Year: 1879

THE GREAT POLITICAL DEBATE.
The Greenbackers Have the Floor


speeches by weaver, DE La Matyr,


Hawley and Tucker.


SENATE.


WASHINGTON, April 4.-The Senate was not
In session to-day.


HOUSE. O


The House met at Ii o'clock and at once
went Into the committee of the whole con the
army bill.


M. Singleton, Of Mississippi, proceeded to
audress a1 the committee, arguing that the
federal government was one of limited
powers, that 1t had no powers except such as
were expressly conferred upon 1t by the con-
stltutlon and BY Congress. and he must have
any authority to send troops to the DO Dolls at It
tlIne OF peace There must be an actual dis
ttlrbance and outbreak to Justify such send
Ing: The troops could not be sent there in
anticipation OF disturbance; there must be
an az actual lnsurrection to be suppressed to au-
th0rize the sending Of troops to the polls.


Taking up the question OF the appointment
OF supervisors and deputy marshals, Mr.. Sin
gleton denounced their power to make arrests
as an outrage, especially so when they made
an arrest,not for an actual violation Of law,
but for an anticipated violation. He had no
respect for the head OF q man who could con-
ceive or the hand Of the man who could frame
such law. Ii Congress could confer this
power upon these supervisors, and Ii men can
be dragged from their homes without due
process OF law, where, he would ask, were all
the boasted immunities of American citizens?


In speaking OF the operations of the mar
shals in the State OF Mississippi, Mr.. Single
ton said that the officers were inefficient, for
there were very few white men of respecta-
bility In the State who were not Democrats


ct Tha Gr,np bar fnI ~ -
Smithsonian Institute Messrs. Clymer Of
Pennsylvania, Johnston Of Virginia. and Gar
field OF Ohio; and us directors of the Columbia
Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, Messrs
Harris of Virginia and Claim of Massachu.
setts.


After Singleton had concluded Weaver, oi
Iowa. was assigned the floor, and deprecated
the sectional discussions on this bill. He
said that it was manifest to him that no relief
could come from the old parties, but that q
new party was necessary, and that was the
National Greenback party That party
wanted no armed men at the polls


Mr.. De la Matyr, opposed this sectional
strife people were tired of it. The desire
for financial relief was absorbing the aspira-
lions OF the whole people. ALI good interests
1t was his clear conviction that the leaders OF
the parties who were now ranging their forces
for 1880 would manifest more wisdom by
showing some desire to relieve the people.
AS to the statutes in dispute, he favored the re-
peal of all but that which related to super
visors, and that he would have modified.


Mr. Wright, OF Pennsylvania, obtained the
floor, and proceeded to speak in favor OF
stopping this sectional controversy. He be-
lieved that the party which made a sectional
Issue In 1880 would meet with certain defeat.


Mr.. Hawley, Of Connecticut, was next recog-
nized, and made some remarks about the
right OF the President to veto the bill, and sa'-
gued that he had an undoubted right to do SO
without being questioned for it. He proceed
ed to divided the subject under discussion un-
der three heads, and to discuss them; first, as
to tie proper functions OF a standing army In
this republic; second, the extent to which the
National Congress may provide for the elec-
tiOn OF representatives and third, the prOpO-
sition to force minority and the President
into the acceptance of this legislation. With
regard to the first proposition, he argued at
length that all governments must have mill
tary force to enforce its order. oWith regard to
the second proposition he quoted at length
from the constitution as to the qualification
of electors for representatives, and argued
that the Federal government had absolute
authority in the election OF Federal officers,
and quoted from Hamilton and Madison. On
that point he characterized this proposed ac-
ton as revolutionary, because the proposed
repeal could have been brought In as well In a
practically told here that If they voted
against this bill, and the President vetoed it,
that gentlemen must change their convic-
tions and vote to pass it over the veto,
or the wheels OF governments would stop.
This was demanding of men to waive
dictates Of their conscience. There was no
reason why this bill should be forced through
by this revolutionary process. There was no
election this year. Why did not the other
side wait till next year to attempt this legis-
lation as some of their men advised them to
1n9 M vnlIod no in RI
to bring this legislation here? Was it in
obedience to conspiracy, and was he to be
told that because he would not vote for what
he believed to be wrong, that this govern
ment was to be starved to death? APP
plau,se:| Was the thumb-serew to be e
that the armyoo must go penniless, unless
they voted against their conscience? There
was no necessity for this legislation; he, for
one, would not defend the details OF the
present laws. They might need improve
ment, but this was no way to bring it about.
session OF the government, as the Democratic
party has taken possession Of all portions Of
the South. You said you were going to have
solid South and disclaimed any purpose to
he should be protected. You have solid
South, and you tell us you have come back
and retaken your heritage and birth right
You say we need not be alarmed
that you are all honorable men. Certainly
you are honorable men individually, but he
was reminded OF the anecdote OF the mar
who went to the directors Of bank, sev.
orally, and they all promised to discount q
bill for him, but when they met together they
refused the discount Meeting these director;
he told each Of them individually: 81 have
the greatest respect for you, but, collectively
you are a set Of scoundrels. [Great laughter.
He would say to the gentlemen on the other
side in all frankness, that they should be
especially those Of the North who make large
promises of aid, but they can't deliver them
He had learned the doctrine of State rights. Ii
was under the laws made by the gentlemen
on the other side, which made him and every
other man In the North nigger-hunter, and
when the United States marshal could de-
mand OF armed men and citizens to become
posse and hunt down negroes for Southern q
ho1S in