New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-29
PRICE THREE CENTS.
HOTTER GROWS THE FIGHT.
THE WAR ON THE BALLOTBOX.
MR. JOHNSON'S STINGING WORDS AGAINST
THE ATTEMPTED INFAMY.
" PHYSICAL WRECK" BLACK AND MR.. BREcKIN'
RIDGE FURNISH no LOGIC FOR THE DEMO
Gratis, BUT AS VOTES ONLY ARE
WANTED, THAT DOES NOT
NATTER MUCH.

Gratis, BUT AS VOTES ONLY AXE
WANTED, THAT DOES NOT
MATTER MUCH.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, Sept 2S.-The debate to-day ovef
| the proposed repeal of the Election laws was de-
cdcdy warmer than il las been heretofore.
Keen political thrusts and the exchange of bitter
personalities marked the discussion at nearly every
| stage and for time it looked as II the period OK
forensic argument had been abandoned for good.
! Three speeches were delivered two by Democrats
and one by a Republican. The Democrats were
General John C. Black, OF Illinois. and w. c. r.
Rrcckinrdge Of Kentucky. The Republican was
Henry L. johnson. OF Indiana.
PHYSICAL WRECKS" LAME ARGUMENT.
General Black, whom Senator Voorhees, has de-
scrbed in an official report made to the Senate a.
physical wreck" in order TO secure for him
higher pension than at that time paid to
any one else, I'D of with a remarkably lame ana
mnintercsting speech. lie denied first. though he
would not consent TO argue the question, the
constitutionaty Of the Election laws. For three
quarters of a century after the adoption OF the
Fc eIal Constitution, he declared, there had been
no trace of such laws, and there was no instance
on record in that time of the exercise or su"h
doubtful powers by the Federal Government. II
the debate on Tuesday he would have heard. per-
haps how Mr.. Kay, of New-York. cornered Mr..
Tucker Of Virginia, by quoting the decisions Of ~
United States Supreme Court as TO the constitIf
tionalty of those laws II he had read The
Record" of to-day carefully he might have found
an answer TO his other propositions in the reply
which Mr.. Brosius made to Mr.. Compton when the
latter asked how it that in all the stages OF
this country's history the fathers of the Repuphc
who lcgislated in her earlier days, and down to
the time Of the war; never saw mt TO INVOKE 'pe
particular provision of the Constitution which,
il is claimed authorizes the enactment OF cleo
ton laws.
Because" replied Mr.. Brosius in effect, your
fathers and grandslres never concelVe' up 'o 'i'o
tine OF tn, war, the means that you have emp oyed
since the TO despoi a portion OF the cltizcns
Of this country of their constitutional rights
But il wonld BE- too much 10 expect General
Black to be either original thorough. And he
has in dsregardine and ignoring the points raised
and argued so far in the discussion, Only followed
the example set by his Democratic colleagues who
begin a hegira TO the cloakroom or seek lnspira-
ton in liquid refreshments below whenever
Republican begins 10 speak lie declared that
what was needed was protection OF the baliot-
box from political gno ance-a proportion III whcn
many people will undoubtedly agree with him, for
il is the thing that certain ballot-DoAes III the
Stat, of Illinois did not get in 1872. lie also en-
pressed the belief that the election laws were
designed to intensity the race issue-a gratuitous
assumption Oh his part, OF course. which it would
be difficult for I'm to prove. They appealed to
force. and not to reason, which is trne. for they
appeal to most Democrats in vain. or such and
similar platitudes the whole speech was made UP.
Ii was a cruel waste of time.
THORN IN TIE DEMOCRATIC SIDE
Mr. johnson is IA man who has the courage OF
his convictions. lie does not ..cstate TO con-
fess them either. Democrats are likely TO re-
gard him as possessing neither taste nor dis
cretion. They are hot apt to concede those
Qualities 10 a man in the habit of telling PLAIN
truths about themselves. Mr. johnson, in fact,
has in the short time that he has served in Con-
gress managed to prove an extremely annoying
thorn in tho side of the majority. lie has "a
way of askin. troublesome questions, OF making
perpleAing inquiries, Of pulling the record OF
Democrats" and of drawing disagreeabe con-
clusions.
His head is full Of facts and figures at such
times and il is eXtr nely dlicut for an adver-
slry 70 catch him mapping And he is rot easily
suppressed Ills vitality, energy and perscverauce
are wonderful. Added TO this he has an abun.
"a { command of language fiery and impassioned
d"liy and a voice winch makes MN easily
Heard in the most distant part of the hall. To-
day he seemed at his best. His sp'ech briefly
characterized was scathne arraignment Of the
r.mocratic party and its history. But. more than
This il was "a thorough exposition OF the legal
and constitutional questions involved Taken as
a whole, II is probably one of the best political
cppcchrs delivered since this Congress met. lie
apty dcscrlDnl the proposition TO repeal the Eleo-
ti5Ti laws az the climax of a long career or
Democratic crime. the capstonc to the monument
Of Democratic infamy
Mr. Breckinridgc. of Kentucky. closed the debate
for the day. purely personal discussion. brought
about by what surely nothing but misun-
derstanding on the part of Slr. johnson OF an
inquiry made by Mr.. Breckinrdge, for time threw
floor and galleries into moderate fever Of excite
mont II uncallcd for. and Of course did not
add anything 10 the discussion
MR. BRECKINRInGE's CONTRADICTIONS.
As an argument Mr. Breckinridge's speech can
not be considered to take high rank. In many of
its phases il was not even original, and frequently
its IL. He declared for instance,
his belief that the Election laws were unconstitl-
tiona and almost in the same breath asked the
universe 10 wtn,s the sublime spectacle" or
the Democratic party returning 10 the different
States the power conferred by them upon the
General Government" or such Inconsistencies
the speech. indeed. was full. Bat then il would
lie idle to look for logic in any of the arguments'
is not logic they want, but votes
PASSIN,, TIE LIE IN THE HOUSE