The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-16
D0WNINGTHEFORCEBIL BILL
SENATOR COLQUTTT TAKES A HAND
IN THE DEBATE.


WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-The fight against
the force bill is still on in all its iierceness.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Morgan offered
a resolution asking for information as to
the claims for compensation of John l.
Davenport as chief supervisor; when his
bills were presented for allowance and when
paid; and also information as to what pay
ments have been made out Of the treasury
for fees or services of Supervisor Davenport
as circuit court commissioner.
Mr.. Hoar objecting, the resolution went
over
The Senate then proceeded TO considera~
ton of the election bill, the floor being
taken by Senator Colquitt.
After referring to the material prosperity
and advancement of the country during
the past century, Senator Colquitt drew a
bright picture of the future, when the ma
tion would be limited only by the
boundaries of the North American conti-
nent, and when it would contain pop1la-
ton of 600,0O0,00l But this picture had
darker side. Would the country develop
into another huge China, under the iron
tread of corporate power and gigantic
wealth would we drift back into monarch
ial regime, with but semblance Of free
dom? Our dangers were all internal. The
country was threatened with the powerful
influence of an extended plutocracy.
THE RACE QUESTION.
While all the people Of the United States
spoke the same language, the race question
which was presented was full of more in
tricacies than the same question presented
in Europe. He made an earnest appeal for
the abolition of sectionalism. Unite the
sections on all questions, all matters of the
country's interest and remit TO the people
and states all power not delegated to the
government by the constitution.
EVILS OF THE ELECTION BILL.
He characterized the election bill as a
complicated and misunderstanding system of
political machinery. 1t created an ire
sponsible power unknown to the constitu-
ton. 1t confounded all departments of the
government. 1t converted merely minis
terial powers into executive and judicial
functions. 1t created swarms of petty Of
fees. 1t appropriated millions out of the
public treasury for the creation of a cor
ruption fund in the form of larger fees
and salaries. 1t was a scheme to take pos
session of the southern states and subject
them, by indirection and false pretenses and
DISCUSSES, to negro ascendancy aud party
despotism. 1t was scheme to take posses
sion of the whole election machinery. to
canvass the districts, and to whoop up re-
iuctant voters. Could sectional fanaticism,
he asked, so furthers
RIGHTS OF THE STATES.
The right and well-being of every state
| in the union should, Senator Colquitt said,
be a common care. The party press or
! individual that sowed discord should meet
with the severes5 reprobation. And yet
honored and influential men in the Repub-
| lican party were seen continuing to pursue
the game Of distraction and evaporation.
1t surpassed human belief. as it surpassed
all human folly and wickedness, to suppose
that men claiming to be patriots and states
men could hope to advance or TO save the
government under the guidance of
such mischievous spirit. If the
philanthropic patriots who stood
with "a FOOLS Errand" in one hand and a
bludgeon in the other for the nurture and
admonition Of the south, would keep cool
enough to think of the amount of human
nature there was in its people they would
soon realize the fact that kind words would
start more tears and draw more good re-
solves from them than all the gibes and
denunciatons that truculent uncharitable-
ness ever uttered.
WHAT is NEEDED.
What was needed was a closer union;
truer and intenser feeling; broader nation
atty, and what was termed in a classic
phrase, "Idem Sententidnl de republicd,"
He believed that that would come. He
would not despair Of the future. He did
not despair of witnessing the time when the
south would no longer be tho victim of vi
tuperation, and when the spirit of the north
and the spirit of the south, in my site union.
would join in reverent exclamation Of,
"How beautiful are thy tabernaclesl What
people at last is like unto thee9n
Senator Colquitt, though a trifie under
the weather, made q most effective speech.
He had the post of honor In the advance
guard, and held it well. The senators on
both sides listened attentively. and after
ward congratulated Mr.. Colquitt upon the
high character Of his speech, which they
pronounced most statesman-like.
CONSTITUTIONAL ARGUMENT.
Mr.. Wilson of Maryland made legal
and constitutional argument against the
bill. If this revolutionary bill. he said,
should become law, it would spring from
an utter forgettulness and disregard OF the
high and unalterable obligation on the part
of congress not to exercise such powers ex-
cept as last resort, and under
circumstances of extreme necessity, or Of
urgent exigency. The existence Of such
circumstances could not now be affirmed
by who surveyed passing events through
the magnifying and distorting lens of most
bitter partisanship.
He was firmly convinced, he said, that if
the election bill became law, its execu-
tion would be followed by riots, disorder
and bloodshed. He was sometimes op.
pressed with q suspicion that some Of its
supporters wished that that would be the
result, so that there would DO a chance for
armed intervention.
NORTH CAROLINA'S ALARM.
Mr.. Vsnce was the next speaker in an
tagonism to the bill. The people Of North
Carolina, he said, we're justified in viewing
the proposition with suspicion and alarm,
because it proposed TO change the manner
in which they had been accustomed to exc
cute and declare their will, and |
provided that that will should |
be executed and declared at the
dictation OF others. The bill was not in
tended, es Mr.. Hoar said it was. ''to pre-
serve the constitution Of the United States |
and to promote the purity of elections" It |
was not intended to defend the ballot |
against those who would substitute a pro-
cess Of fraud, intimidation and bribery for
honest elections.
ITS INTENTION.
1t was intended to resurrect the moribund
carcass Of the Republican party, if possible;
TO restore it once more to vitality, and 20
grasp political power. IL was framed for
taking possession OF all the election ma
chinery in the democratic states OF the
union, so that frauds might be committed by
the republican agents, and might inure 10
''the benedt of the undersigned.n It was