The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-09-27
rHE FEDERAL ELECTION BILL
Tucker, of Virginia, Opens His Batteries
in the House.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2S.-The two
weeks debate on the bill to repeal the
federal election law opened in the House
this morning. The galleries were we'll
filed. An unusual number ofnegroes
were present, showing their interest in
the matter.
Tucker, of Virginia, the author of the
bill. opened for the Democrats. He be-
gan by pointing out the right to vote was
not given by the United States, but by
the constitution of the states. He held
that if the powers of supervisors and
deputy marshals permit them to perform
the acts not granted in the constitution,
then the law that creates them is uncon-
stitutional. The states alone eau make
the conditions OF suffrage. That being
the case, the United States. could not step
in and make conditions. 1t involved the
power of the federal government to de-
stroy the suffrage in the states.
Tucker then proceeded to pay his re-
spects to John /. Davenport, whose
atrocities, helsaid, were more infamous
than those of the duke Of Alba. 'sThe
repeal of these laws,' said Tucker in
con clusion, twill wipe away the statutes
that have caused the clashing between the
federal government and the states for
thirty years. | belong to party that Is
not sectional. You,' he added, address
lug the Repu blicans, shave lived on Sec
tionalism. You have violated the pledges
of YOUR fathers, overridden the constitu-
ton, denied the rights of habeas corpus,
and in thousand ways have shown
yourselves unworthy of public conf
dence. Therefore, on Nov. 6, last, you
were overthrown, and we are now here to
undo those things which you did in the
arrogance of your power"
Johnson, of North Dakota, in charge of
the debate for the Republican side, pre-
sented the minority report of the COM
mittee as embodying his views.
Dolliver, OF Iowa, was to have replied
to Tucker, but his sudden illness pre-
vented, and Brosius, of Pennsylvania,
was selected to take his place. He APP
pealed, he said, to patriotism, not to par
tisanship. Authority is obtained either
by force or consent. Consent is the only
manner in which authority is acquired
under this government. The suffrage is
the mode of expressing consent. After
the war, conditions arose that were a
menace to the liberties of a weak race.
Those in the south who had the power
took it and held it against the weak. We
/ had to protect those whom we had seen
| fight Loyalty and calamity for their free
dom. The act passed in 1865, authorizing
the army and navy to maintain peace at
| the Dolls, was more ufaStlc IMAM Ole
present laws, endorsed by some OF
the most illustrious men who ever
honored the Democratic party by their
service. The Democrats claim the power
of federal government should not be ex-
ercised, because it may irritate the states
to deeds of violence. Shame! You in
tend that the political power of the negro
among the white men on this continent
shall cease; that the constitutional rights
of / 500, 900 people should be destroyed.
No one else being ready to proceed with
the debate, a motion to adjourn was
made, pending which the resolution Of
Delegate Flynn, OF Oklahoma, calling fol
information from the war department re-
garding the actions of the military when
the Cherokee strip opened, was reported
back to the House. Delegate Flynn go'
the floor, and said he proposed, in the
near future, to ask for the passage of &
resolution to investigate the matter from
the time when the Cherokees were allotted
the land down to the present time.
The point of no quorum was raised
and the House adjourned.