Year: 1879

0h0hSASS VI SOuSLtSS. We piOpOSC
10 celebrate our return to power by
wiping from the statute book those
degrading restrictions on freemen, and
by striking away the shackles which
partisan legislation has imposed. We
do not intend to stop until we have
stricken the last vestige of your war
measures from the statute book
like those which were born of pas
sions incident to civil strife, and
which looked alone to abridgement of
liberties of the citizen-nntil we have
an untraInmelled election, and an un-


surprised ballot, and an absolute
free right for the citizen to deposit
his ballot, IS q condition precedent
to which we offer to you for passage
this bill. If the gentleman from
Ohio Is to be excused (for certainly
he cannot be justified) for paradlng
before this house the argumentum in
terrorem of veto that is cut aud
dried to be put upon a bill which is
not yet passed, and if he IS to be
pardoned for warning the house that
the executive branch of the govern
ment will never yield its assent to
this measure in its present forn-I
ask whether may not be warranted
and Justified in employing equal
candor in assuring that gentleman
and his associates that the dominant
power in this congress, the ruling
element in this body, is also equally
determined that until its just de-
mands, sanctioned by all laws, human
and divine, protected hedged around
by precedents without number, de-
manded by the people of this land
without regard to section, clamored
for, not by the South alone, but in
Philadelphia as well as in New Or
leans, in San Francisco and Boston
as well as in Charleston and Savan-
nah-are complied with; this side OF
the chamber, which has demonstrated
its power, never means to yield or
surrender, unless this congress shall
have died by virtue of its limitation.
Wild applause on Democratic side.


A principle cannot be compromised.


1t may be surrendered, but that can
only be done by its advocates giving
proof to the world that they are
cravens and towards and lack courage
of their own convictions. We can
not yield--ard will not yield. fAp-
plausc and sensation Let me assure
my friends on the other. side that this
is the restoration to power of party
as old rs the government itself, which
100 years almost, has stood the
boldest, freest, truest exponent and
champion and defender of the doctrine
of constitutional limitations against
the doctrine of aggrandizement OF
power. IL is this organization that
has come back to rule and to rule in
obedience to Law. The issue is laid
down. the gage of battle is delivered.
Lift it when you please and we are
willing to appeal to that sovereign
arbiter to which the gentleman from
OHIO SO handsomely alluded-the
American people--tO deci lie between
us. We intend to deny to :he presi-
dent of this republic the right to ex-
press such unconstitutional powers.
We do not mean to pitch this contes,
on the grounds of objection to him
who happens, if not by ''the grace oil
God" by the ''run of luck" to be
I-ar'.s,'"is.~~;.s .t.-,s ofne~. If from
yonder canvas [pointing to plcsur,
hanging to the east of the speaker s
chair the first president of the pub
lie should step down to assume the
powers which the grateful people OF
IN infant republic conferred upon
him as their chief. magistrate-ifh he
were here, fired by that patriotic ar
dor which moved him in the earlier
and better days of this great govern
ment, to him we would never consent
to yield unconstitutional powers or
to rest the liberty of the citizen in
any mans discretion nor would he
receive it. 1t was not for the earlier
but for the later executives of this
government to grasp and seek to re-
tain such questionable prerogatives


1t is made on principle-not Oh policy
and it cannot be surrendered.
Standing on such broad grounds,
clothed in such q panoply, resting this
c.,se on the broadcast principle oi
justice, we are content to appeal te
the people of this land. There is no
tribunal before which we arc not vii
ling to carry this case to contest, and
we are ready to allow Him who rules
the destinies of man to judge between
us and give victory to the right.
do not mesn to initiate the gentleman
from Ohio. L disclaim any authority
to state what others may do. But
do mean to say that it is my delfber'
ate con, iction that there is not to be
found q singl. man on this side of the
house who will ever consent to aban.
don one jot or title OF the faith thai


is in him. lie could not surrender
it il he would and he would moth,
begged the other side to believe-b,
cocrced by the dominant party, or in


timidated by the party in power. W.
are planted on our convictions. Thers
we will stand. He who dallies is .
dastarl, and he who denies Ii
damned. Loud applause.


When MIR. Blackburn concluded
his speech he was surrounded by hi
COLLEAGUES, who congratulated hin