Year: 1872

SECOND SESSION.


WAsHISGToS, May g.


TrumbuIl said that Morton's state
ment was an admission that the Louis
lana election bill was designed to ena-
ble Congress to control, by indireetiOn,
the Presidential election, in violation Of
the Constitution. Morton denied that
ne had admitted any such thing, and
asked Trumbull whether he wanted to
have the scenes Of 1858 in Louisiana
renewed, and the Presidential election
held under such circumstances that it
could be controlled by kuklux. If he
did he might fifty oppose the bill, but if
he was in favor of an honest election,
he ought TO support it. Trumbull said
Morton had stated that the object of the
bill was to place the election under the
protection of the act of fCOngress, and he
asked where Congress got the authority
to interfere with the Presidential cleo
ton, in the face of express provisions of
the constitution, that it is to be held in
each State in such a manner as the Le-
gislature thereof may direct.


He was in favor of an honest
election by a free people, and for
that reason opposed any uncon-
stitutiOnal Congressional supervision.
Morton said Turnbill was in favor of an
honest election, but was opposed to
means by which it could be secured,
like a man who was in favor of the
malt liquor law but opposed to its en-
forcement Glaughterl. The Senator
knew that the election law to which he
objected so strongly. He knew the
protection spoken of by Morton might
mean. It might be the pro-
lection offered by the suspension
of the habeas corpus, and the presence
provided for at the polls of two
| inspectors, one of each party, to see
| that ballots were fairly cast and counted.
Senator Trumbull-Does not the Sen
ator know that beyond that you may do
as YOU did in the city of New York,
| send escaped cOnvicts from the peniten-
/ tiary to arrest voters?


Senator MOrton-I have heard that
said before, but have never heard ii
proved, and do not believe it.


Senator Bayard suggested that as
Senator Morton had sought to remind
| the Senate of scenes in 1868 in Louisiana
I it might well 10 recall also the scenes oi
! 1871, when the Federal authorities in
terrupted in the quarrels of the party Of
/ which Senator Morton was so distin-
! guished an ornament, and settled them
by force of arms.


Senator Morton-There were some
| disturbances in Louisiana last fall and
during the winter, but l believe the au-
thors of them have now joined the
/ ranks of Senator Bayard's friends.


Senator Bayard-If the SenatOrmeans
/ that, my answer is that he must be very
ignorant of what my political affilia-
tions are, else very reckless in his
charges.


Senator Morton-f we are. to infer
ANYTHING from the Senator's femark it
| is that those who have gone into this
/ Liberal movement are not his political
/ friends. We know what hopes have
been held out to those who went
| to Cincinnati-that the Democracy
would father their little enterprise
and adopt their candidates. The
| Senator from Delaware now disclaims
that, but we shall know better in a few
weeks what the Democracy will do.
! Bayard-The Senator from Indiana
viii probably be wiser three weeks
hence than he is now. By that time he
will know what is the position of the
great Democratic party, for which l
/ make no pretence to speak, and what
| that great organization intends to do for
/ the benefit of this country. but he can
not know until accredited representa-
tives of the party have spoken. Per-
haps he viii have learned too
by that time to appreciate the
motives of political opponents whose
object in legislation is not that laws
shall be made to benefit, by indirectiOn
or otherwise, the party to which he is
attached; but that laws shall be made
that shall conserve the liberties of all
the people, whether they are his politi-
cal opponents or his political friends.


Senator Blair opposed the bill, and
with reference to the New Orleans
| troubles in 1866, said it was well known
| that the riot would not have occurred
but for the action of the then Secretary
of War in suppressing telegram sent
I by the military commander of New
Orleans, notifying the President that
| a riot was imminent, and there
were many persons who believed
that that telegram was suppressed with
the design of letting it occur and
making use of it as a pretext for harsh
measures contemplated by the party
/ in power. At the expiration of the
morning hour the bill went over and un-
finished business on the postOffice appro-
priation bill came up.


An amendment was offered by Senator
! Nye yesterday, and the bill pending at
! the hour of adjournment was agreed to
and the bill then passed. On motion Of
! Senator Nye vote on the bill tixifg the
| time for the elections in Washington
an Idaho Territories was reconsidered
and the bill passed.


! Senator Stewart moved to take up
! the Government Island bill and
! have it read twice without acting on the
motion of the Senate.


On motion, Senator Boreman took up
! the House General Amnesty bill, adj
| dressing the Senate in favor of IT,
] Senator Sumner moved to strike out all
after the enacting clause and insert the
! supplemental civil rights bill.


Senator Terry, of the committee, raised
| the point that the motion was not in or
/ der.


Senator Trumbull appealed from the
decision of the chair.


| After a long discussion of the the
| question of order, on motion of Senator
Carpenter, the appeal was laid on the
table.


| On motion, it was moved to amend
so as to provide that before any person
shall be entitled to the benefit of the
act be shall swear that he is not, anG
has not been at any time within
two years preceding the passage of this
act a member of either the Invisible
Empire of America, the White Brother.
hood, or Constitutional Union Guard
nor any branch of the Ku-KluX Klan


Senator Hill moved to amend the bill
so as to grant universal amnesty.


Senator Sherman advocated the adop-
1 ton of Mr.. Summers bill as q substitute
for the amnesty bill, for the purpose Of
giving the House an opportunity for 5
fair vote on the question of civil rights
and said he believed that if that ques-
ton were out of the way general am.
nesty would pass the Senate by three
fOurths vote. He thought, however
that there was very little chance of al
amnesty bill passing the Senate unit
the House should have an opportunity
! to vote on the civil rights bill


i Senator Trumbull said that when ht
had heard Senator Boreman, one Of the
earliest and most Jealous advocates o
prescription, call up and advocate the
amnesty bill this morning, he had haileC
it as sign that the time had come al
last when all political disabilities wert