The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-06
Tue Day THE SENATE.

TaEDAY I'm THE SENATE.
Palmer DenOunces the Federal Election
Laws as Utterly Useless.
WASHINGTON Feb. 5.-A feeling re-
ference to the death OF Mr.. Childs was
made in the chaplains opening prayer
in the Senate this morning. Hale Of
fered resolutions reciting that the tariff
bill has como to the Senate: that the
representatives Of many great industrial
interests and many laboring men be-
lieve that no opportunity has been here
tofore given to DO heard upon its pro-
visions. and that they now desire to
present their objections to it before any
action is taken by the Senate and in
STRUGGLING the COLE mittee on finance to
give opportunity to all parties who be-
lieve their intert SITS affected to be heard
before the committee reports its action
to the Senate.
He said that he did not desire imme
date action on the resolution and did
not know that there was any necessity
for it, because he would not assume that
the committee on finance would decline
to give such hearings. He asked that
the resolution should lie on tho table,
and said that no would call it up soon
for the purpose of making some remarks
upon it. 1t was so ordered.
Berry moved to refer to the judiciary
committee the anti-option bill intro.
duced some timo ago by Mr.. George
(Dem.. Miss.) and now on the table. He
mao o the motion to get an opportunity
to state his position in regard to the
subject, in order to correct some misap
prehension. llo would vote for the bill.
Washburn moved to amend tho motion
on rnfn Ia A.
on agriculture, but said that in tho ab-
sence of George he would not press the
amendment, but let the bill remain on
the table for the present. He, like
Berry. should vote for it, il It was the
b est bill that could be reported, because
his belief was stronger to-day than over
as to the nece. sity of measure OF that
kind. Berry's motion was unac ted upon
and the bill still remains on the table.
The House bill to repeal the Federal
election laws was then, at p m taken
in opposition to it. He began by saving
that the Senate turned now from the
question OF money to the superior ques
ton OF man and his liberty. He wished
to speak briefly in behalf of the colored
people OF tho country, who were sorely
in need OF national consideration and
national protection.
In the course of his remarks Chandler
engaged in colloquy with Palmer
(Dem., lll.), who said that he favored
therepeal OF the federal election laws
because they had PROVED TO be utterly
useless for the accomp lishment of the
purpose for which they had been de
signed. Tho Senator from Illinois,"
said Chandler, lin his new political
associations, abandons the fifteenth
amendment OF the constitution and
leaves the colored people in the Southern
States without tho ballot with which co
prOte set themselves"
Chandler declared that il emancipa.
ton was right it was equally right
to put on tho statute book OF the
country tho national election laws,
which it was now attempted to repeal.
AS fair summing up OF the system
OF lynchings and other outrages upon
negroes in the South Chandler sent to
the clerks desk and had read some ex
tracts from recent lecture delivered in
Washington by Frederick Douglas,
whom he spoke OF as Tho inspired
apostle Of tho negro race.
Chandler expressed the regret with
which he had seen the detection on the
Republican side of the chamber re-
ferring specifically to the case Of
Stewart, OF Nevada, who. he said, al
VuOuBu CHo auInOr OF tho nft6pntl
amendment and tho leader in the move
ment TO pass tho statute of May ls,
1870, the most valuable portions Of
which were to be repeated by tho pond
ing bill, now gave to that bill his sup
| port.
Palmer dem ILL., supported the bill
because he believed that the federal
election laws were useless, misleading
and menace to every community where
| they were put in force.
Frye rep, Maine) said that if the
States could be depended upon to do
what is just and fair they ought to be
| allowed to administer the election laws,
but that If the States could not be de-
| pended upon the federal election laws
| should be retained.
Finally the days debate closed with
the declaration by Palmer that the
election law was o miserable abortion
The bill went over till to morrow and
the Senate at AIS, after a short execu-
tive session, adjourned.
Knabe Piano Cheap,