Year: 1879

WASHINGTON, April %.


SENATE.


The morning hour was principally oc-
cupied with the resolution relative to
removals and appointments to office
without the Intervention of the presid-
ing officer. Several amendments were
agreed TO, but before final action the
morning hour expired.


Consideration was then resumed OF
the army bill.


Mr.. Williams said he had no desire TO
refuse necessary supplies, but defended
the right Of Congress to dictate the use
of money voted by them. He did not
think the President, who had more than
once risen above party prejudice, would
refuse as mere party measure to sign
a constitutional measure, the defeat of
which would destroy the defences OF the
country. Whent the presence of troops
at the polls had been prohibited his
party intended to go on and abolish the
test oath, which excluded from the jury
box good men merely because they were
in the rebellion. Every other office under
the government was open TO these men.
Why should they be kept from juries?
Alter that they intended to do away with
United STATES Supervisors and Deputy
Marshals of elections, and the whole
ingenious machinery by which the peO-
pie were vexed and harassed in the dis
charge of their most sacred civil rights.
The constant intermeddling by the gen.
eral government with the private affairs
of citizens tended to dishcarten patriot
ism and encourage acquiescence in CEN
tralization. The people were their own
sovereign and this question would not
be finished, but would be taken up by
the people and kept alive until their
full rights were restored TO their hands.


HOUSE.


Mr. Turner complained OF corre-
spOndence which represented him as
exhibiting great excitement in the de-
bate of the 18th. He presumed it was
his colleague, T. Turner, who was meant,
and hoped correspondents would recol-
lect that there were two Turner's from
Kentucky, both Democrats, and would
Indicate which Turner they referred TO.
ThereupOn T. Turner remarked that
when his colleague and namesake had
the same experiences himself he would
not show so much sensitiycness
in regard to structures OF news
paper correspondents. He admitted
that he was the Turner alluded to,
but he denied he had, as alleged,
called Burroughs n damned liar. If
that had been, however, he would rath-
er be the denouncer than the pOltroUn
who submitted to it. Laughter, He
complained also OF the structures on
him last session, and said that on the
occasion when he had been charged
with Intoxication he had not tasted a
drop Of liquor for three days. Laugh
ter.


A resolution was was adopted apprO-
priating 5000 to meet the expenses OF
the Labor Committee, and granting the
committee leave to sit during the recess.


On motion OF Mr.. +. Wood, a resolu-
ton was adopted requesting the Presl-
dent to consider the expediency OF en-
tering into n convention with France
for the negotiation of a treaty which
shall secure more equal interchange
of products and manufactures OF each
country.


The House soon went into Committee
of the Whole on the Legislative Bill.


Mr.. Frye based his opposition to the
repeal of the federal election laws, chief
ly on the good effect OF their operation
in the City of New York, where he said
false registration, repeating, voting on
the names of dead men and the regis
tration Of convicts had been pretty Ell
fectualy stopped by the enforcement OF
those laws. fIe argued that in that
city the interference by the federal au-
thority was necessary, so far as 1t could
be constitutionally had, and it had purl-
fled the elections there. Why was
this House crying for a repeal OF
those laws? Was il be-
cause their enforcement operated
against the Democratic party rather
than against the Republicans? or course
il did. but sodid the enforcement OF any
law against crime. II the whole criml-
nal code were repealed and the doors OF
all the iails and penitentiaries thrown
open, the Republican party would soon
be i'm hopeless minority. In conclusion
he said, what a spectacle do we behold
to-day? 4 union between the Conted-
crate Democracy of the South and this
Tammany Democracy OF the North.
Have they forgotten history. and that it
repeats itself? They have worked to-
gether before; worked for slavery and
against the rights of man; worked for a
despotiSm, and against a Republic.


MIR. BobesOn, referring to the propo-
sition laid down some time since by
Mr.. McLane, of Maryland, that there
was no such thing recognized by the
courts as the peace OF the Uniied States,
said: consider that proposition in
whatever language it is clothed, which
conyeys 10 the minds OF the people OF
this country the idea tnat the United
States has no peace, the most danger
Gus that can be made in any country
and the most destructive OF the perpe-
tuitv of the government and the lber.
ties of the people. My friends lSiid he
to the Democratic side OF the House let
me. in all honesty and good faith, ask
Won if that was not the very subject that
WAS settled by the war; Let me ask you
whether or not the question OF whether
the laws of the United States shall be en-
forced against whatever resistance comes
up was not the very question submitted
othe arbitrament ofhattle, and whether
its decision is not written in letters OF
living fire upon pages as grand and
splendid as any in the history OF the
world? Applause on the Republican
side Do YOU not understand that
when YOU take the position that there Is
mo peace or United States to be main
tanned" you are reopening the whole


Mr.. Davis. of North Carolina, asked
him If ne claimed that, under the con-
stitutional duty to see that the laws
were enforced, the President had a
right TO send troops into State?


Mr.. Robson replied that when there
is ON the statute book q law passed by
Congress and authorized by the consti-
tuition, Ii is the duty of the President to
see that that law is enforced and exc
cuted against every obstacle, and des-
mite eAery resistance, and he believed
Tho, when that time come there would