| Show I the Senate WAsnn GToNDcc Immediately after the adln s of the journal the Senate proceeded to j executive business on motion of Hoar The i secret session lasted but a few moments and tne Senate proceeded to the I consideration of i moimtg business Sherman reported a bill providing against the contraction of the currency Ordered printed and recommitted The elections bill was then taken up and Coke addressed the Senate in opposition to it at The I Democrat Senator Coke said nropose to have a full and free discussion of the bU to tac end that the American people shall be in lormed ofthe startling ana radical departure proposed to be inaugurated in the charter of the government I the dictators of a LOlitical faction that happened to hold possession of all departments of the government were to be reg istered in the statute books without debate without discussion without examination if rules and usages and methods of procedure that had for a hundred years obtained in the Senata were to be ovel thrwn and neither house of Congress t be any longer a deliberate body it was at least proper that the fact be proclaimed bO that the people might pass judgment on the political party responsible lot i I Cullom addressed the Senate He accepted the bill as the best that could be framed to meet the evils complained of with the understanding under-standing tht he should favor amendments that meet his approbation A duty was imposed upon the go Qrnment by the constitution and by the results of the war to protect the ne roof ro-of the south i the right to cast a free ballot and lirve a fair countaHe would be pleased i possible to trust entirely in the states them elves to do justie at elections but he felt impelled by a sense of duty to give his vote for the bill and would do so in an effort to put a stop to lawlessness in tho outhern states He knew full well that the passage of the bill won 1 give td the lawless elements of the south an excuse for mob violence and rebellion against the national authority but he was sure that such results hinted a rather than courageously cour-ageously expressed > would not prevent the bill being emoted and approved Bate look the floor He opposed tile bill b1 cause he believed it to strike at the freedom of the ballot and tended to breed disturbance and destroy the peace and quiet of society He be lieved i to be the most prominent of many linger boards on the political highway that pointed t empire Such legislation in a repub urea form of government was at all times dangerous and vicious and was especially so at the present time The election bill was then informally laid inforalj asideand the House amendments to the Senate bill for abridge across the Willamette river Oregon concurred in < Adjourned |
