Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-12-16
NATIONS CAPITAL.
Election Bill Still Under Dis
cussion in the Senate.
See'y Of Treasury Recommends LeSls.
lation Regulating HiTigation.
Supreme Court Resolutions In Honol
CT the Late Justice MILLER.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 In the Senate
today Senator Sanders introduced . bill ft
amend the existing silver coinsge Law, so al
to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury
to purchase all silver bullion offered at 1
price not excs eding 81 for 37l 25 g'aias Of
pure silver, and issue treasury notes ia pay
msnt therefor.
The elections bill vas taken up, Col
quit speaking in opposition to IT, Hs
characterized the bill as q complicsted ar
mischief making system of polItiesl ma
chinery. II created an irresponsible pow
er unknown 10 the constitution; it COR
founded sill eepar men,s of the govern
ment; it converted merely ministerial pow
ers into executive ard judicisl functions
it created swsrms Of petty efice,; it appro
priated millions ou, Of the pubic treasur.
for the creation Of a corrup ion fond in ths
form of larger fees and salaries; it Was q
scheme to lake possession Of the Southern
States and subject them, by indirectior
and false p-etenses and disguises, TO tns
negro sscendspcy and party despo,ism.
Wilson of Maryland made q legal and
constitutional argument against the bill
Ii this revolutionary bill. he said, shoult
become law, it woald 'pring from utei
forgetfulness and disregard Of the high anc
honorable obligation of tonsrees, not Il
exercise such powers except as last rt or
and under circums ances OF extreme neces
sity or urgent exizency. The e1istence oi
such circumstau ces could not now be af
Fl med by any one except him who sur
vey ed passing events through the magnify
i,g and dis,oriing lens of the most bitteI
psrtisanstip. He wac firmly convinced
that if the election bill be came law in
execution would he followed by riots. die
order and bloodshed. The bill could no
fail to disturb the harmony oet~een the
races in the South. He would postpone
indefinitely any possible solution of ths
momentous Southern question.
Vsrce spoke in sntsgcnism to the bill
The object Of the bill was declared to be
TO restore the purity of elections. As the
republican party presented itself as the de
fender of poliiicsl virtue and claimed ths'
only through its agency could that state OF
bestitnde be reached. men naturally inquire
into its story aad ask for proof of its ex.
alted qualiti eations. The republican party
was the same party that insuguratsd recon
strucuon, that carnival of corruption and
fraud. that chaos of hell upon earth. A
committee of Congress estimated the
amount of plunder to be in five short year.
under the carpet bag rule. 100000 00C
in the shape Of the Increased
debt alone, TO say nothing of the
indirect damage inflicted in many ways, re
pudianon and mi.rule which could not be
estimated in money. The bill was not in
tended to d fend the bslat against those
who would substitute processes of fraud,
intimidation ard bribery for homes. elec-
tiors 1t is INTENDED to resurrect the mori-
bund carcsss of the republican party. and,
if possible, to restore it once mole to The
vitality and grasp of political power. Ii is
framed for taking possession ofall election
mat hinery ia the democratic States of the
Union, so that frauds might be committed
by republican agents and might inure "t1
the benefit of the undersigned" IL was
intended to subject the people of the South
once more to the domination of their recent
slaves.
Vance described the low character of the
marshals employ ed by Davenport in the
New York elections. He spoke of the
growing good will between the blacks and
their white neighbors in the south, and said
In his opinion man who would disturb
thst condition WAS an enemy TO both races
AT the close of Vance's speech, the Vice
Presicent announced the question to be on
Gray's amendment to strike ou. the sixth
Paragraph of section to the house clause
Hsle--lf we can vote on that amendment
now, l will not interpose motion 10 pro
ceed to executive BUSINESS.
Harri,--You will hardly get vote on ii
this evening.
Blu ler spoke in support of the amend
MT mt he suggested some days ago, provid-
ing supervisors, canysssers and other elec-
tion officers to be regarded as ministerial,
70: as juaicial officers. A loug, uniItere
ing discussion took place and had Dot cJme
10 a close wnen The Senate proceeded to
the executive session.
AT $50 the Senate adjourned.