The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-10-01
In the House.

VhenteeIuN SlFf. SEPT. Ju-in IN q
house the committee on appropriations
presented for immediate consideration a
bill TO extend the time for completion of
the eleventh census TO June 10, lsea. and il
was passed
The debate on the bin TO repeal the ma
tional election law was resumed. and Pat
terson of Tennessee spoke in support of
the measure. He maintained that Presi-
dent Lincoln went TO his grave never
dreaming of universal negro suffrage: that
not soldier who followed the flag of the
Union and fought its battles dreamed of it
during the war or Immediately after. He
declared that had Lincoln been permitted
to live to carry out his policy there
would have been peace and pros
perity in the South twenty-five years
ago. Llncoln's assassination made il
possible for ambitious Republican leaders
to place their heels on the neck of the
South. Reconstruction legislation was
passed on the theory that the severe gnity
OF the states Was gone, and that the South
ern states were conquered territory
Over $500, ,0oo. 900 was heaped into the debts
of the Southern states in q few years
Ruin, devastation. iawlessness, frauds and
corruption reigned supreme.
Henderson of Iowa interrupted TO read
letter from an unnamed individual in
Tennessee, declaring that in several coun-
ties of that state wholesale fraud and in
timidation was practiced
Patterson replied by recounting the his
tory of the attempt in 1855 to punish elec-
tion frauds and called attention to the
condition of affairs in the South before the
war. when man who wclld corrupt or
spend money on elections was considered
dishonest. lfi had been otherwise in the
South since the war the origin must be
looked for in these election measures. If
the Republican party had practiced the
policy placed by Lincoln in his letter to
Gov Kent. of limited suffrage for the
negro. IT would have been vastly better for
the negroes and tor every section of the
county. Prolonged Democratic ap-
plause.
Mccall (Rep) of Massachusetts, followed
in opposition.
McNagny of Indiana spoke in support of
the measure He claimed the whole ques-
tion of Federal supervision of elections
was hurtful and oppressive.
Warner of New York supported the
measure. 81 do not care TO defend the
the state of New York" said he, against
the ISLANDERS hurled at her from every cor
ner of this chamber by Republicans. We
welcome them. The facts are that New
York ciY was the first to adopt a model
system 0f registration. election and count,
system so perfect that on the night of
the election from one end of the country
to the other the result in New York Is
known and accepted. We in New York
! city compelled the country districts to ac-
cept the same scrutiny of elections which
we voluntarily put on ourselves years
ago." He went on to refer contemptuousiy
to Justice Woods. who had. Warner said,
reversed himself in order to keep Dudley
out of Jail and prevent official investiga-
ton of the ''blocks of FIVE" letter.
81 resent that" shouted Johnson of In
diana, srringing to his feet. Justice
Woods decision was in accordance with
the law IN the case"
at was neither law, morals nor de-
cency," retorted Warner. 1T was an
illegal decision to which Judge Woods
was driven by political necessity"
Johnson sought to read an opinion of
Justice Harlan bearing on the case.
Richards Of Ohio then took the floor
and made a carefully prepared and force
full argument against the constitutionality
Of the election laws.
At the conclusion Of Richards speech
Dockery presented a partial report of the
commission to investigate expenditures in
the departments. Then the house sd-
iouruAd