Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-05
The Yifty-First Congress Ended-The
Force Bill

The Fifty-frst Congress expired by limi-
tation at IA O'Clock NJ. yesterday. II used
90 be hold that IL o'clock of the night of
the Sd of March was the time when each
succeeding Congress expired. Certainly
the 1th Of March begins then. But for
many years past il has been tho custom OF
Congress 10 sit until IL O'Clock N. on the
9Th Of March. Indeed, that body almost
always NOWADAYS continues its last session
until some minutes after IA NJ on the 4th
of March. Old Mr.. BARNETT takes great
pride in being allowed TO turn back the
hands Of the Senate clock in order TO make
IT seem at least that the hour for the SEN
ate 10 adjourn has not yet arrived.
As on occasion the proclamation in
monarohical countries is, Tho King is
dead. long live the King" this being a
method Of saying that the throne is never
vacant. or rather that there is always right
full heir TO the crown-so in this country
on the 4th of March of every alternate
year il might be proclaimed. The Con-
gress is dead. long live the Congress" see-
ing that q new House Of Representatives
is always elected before the term of the
old one expires. A now one was elected
last November and might have met yes
terday had the law so provided or the
President of the United States deemed il
proper 10 convene Congress in extra SEES
sion. For many years the elections for
members Of the National House of Repre-
sentatives were not held in Virginia, and |
probably in some other States, until two |
or more months after the term of the men, |
bers of the old House had expired, but |
now there is never time when there is |
not q Congress ia existence ready to per- |
form all the functions of a national parlia- |
ment. the Senate being q continuing body, |
and, as we have said, new House being |
always elected before the old one expires.
We have not much TO say about the |
Fifty-frst Congress. The country owes it |
more for what it failed to do than for what
II did. For months past the people of the
southern States have been IN bondage TO
the fear of hostile legislation hostile le-
gislation not in the interest of the country
Mt large, but in the interest Of the Republi-
can party. A return of the worst scenes OF
the days Of reconstruction was apprehend-
ed as consequence of the passage Of the
force bill, which at one time it seemed to
be the full purpose of the Republicans in
Congress to enact into law. Until ~
o'clock yesterday we hardly felt safe. But,
thank Heaven, the Fifty-frst Congress is
now dead, and the force bill died with it.
We will not here catalogue the mea-
sures which the defunct Congress passed.
Our present purpose is merely to mention
one or two of the features of the force bill.
and TO show why our people lived in so
much dread of it. One section provided
for the appointment Of three persons to
constitute a United States board of can
vassers of the congressional vote within
and for the States for which they should
be appointed. This board was to consist
of two shrewd Republicans and one cor
rupt or ignorant Democrat. This board
was to canvass finally the votes, but was to
canvass them upon such statements, GER
tifcates, and accompanying papers rs
should have been forwarded to the clerk
of the Circuit Court which appointed
the board. These statements, certificates,
and papers were to be Republican docu.
ments prepared by Republican officials in
the interest Of the Republican party-pre-
pared, in word. by the Republican chief
supervisor. OF course the board would
have certified the election Of the Republi-
can candidates for Congress. Another tea
ture was q section allowing a certificate to
be prepared and forwarded to the Clerk Of
the House of Representatives stating that
nobody had been elected to the House from
such districts as the Republican election
officials might choose to disfran-
chise. This section would have had
the effect OF keeping lawfully-elect-
ed Democratic members out of the
House OF Representatives until after
that body had been organized in the in
terest of the Republican party, Republican
officers elected and Democrats enough un-
seated by Republican majority, thus cor
ruptly obtained. to make the Republicans
secure in their control Of that body. Un-
der the existing laws on the subject ono
candidate Is always returned as elected,
but under the force bill any number of
districts might have been
disfrapchised-left without any representa-
tives In the lower house of Congress This
feature OF the force bill, as we'll as at least
ono other. was in conflict with that provi-
sion of the Federal Constitution which
makes each house judge of the elections,
and returns of its own men,
beB.
We need not mention any other features
81 the force bill. Those we have named
would, II enforced, have secured the con-
troll Of the House of Representatives TO
the Republicans just as long as they might
hsve chosen to continue in power.
30 we Of the South rejoice over the
death of the Fifty-hrst Congress. Force
bills viii never trouble us again.
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