Year: 1879




General Logan commenced his remarks by
saving he thought the question now before
the body of more Importance than any other
that had arisen since 1851, when the same SEN
timent which prompted the present legisla-
ton, expressed bv many of the same men now
uttering them, led to the war He denounced
the proposed legislation as bad In itself, and
as being attempted by unparliamentary prac-
tices. There was no safety N the course the
Democrats were now pursuing; no safety
either to the North or South. They said that
the President must approve their bills, other
wise the Government shall go to pieces. With
a knife at his throat they demand that the
President shall approve their bills or starve.
Was it a new doctrine to those gentlemen that
the President has as much right to approve or
veto bill biz "a THY thEtt6Hf bad tGt FfiRSt he's hes.
sage accompanying his veto-of a bill in 1855,
to show that the Democratic doctrine had then
guarded the Independence OF the Executive
as a wholesome check on legislation. This
legislation would not stand on its merits, but
its supporters felt obliged to resort to violent
means TO pass what was repugnant to all the
friends OF good Government. The people
would not be deceived by such methods. All
the provisions now advocated to protect the
ballot had been passed by the Republicans,
together with another provision to keep the
peace at the polls. The latter was now to be
stricken out, making the whole law inOpera-
tive. What good citizen would object to hav-
ing peace at the polls and why should not out
| RACES be suppressed on election day as well as
other days! Can 1t be, he asked, that the
promoters of this bill have an interest in dis
order at the pollsi He thought it looked so.
An officer of peace is not an object of terror
or hate to good men. The Democrats say
they want to place the power to keep the
peace at the polls with the States This was
only another phase OF State sovereignty. He
| assumed that ours is great Nation; per Sc 1t
could not be a mere aggregation of States,
with the power TO separate when they
pleased. Men with the sword in hand estab-
lished the fact that this is Nation, sovereign
and supreme. What kind of Government
was that that woEld not protect free black
man now, when all its power was formerly
employed to return him as a fugitive to bond
| agei The Democrats said that the States
| would provide for protection at the polls
| Had they done so! IL this were true why
were not the laws enforcedl He held that
| the matter of protecting National interests
should be provided for by National authority
| Such an important duty should not for a mo
ment be permitted to reside with the States.
| Sometimes State may be In the interest OF
| the men who commit the violence, and there
fore the State would not bring culprits to jus
tice. Then where was justice to come from
| II the State Courts failed to prosecute, aud
the Governor declined to execute the law,
where must the citizen turn his eye IL not To
the National Government. The Democrats
| want all the protective legislation repealed In
order that they may perpetrate frauds and ac
quire all the votes they want. IL the repeal
be effected the popular tide would overwhelm
them. They were sowing wind; let them be-
ware of the harvest


| i stand here, Mr.. Logan said, TO warn the
men who are tempted to destroy this Govern
ment, that in tamperlng with It they must moi
90 too far. loyal men have not forgotten the
| perils they endured and the sacrifices they
| made TO save the country and protect free
| citizens They are slow to believe what they
1 40 ~ uuia ah 10 haliaua hnt AZ the npmnaFate
| force an issue on the country, the people will
| be compelled to rise and save their rights from
| destruction. There will be no halfway wOrl
| then. A spirit of kindness is passing into an
other feeling. tell them they are going toe
| far and are troubling the people, and the sore
once occasioned will be removed only by radi
| cal means. 1t will be cut Beyond the wound
| to make the cure complete. In common Will
thousands OF others, | sincerely hoped anc
expected that the Democracy OF both Nortf
and South would interpret the desire of tht
country for peace, but TO day | must con
fess that | have been mistaken. The ex
tTeme cOnciliation extended to them has moi
been met in a similar spirit, but with ag
| gressiveness, which fills the country with
alarm and apprehension: Duty, demands
that we should speak plainly. | make al
| open charge that the Democrats are tamper
ing with the interests of the country, and tC
this the people are awake. l charge the
Democratic party, while expressing desire
for peace and harmony, with making attacks
| on principles purchased with blood aud treas
ure. They are not sincere in their professions
OF protecting the Constitution while they are
engaged in its destruction. / make the
charge that eulogies are pronounced here up
on the arbitrator Davis as patriot In the
presence of the representatives OF the Amer


lean people aud the Government he under


took 20 destroy. charge that the debt rest
ing upon the country growing out OF the lat,


war is chargeable TO the Democratic party.
arraign the Democratic party as responsible


for whatever discord may exist. The Repub
lican party wants peace, and have always ,le


sired 1t. They not only desired peace, bu


have shown Il by every concession whiel


honor and dignity would permit, and the.


would still make sacrifices TO secure per


manent peace. But the Democracy may a


well learn now as later that the Republican,


will do nothing TO give peace that is dis


honorable 10 them or TO the country


They will not beg on their knees for reconcile


alton; they will not relinquish the principle


which Injured to the people that were gaine'


by the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth


Amendments TO the Constitution; they will


not permit modification OF the rights OF 4,


600, 900 OF people of the South who have beel


liberated from slavery aud admitted 10 tn


rights OF citizenship; they shall be remande'


to the condition Of freedom. Let me invit


them TO peace which is honorable, and whic


will make us model for all people for centu


ries 10 come-a peace which must be built !
the high respect OF the citizens OF the CON
| mon country. Ii must rest on q concession Q
equal rights 10 all the citizens OF this Reput
lie, black or white, native or foreign-horn-
peace that must know no state lines Tor aor'