Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-07-03
MR.VAUX'SMAIDEN SPEECH
nm PoURs NOT SHOT INTO IA 10
ELECTION BILL.
UNLAWFUL, VICIOUS MEASURE
COMMITTEE ON RULES BEFE0rIYE
As SUPERYISoRs.
MIR. RandaiI's Successor tho Lion of
Ln,ss Fridays Debate-Rsis Efforts
Henrttly Appinudod and lhe
speaker Gong rntuiated.

During tho debate OF the Federal Election
bill In the House OF Representatives, Friday
afternoon Hon. Richard Vaux, Pennsylvania,
the successor of Samuel j. Randall, arose TO
make his maiden speech, and the members
gathered around him in the seats and In the
space before the Speakers desk and listened
70 him with interest He was going, no said, to
speak of a subject which seemed TO have been
entirely Ignored, and he was sorry 10 think it
had been almost forgotten IN this age 81 our
republic 1.-THE constitution of the United
States, / believe" he said, 'is in the patent
'oulce [laughterl, and those who want to under
stand Its meaning must 50 to glass case, ana.
having tried TO ascertain in this way what this
yellow piece OF parchment means, they TURN
away and say the constitution-that ~ a Tor
gotten subject Enough Of tn Q constitution,
no believed. was loft to substantiate his asser-
tion that this bill virtually overturned the con-
stltution and destroyed our form of govern
ment. loud Democratic pplause.l
The article Of the constitution on which the
bill was based was that with reference TO the
time. place and manner OF holding elections:
Mr.. Vaux dwelt particularly upon this word
'manner," and time and again paused TO re-
mark that he only had word more to say and
TINT was rs to this word ''manner" Ie argued
that the constitutional meaning Of TINS phrase
was that the power OF Congress was limited 10
prescribing the form OF choosing representa-
lives, and that when the election itseli began
must be construed strictly, and not ny lmplica-
lion. II was a pregnant word, and meant inc
s'habitual and accustomed mode lheTe
wer three modes Of voting which could
be comprised under this woodworking by
ballot yiya yoce or by show of hands. Congress
could prescribe which Of these methods shouli
be adopted; but the bill was unconstitutional
and vicious the moment IL touched the subject
Of the election itself. The ''manner OF holding
and the "holding OF the election" was entirely
distinct and separate, and the power OF Con.
gress ceas6d with the former II there could
j be injected Into the word "manner" the power
claimed by the friends OF the hi then there
was no word Of limitation in the English LAM
guage that could be used TO put an END TO
their devices. which tsotto vocel they seemed
10 have In such plenty.
read from the majority report on the bill, and
expressed his amhzement at the statement
therein that the words 'make or alter" in sec
ton 4, article /, of the constitution seemed so
plain 10 make argument upon the consul
nationality OF the bill almost supernuous. a
railroad engine could not drag into that sec.
ton the meaning given it.. He then proceeded
to critlcise the language OF the report WIN rei.
erence to these words "make or alter ana
soon brought down the House with the rematk
Tint there was sometimes In surgery IAN alter
alton which sometimes makes one thing, hu'
does not make the animal"
Shaking his finger at the members clustered
around him, no said he wanted to tell them
that by this bill the power to choose their rep
reseutatyes was no longer vested IN tho peo
Pile, but In Federal election officer bought V
do the bidding OF him who appoints him. AND
Democrats of the north would see that Maine
Z was one OF the tirst places where ms laN
should be carried out II II cost Sl5OOO,OOp
they would see it carried out in the north and
every dollar wrung from tho western farmeri
would be the seed OF angry Republlcan votes
Ihpplausel There was somewhere com
Inittee on rules, who were as effective agents
as these proposed supervisors. Laughter
That committee had brougHR In report ON tht
s'manner" Of holding this debate II did no
presume to regulate the debate Itself
This bill made slaves of men to federal onice
holders. Our forefathers had brought on th'
the Revolutionary war and had separated iron
Great Britain because they did not believe II
taxation without representation. lie warne'
Congress that the time might come when lcgis
/ tion dep living the people OF represen atio
would drive them to another revolt Tor TIL
same principle. loud applause oil Dnmocratl
slde.l
MIR. Vaux sat down amid the applause Of tn
4 members, which broke out afresh ms his pic
Y turesqne figure, surmounted by his unconven
Il tiOnal head gear, was seen 10 move gu oil IN
sise, aud through liz Hon g TO The lobby.
MI. Kennedy (Qhiol said that all pretenc
\ that Grover Cleveland was elected pres
- dent OF the United States by n majority wa
subject TO the further statement that NJ thu
x election large number of quallfled voters VIII
would have cast their votes against him wef
not permitted to do so, and one who would hav
been defeated in n fair contest had bee
declared elected by the Will OF the majority.
On motion OF Messrs. Buckalew and liemT
hill orders wore entered setting apart Satui
day and Monday nights fol DEBATE only on tn
Election bill.
The House, then, at $40 o'clock, took reces
until o clock-tho evening session for conslt
Grafton of private pension bills.