Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-12-15
NATIONS CAPITAL.
Another Debate on The EleC.
tiOn Bill in the Senate.
Busic ess In the Il Houss-PTssident and
Cabinet Consider Flnsncss.

Casey offered a resolution calling on the
secretary of agriculture for information as
to the progress made in the investigation
for irrigation purposes under the deficiency
act of last session. After considerable dis
eussion the resolution was agreed TO.
The resolution heretofore offered by
Dolph as TO the denial or abrdgement OF
suffrage in certain States was taken up, but
in the absence of Doiph it went over again
without action.
The Senate at lilo resumed the re- On
.idered the election bill. and Jones of Ar
kansas made m argument in opposition TO
1t. He characterized the bill as an attempt
to deprive the people of the control of their
own elections. and to place that contro! in
the hands of federal .effcers. 1t was, he
said, a startling proposition, and one that
patriotic men should carefully weigh and
consider. 1t proceeded upon the idea that
the people could not be trusted. There
was no other excuse for it. There was no
other logical explanation of it.
In conclusion, Jones said In this bill
you meaning Republicans declare your
want of confidence in the people. In reply
they will declare again--as they did in No.
vember-their want of confidence in you.
The result is inevitable. The people are
patriots aud believe with all their souls in
our republic, and in the honesty and integ-
rity of the people, and the party not in SYM
pathy with those sentiments is doomed.
At the close of Jones remarks, as no
other Senator took the floor, the presiding
officer Bate stated that the question
was on Gray's motion to strike out the
sixth subdivision of the 1th section, the
house TO house clause, and asked whether
the Senate was ready for the vote.
A discussion took place between Gray
and Hoar, turning on the fact tha, some
time since it was stated in the Senate that
the committee on privileges aud elections
had not intended to report that provision.
Hosr explained as he said he had al
ready done a dozen times) that ihst state
ment bad been made by him through mat
ten,ion, but that he had discovered his
error the same evening and had explained
the matter next day. If the Senator from
! Delaware wished to debate the provision
further and it's propriety, Senators on the
republican side were prepared to 90 into it,
or if he desired a vote upon it now they
were ready to vote.
II was notorious fact, Mr.. Hoar added,
that custom had existed 10 New York
city, of taking vacant houses, or houses not
vacant, and having men sleep in them
one nigh. on mattresses, and register the
next day, giving those places as their resi-
dence, and that on election day other fraud
ulent persons would vote on those regis
trations. The provision in question simply
authorized officers to 20 the houses ard
| inquire-between the hours of registrs-
ton and the day of election
whether such persons resided there
He thought it was a good, healthy reasoua-
| BILE and constitutional and most moderate
provision.
| Gray asked while federal authority should
be called upon at all for such purp Sc,
and why the matter could not be safely
left, as in the past, to the local autonomy
of the States.
No more signal instance OF the ability of
the people to deal with the question could
| be given than had been given the other day
by Frye in his impas stoned speeeh-the pu-
rifying of elections in New York city. 1t
was conceded on all hands that there were
now as fair elections in that city as was
possible in any great centre of population.
| But it was not through the agency of Dsven-
| port or his deputy marshals that this had
| been brought about. 1t had been brought
abou. by a great movement of citizens
healed by Samuel TiIden and Charles
O'Connor and Others of that party and By
good men Of the Republican party.
| Evarts argued againstthe motion TO strike
out There had been, he said, much con-
fusion and good deal of accusation grow
ing out of the two clauses found in the
| House bill, one of which (the llth sub di-
vsion) had been eliminated from the SEN
ate substitute. The clause now proposed
to be struck out was not a novel feature or
provision. 1t came up for re-enactment as
part of compendious and ex,en led ap1Ii-
! cation of the system of federal supervision
! or observation of the subject The motion
made to strike it out dill not present any
new consideration whatever.
| The observations made against Daven-
port and against the republican party as to
the so-calied force bill hal no foundation
whatever. The clause was a reproduction
of one nos in operation, and never COM
| plaiued of in the communities where the
I law had been or could be executed. There
was not a man of either party except the
rascals in New York city who wished to
| thrive on the corruption of the suilragel
who had ever lifted up his voice against
the clauses.
! But if they wished to purge the register,
! if they were eaten up with zeal 10 purge
I
practical plan. If the one proposed was
| too virulent, or if it carried with it some
consequences Of evil, Senator's of the other
side should suggest a measure TO purge the
register of the obnoxious names, punish
the wicked attempt, and imprison the wick
/ ed actor 1t was only those who did not
want the suffrage to be pure who were op
( posed to it; and yet on the floor of the
( Senate the muniments of liberty, hereditary
/ and practical. were thought to be pu. 10
| jeopardy by that clause.
| Did Senators. he asked. wish 10 purge
! the register? If they did not, then they
should strike o1t of the bill every thing
that tended to that result.
/ Morgan asked Evarts what would be the
| operation Of the clause in states that did
not provide fer the registration of voters.
! Evsr,s replied that il would not have any
application at all in such states. II the
proposed clanse he said, was not prReii-
cal one il it was not g)od one; If IL
/ trampled on rights; if it sought aims that
were unlawful. then senators should strike
! it out of the bill. If Senators on the other
| side could contrve one initial step except
that proposed, to go to residences sni there
! ask whether the persons registered from
there resided h ere, he wished them to pre-
sent Ii.
! Harris asked Evsrts whether a statute of
the State Of Ne~ York required the regis
tration of legal vatersf
Evarts Certainly.
Harris-In your opinion have the people
Of that State sufficient Intelligence AMI in
,egrity to look after the registration of their
own legal goters aud the conduct Of the
election Of their own officers:
Evsrts is that the question?
Harris-Thst's one question.
Evaris-Very we'll. Then | am at liber-
ty TO answer. suppose. Il is question
which the Senator can answer as well as |
Harr ST suppose that the Senator from
New York and myself do not differ about
the fact tha, the State of New York is sui
preme within her territorial borders.
Evarts-res, in all that belongs to her
supremacy.
j Hsrris-of course, then. the election of
her own officers belongs to her?
Evsrts-fes.
\ Harris-And her representatives. in Con-
gress are her own efficersS
Evsrts nth an air Of dissent All,
Harris Il that denied
Evarts Why, always.
! Harris-If il 10 denied, want to under
stand the fact. The supreme court has held
: ths. they are. and the Senate has so held
I on several occasions.
Eyayts-That ynuld lead In n very Ian o