Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-01-25

gressmen immediately concerns all, and II
10 not only our right bus our duty, both
on grounds of abstract justice and of our
own rights, to see to IL that every citizen
OF the United States 10 in that capacity
fully protected.
Thus the case stands to-day. The suf-
fraee Is given to the negro with one hand
him We "keep the word of promise to the
car and break 1t to the hope" he has Just
emerged from slavery. Very often he is
poor and ignorant, but he IL Q citizen of
the United States and he is entitled to the
constitution and by that eternal justice
| which is higher than constitutions, to pro-
lection in his rights. The United States
has no power to protect him except when
he votes for congressman, and In that vote
only the advantages of the laws which Il IL
proposed to repeal, but far better laws.
have tried to show that these laws
should not be repealed because citissns of
the United States entitled 10 its proesc-
Hon are either deprived Of their rights to
vote for congressman or are threatened
with such deprivation. I have shown the
existence of election frauds of the worst
character in the north.
No one doubts that the negro vote
whether republican or democratic, ID mst-
throughout the south. When such facts
exist We should have proper election laws
But will 90 step further, and I viii put
this question on broader ground. I am
opposed TO the repeal of these laws be-
cause 1t Is q direct blow to the national
sentiment and to the right and authority
of the nation. If they serve no other pur.
pose, except as An expression of national
right and authority, these laws ought not
to be touched.
I fully recognize that they. are incom-
plete and insufficient. have endeavored
in the past to improve them. But the
browning defect of these laws, and of the
efforts which have been made to add to
them, Is not that they. 60 too far. but that
they are Demonstrated and do not 60 far
enough. National Standardization,
that Is, of congressmen-are by the CON-
stitution wholly within the power of con-
gress. Congress should exert that power
These elections should be absolutely sep
arate from the elections of state munich
pality. They should be held on Q differ
emit day from any local election and they
should be conducted and protected by
officers. The United States has 40
right to msddle In any way with
state, city or county elections, and In |
my theory of the constitution the state |
should not be permitted to NEEDLE in any
way with the elections of members of the /
national house. The present attempt is an
effort to invade the domain of national /
authority. to break down national power,
to sweep from the statute books any recog- |
milton of national rights. On this ground
I oppose this bill. And I also oppose Il
because believe that national elections,
separate from all local elections, should be
under the control and conduct of the
United States. to the end that citizens of
the United States, when in that capacity
they exercise their honest right, might be
able to do 60 without fear or favor. As 1
quoted in the debate in the house In 1890
I wish men to be free.
At the close of Mr.. Lodges speech the
election bill went over until tomorrow.
Several bills were taken from the calander
and pressed, and during the consideration
Of one of them "a bridge billy Mr.. Vest,
dem. of Missouri, criticised the presidents
veto of the New York bridge bill and
showed that on one of the points on which
The veto was based there had been q de-
,ision by the supreme court of the United
States contrary to the position assumed by
he president. The senate then adjourned.