The Washington bee. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1884-1922, 1891-02-21

than is useful or necessary as proposed, or
to be resisted only as 1t should be resisted
by those to whom the legislation is repug-
nant. But no such course was taken.
When this bill was introduced here and
laid upon the table as a method of law
regulating the election of members of the
house of representatives, how was it met
by the democratic representation of opin-
ion and purposes?
As expressive of democratic opinion
and purposes, j present the very brief
but, l believe, the entire statement of the
eminent senator from Alabama Mr..
Pugh a senator who, from the breadth
of his understanding and the soiidity of
his judgment, carries the greatest weight
In gathering and expressing the opinions
OF the political party and of the COM
munity which he represents. He carries
not less weight with us on this side, and
when, through him as the spokesman for
party, We are advised what the issue in
congress and with the people is, we are
quite justified in knowing what the arena
and what the discussions are that are to
attend the treatment of the subject.
When the measure now under consider
alton was reported from the committee
on privileges and elections, on the oath of
last April, the senator from Alabama Mr..
Pugh rose in his place and said:
Mr. President, in reference the bi Just reported
by the chairman of the committee privileges
and elections, as member of that committee
desire to say that favorable report on that bill was
opposed by every democratic member of the COM
mittee. The minority regard the bill us revolution
airy in its character 1t substantially wipes out tie
regulation of congressional elections by the states
which has been the rule for century, without any
demand from the people for the change and with
out any public necessity for the change appoints
republican supervisors, state boards of canvass to
oversee state officers thereby insulting and degrad.
ing the state officers and the state governments 1t
prostitutes and degrades the judiciary.
1t prostitutes the judiciary of the United States to
political and partisan Uses, and it is subversive of
the fundamental principles of local self govern
ment. If the bill becomes law, its execution will
insure the shedding of blood and the destruction of
the peace and good order of this country Its pas
sage will be resisted by every parliamentary method
and every method allowed by the constitution Of
the United States.
This quiet regulation by law of the cleo
ton of members of the house of represen-
tatives was thus treated by the democratic
party, and the subject was thrown head
long into the arena of political agitation
and there it has been kept, 30 far as the
democratic party could keep it, from that
time to this. What | ask attention to now
is that this pronuncismento is of war and
of the methods of war. 1t passed over all
details; it passed over the minor subjects
that have since been brought into debate
The measure was denounced as reyolu-
tionary, as unconstitutional, and in a GER
tain sense was to be taken as measure
not to be submitted to and would not be |
submitted to if it should become law.
That, Mr.. President, raises great issue |
in this country. The constitution, incIud- |
ing lie fifteenth amendment and includ- |
- constitutional law that shall be |
Ing any Ne law of the land, not only in /
passed, is ~ is sleeping in the consti-
the sense that be awakened perhaps |
tuition and only ~ shall be called ont |
by the thunders that sfe
to enforce it, but in the colce.e&e 90 cQSIss
oath of every public man on this floor,
of every public man in every state, in
the state arrangement of government,
in the president of the United States; and,
so far as 1t becomes a question for the
Judiciary to enforce it either by criminal
prosecutions or enforcing its process, it is
in their oaths that this measure, if it
becomes a law, is to be enforced.
Whence comes this unexpected declara-
ton of war against the constitution and
against the fifteenth amendment and
against the prevalence of law through
courts and accredited officers of law?
Whose blood is to be shed and by whom
is this blood to be shed? One authority
is excepted and given to man from the
general rule proclaimed by divine author
ity: Vengeance is mine, | will repay"
In this matter of the life of man taken by
man there is solemnly accorded to man
the right to punish and redress. who
soever sheddeth mans blood by man shall
his blood be shed"
In a quiet discussion of the methods of
the clauses of a bill or of the force and
efficacy of the pertinent clauses of the
constitution, we are confronted with this
opposition, no matter by what methods
allowable in parliamentary procedure,
however far they may be carried, and by
the resistance of the population even 50
far as the shedding Of blood because Of
repugnance to it. Does this frighten the
people of the United States? Does this
brighten the senators on either side of this
alley? Does this brighten the republican
party? Does this disturb the currents of
trade and the flow of prosperity?
No, Mr.. President; whatever the consti-
tuition is, whatever the laws are held to
be in pursuance of that authority, sooner
or later they will be maintained We can
have no middle ground between loyalty
and obedience and resistance to law. One
or the other must 60 to the wall; and if this
constitution is to be driven to the wall
against the loyalty of the great masses of
our people and the great population of
thrift, of industry, of prosperity, we shall
find it out. But no man ever thinks of
that as possible.
What, then, are the methods and the
preparations for this conflict? Mr.. Presl-
dent, | have no occasion to use any oppro-
bious epithets concerning it; but in our
politics and in the conflicts that pervade
different portions of the community of
this vast nation We are familiar with the
proposition made to the rest of the coun-
try, made to the lawmakers, made to the
judges in the execution of law, 'let us
alone" and that this mischief or danger,
-l,a3 H. -, |