Year: 1868

Vuui A1LD3 MVNuAAt w tAAt ANOM


We find the following debate in the
proceedings of the Federal House of
Representatives, May 18th, as reported
in the Daily Globe. It will be seen that
Mr.. GARFIELD suffered considerably in
the contest:


Mr.. GARFIELD-Mr. Speaker, do
not rise to discuss the main topic new
under consideration, but to notice ref.
erence to Ohio made by the gentleman
who has just taken his seat (Mr. Becky.
He claims that it is obligatory on the
Ohio delegation in this House to take
his view of this bill, because our Ohio
Legislature has lately sent resolutions
here instructing, or at least requesting
all the Ohio members of this House to
vote against all the Reconstruction bills.
Now, 1 admit we ought to pay great def
erence to the expressions of opinion of
our State Legislatures, provided those
Legislatures are by their conduct entitled
to our respect. While I repudiate the
doctrine that State Legislature has a
right to give any binding instructions to
the members of this House, still admit
that we ought to listen with respect to
all respectable Legislatures. But in
answering the gentleman's argument, l
raise the question whether the present
Democratic Legislature of Ohio is enti-
tied by its character and conduct to in
struct any Representative in Congress.
In order to settle that question, l beg
leave briefly to cite few of the leading
acts of that body. We will then beable
to see whether they are entitled to the
confidence or contempt of this body and
of the country.


By some strange inscrutable dispen-
sation of Providence-perhaps to make
the victory of the party of freedom more
certain at the next election-for the first
time in ten years the State of Ohio has
been cursed by a Democratic Legislature,
and it became Democratic by very
small majority. Although the Republi-
cans carried the Governor and State off
GERS, yet, by the arrangement of repre-
sentation provided for in the State Con-
stitution made by the Democratic party
when they were in power, it SO happens
that they were enabled to get majority
in the Legislature this year. That Leg
islature assembled, and one of its first
acts was to take from the Lieutenant
Governor the power which that officer has
exercised for many years, of appointing
committees in the State Senate, and put
the appointment of all the committees
into the hands of the Senate itself, thus
making all the committees very strongly
Democratic. Of course, they also made
all the committees in the House strongly
Democratic, SO that every committee in
the General Assembly now speaks only
the voice of the Democracy of the State.


The first legislation of any import
ance was an act pretending and attempt
ing to withdraw the consent of the State
of Ohio to the fourteenth article of
amendment to the Constitution, which,
among other things, prohibits forever
the assumption of any part of the rebel
debt, and the reputation of any part of
the Federal debt. Of course, the act is
a nullity, but it nevertheless exhibits the





ocratic Legislature.


The next thing of any considerable
Importance that they did was to remodel
the municipal laws of the leading Re-
publican cities of the State SO as to force
upon them Democratic police. For in
stance, the city of Cleveland, with an
overwhelming Republican majority, has
been compelled by that Legislature to
receive police system not of its own
choosing, but in the highest degree Of
fensive to its citizens.


Mr.. MORGAN-I rise to a point of
order. The gentleman's remarks, not
being pertinent to the question before
the House, are not il order. The Leg
islature of Ohio represent the people of
that State.


Mr.. UPSON-I call the gentleman
to order. A point of order is not de-
batable.


The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr.
Boyer in the chair.) The Chair sus-
tains the point of order.


Mr.. GARFIELD-This subject was
really the wire OH which the gentleman
from Kentucky Mr.. Beck strung his
speech. 1 am, therefore, directly re-
spending to the gentleman's argument.
After foisting upon these Republican
cities an unwelcome and partisan police
the Legislature proceeded to act upon
this very subject of colored suffrage,
which is now under discussion.


Mr.. MORGAN-I insist that the gen.
tleman shall confne himself to the sub
.ject-matter before the House.


The SPEAKER pro tempore-The
Chair sustains the point of order. The
gentleman should conine his remarks to
the subject before the House.


Mr.. Garfield will undertake
to do that. The chief point that has
been discussed by the gentleman from
Kentucky Mr.. Beck is the question of
negro suffrage in the Southern States,
and he has illustrated his argument by
reference to the action of the Legisla-
ture of Ohio on that very subject.
Now, 1 want to say what that legislative
action has been on the question of voting,
and negro voting, too, and that certainly
cannot be out of order. The Legisla-
ture of my State has sent instructions
to me and to my colleagues in regard to
the subject of negro suffrage. Now,
that Legislature has passed law on the
subject of negro voting, which shows
the temper, spirit, and meaning of our
instructors. TO discuss that law, hold, |
is strictly in order.


Mr.. MORGAN-I cali the gentleman
to order. 1 shall be happy at the proper
time to discuss the action of the Ohio
Legislature with my friend, but this is
not the proper time.


The SPEAKER pro tempore-The
chair thinks the point oforder is not well
@ho