the mistake might have been his own.
Mr.. Call at 4:l5 suggested that the senator iron
delaware had been on the floor for three hours an
must lie fatigucd. but Mr.. lIoar remarked that the wor
of the session could hardly be performed in tlirtce'
,roo,,s u the senate were to adjourn so early
There was some difficulty on the part OF Nj
Edmunds and other senators to find tho donic1iar
c,ause in the printed bill, and this led to a suggestion
nv Mr.. Allisoi for a reprint Of the House bill and III
oen Mr Dsniei snggeiitcd that the bill should be son
back TO the committee 80 a. TO have IT. reported cxactl
as the committee wished but MI ALLISON do not tlih
Mr. GRAY moved that the paragraph in question b
,t,1lck out of the substitute.
Mr. Kvart, "a member OF the committee) explcs,e
the opinion that 1t ought TO be struck out as IT wa
Nr. Eamands expressed the opinion that it ought
stand. lie regarded ~ - Il proper. ~ N'0V"
Mr.. DanICl-DOeS the senator thiHk that me aupc
visor oaght 70 be attended hy AL armed oIh,cr!
Mr.. Edmuuds-if there l. likely to be a MOB to dnV
him away ] think he ought Ia be.
Mr.. Gr1N-SuppOse % man. In his own castle ucCHn'
an Interview with the gentleman who comes with q
armed deputy marshal
Mr.. Edmunds-Thcn the duty Of the supervisor an
of the marshall agent j. ended for the VINO
%snthority is TO ring the doorlcll and make Inquiry;
Mr.. Gray-Thcn That should be stated IN the bill
Mr.. FhmundS-That i a matter of tt~t. do IN
know how MANY doOrbcll, there are In Delaware.
Mr.. Morgan offered a resolution, which went ov'
AN tOrnnrfnU calling q m Inc ATTORNEY NrFntf1l lI
statement Of the names, places OF e'idencc ana dat
~ appointment OF he chief supervisors OF election no
in Office in each judicial district in the several Statr
The Senate then, at > O'Clock, adjourned TIL I
morrow.
THAT RESOLUTION OF THE ALLIANCE
Washington. Dec. Representative J. II. Sweene
of Iowa. to-day sent 10 Representative Flicker. of sou
Dakota. who is at present al the meeting OF q
Farmers Alliance. at Ocala, Fla:
am credibly informed that instructions 10 prOcu
. massage BY your assembly OF the resolution OppOsii
the Election bill. was telegraphed from the CA
FOL here. 10 Florida. by Democratic Senators sever
hours before the resolution was reported to yoar