Year: 1879

port on the same. In large cities ther
is always great danger of such things
being done. You are free from this
species of fraud here. You do not
know what fraud is. One of the most
sacred duties of Congress is the preser-
vation of the purity of elections. There
is but one safeguard against fraud and
repeating provided by Congress, and
now there is an effort being made to re-
peal it.


To me this question isparticularly
important. The law provides for us,
the people, a certain safeguard. 1t is
sometimes said that this law is not as
proficient as it might be. Congress
can easily change 1t and make it better.
But instead of making better law they
seek TO repeal it. And how do they try
to do itP By passing a bill, as laws are
ordinarily madeP No! there is bill
which provides tor the pay of the army
and Congressmen-if il would stop the
pay of Congressman l would not object
the Judiciary, the several depart
ments of the Government, and the sup
port of the army, which protects
the settlers in the West from the in
reads of the Indians. There would be
no objection to the passage of this bill
alone, but they add TO the bin meas
ures for the repeal of the election laws;
pass it, and present it to the President
for his signature. Sometimes it Is just
and right to add such measures to ap-
preparation bills. l have seen it done
many times. When this is done for
the purpose of aiding and sustaining
the Independent departments of the
Government | agree to it. Congress
said to the President: You consent to
the repeal of the election laws, or we
shall make you no appropriations.
The President has sent back one of their
bills with his objections. He has the
right to do so. Now, my countrymen,
| do not believe there is going to be
any serious trouble in regardto the APP
preparation bill. The good sense of
both parties will see that the position
of Congress is wrong, and the next cleo
ton you will make Congress see its er-
ror by your votes.


l have referred now to all the points
of which wish to speak. / would go
little further, and here think both
Democrats and Republicans will agree
with me. This Government of ours,
this National Government, is supreme
in all its power. This Government of
the people, for the people, by the peo-
pie, is above the States, even above the
great State of Ohio. 1t has power
| to declare war, make peace, collect du-
ties on imports, and provide National
Courts, so that citizens of one State can
sue citizen of another, and all the
powers of the Nation are supreme and
above those of the States. An idea pre-
vailed in the South that the States had
right to secede, to cut aloof from the
Nation. We went to war on this ques-
ton; we spent millions of treasure and
sacrificed thousands of lives, but came
out of the conflict victorious. You
have judiciary to decide all questions
that may arise between the States. II
is important that all these powers
should be kept distinct. The election
of members of Congress, the most vital
one of the powers, should be kept invi-
olate among the States by a general
election law. Members of the Senate
are elected by the Legislatures of each
State as it may see fit. The States have
great powers which Congress cannot
interfere with. Whilst Senators and
Presidential electors are elected by the
Legislatures, members of Congress are
elected by the people. The future cleo
ton question will be the passage OF a
fair general election law by Congress
which will provide for the appointment
of Supervisors or Marshals selected
from each party by the Judiciary, who
will see that free and fair election is
held, and that each elector casts but
one vote.


The Secretary discussed this question
for few minutes further, when he
closed and withdrew amid applause.