CONGRESS, UNITED STATES. 



In this form tbe bill passed both Houses and 

 was approved by President Ilayea. 



In the House, on May 7th, a bill to prohibit 

 military interference at elections came up for 

 consideration. The bill was read, as follows : 



Whereat, Tho presence of troops at the polls is con- 

 trary to the spirit of our institutions and the traditions 

 of our people, and tends to destroy the freedom of elec- 

 tions : Therefore, 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen- 

 tative* of the United States of America in Congress 

 attembled, That it shall not be lawful to bring to, or 

 employ at, any place whore a general or special election 

 is being held in a State any part of the army or navy 

 of tho United States, unless such force bo necessary to 

 repel the armed enemies of tho United States, or to 

 enforce section 4, article 4, of the Constitution of tho 

 United States and tho laws mode in pursuance thereof, 

 upon tho application of tho Legislature or tho execu- 

 tive of the State where such force is to bo used ; and 

 BO much of all laws as is inconsistent herewith is here- 

 by repealed. 



Mr. Knott of Kentucky said: "I hare been 

 informed by gentlemen representing the mi- 

 nority of the committee that it is desired to 

 offer a substitute for the bill just reported. 

 When that substitute has been offered, I pro- 

 pose that the previous question be immediately 

 ordered upon the bill and substitute." 



Mr. Robeson of New Jersey : " I offer as a 

 substitute what I send to the desk." 



The clerk read as follows : 



A bill to further protect the freedom of elections. 



Whereas, The unnecessary presence of troops at tho 

 polls is contrary to the spirit of our institutions and 

 the traditions of our people and would tend to destroy 

 the freedom of elections ; and 



Whereas. The presence of troops at the polls has 

 heretofore been and may hereafter bo necessary and 

 proper for tho suppression of illegal and powerful com- 

 binations of armed men in military array engaged in 

 obstructing by force the due execution or the laws of 

 the United States and in destroying the freedom and 

 peace of elections ; and 



Whereas, Experience has shown that the existence 



the military and other power 

 enemies by the exertion of the military power of the 

 Government in subordination to the civil power in tho 

 support of tho laws ; and 



Whereas, The injunction of tho Constitution that 

 tho President " shall take care that the laws be faith- 

 fully executed" is equally binding in respect to the 

 laws relating to elections, the course of justice, and all 

 other laws of the United States, without distinction of 

 days, places, or occasions : Therefore, 



Ife \t enacted, etc., That it shall not bo lawful to 

 bring to, or employ at, any place where a general or spe- 

 cial election is being held in a State, any part of the 

 army or navy of the United States, unless such em- 

 ployment be necessary to carry out the provisions of the 

 Constitution of tho United States, or to overcome for- 

 cible obstruction to the execution of laws made in pur- 

 suance thereof. 



SEO. 2. Every person who violates the provisions of 

 this act shall be subject to the penalties named in sec- 

 tion 5528 of tho Revised Statutes of tho United States. 



Mr. Knott: "I demand the previous ques- 

 tion on the bill and the substitute." 



The previous question was seconded, and the 

 main question was ordered to be put. The 

 question first recurred on Mr. Robeson's sub- 



stitute. The question was taken ; and it waa 

 decided in the negative, as follows : 



YBAB N. W. Aldrich, William Aldrich, Anderton, 

 Bayno, Belford, Binghum, Blake, Bowman, Boyd, 

 Brewer, Briggs, Brigham, Browne, Burrows, Cannon, 

 Carpenter, Catiwcll, Chittenden, Claflin.Conjjfcr, Cow- 

 gill, Crapo, Daggett. George K. Davis, Dccring, Dun- 

 nelL Fair, Ferdon, * icld, Fisher, Fort, Frye, Garflcld, 

 Godslialk, Hall, Ilarmor, Benjamin W, Harris, Has- 

 kell, Hawk, Huwley, Hayes, Heilman. Horr, Houk, 

 Hubbcll, Humphrey, Joyce, Kcifer, Kcllcy, Kill'mgor, 

 Lindsey, Lormg, Marsh, Mason, McCoid, McCook, 

 McGowan, McJunley, Mitchell, Monroe, Morton, is'cul , 

 Newberry, Norcross, O'Neill. Overton, Pierce, Pound, 

 Prescott, Reed, Rico, D. P. Richardson, Robeson, Wil- 

 liam A. KussoU, Thomas Ryan. Shallenbcrgcr, Sher- 

 win, A. Herr Smith, Stone, Tyler, J. T. Updegraff, 

 Thomas Updegraff, Valentine, Van Acmam. Van 

 Voorhis, Voorhis, Wait, Ward, Washburn, White, 

 Wilber, Walter A. Wood, Thomas L. Young 93. 



NAYS Acklon.Aiken, Armfleld, Beltzhoovcr, Bick- 

 ncll, Blackburn, Bliss, Blount, Bouck, Bright, Buck- 

 ner, Caldwell, Carlisle, Chalmers, John B. Clark, Jr., 

 Clymor, Cobb, Coffroth, Colerick, Converse, Covert, 

 Cox, Cravens, Culberson, Davidson, Lowndes H. Da- 

 vis, Do La Matyr, Deuster, Dibrell, Dickey. Dunn, 

 Elam, Ellis, Evins, Ewing, Felton, Ford, Forney, 

 Frost, Geddes, Gibson, Goode, Guntcr, N. J. Ham- 

 mond. John T. Harris, Hcnkle, Henry, Herbert, Hern- 

 don, Hill, Hooker, Hostetler } House, Hurd, John- 

 ston, Jones, Kimmel, King, Kjtchin, Knott, Ladd, Lo 

 Fcvro, Lewis, Lowe, Manning, Benjamin F. Martin, 

 Edward L. Martin, McKenzie, McLano, McMillan, 

 Millsj Morrison, Muldrow, Murch, Myers, New, 

 O'Reilly, Persons, Phister, Poehler, Reagan, J. 8. 

 Richardson, Richmond, Robertson, Ross, Rothwell, 

 John W. Ryon, Samford, Sawyer, Scales, 0. R. Sin- 



leton, Siemens, Hezekiah B. Smith, William E. Smith, 

 parks, Sjpeer, Springer, Steele, Stephens, Stevenson, 

 Taylor, Thompson, Tillman, R. W. Townshend, Os- 

 car Turner, Thomas Turner, Vance, Waddill, Warner, 

 Weaver, Wellborn, Wells, Whiteakcr, Whitthorne, 

 Thomas Williams, Willis, Wise, Fernando Wood, 

 Wright. Yocum 120. 



NOT VOTING Atherton, Atkins, Bachman, Bailey, 

 Baker, Ballou, Barber, Barlow, Scale, Bland, Bragtr, 

 Butterworth, Cabell, Calkins, Camp, Clardy, Alyah 

 A. Clark, Cook, Crowley, Joseph J. Davis, Dick, 

 Dwight, Einstein, Errett, Finley, Forsythe, Gillette, 

 John Hammond, Hatch, Hazelton, Henderson, His- 

 cock, Hull, Hunton, James, Jorgensen, Kenna, Ketch- 

 Klc 



Robinson, Daniel L. Russell, Sapp, Shelley, Simon- 

 ton, J. W. Singleton,Starin, Talbott, Thomas, Amos 

 Townsend, Tucker, Urner, C. G. Williams, Willits, 

 Wilson, Casey Young 72. 



So the substitute was not agreed to. 

 The Speaker : " The question is now on the 

 passage of the bill." 

 The question was taken, as follows : 



YEAS Acklen, Aiken, Armfleld, Beltzhoover, Bick- 

 nell, Blackburn. Bliss, Blount, Bouck, Bright, Buck- 

 ner, Caboll, Caldwell, Carlisle, Chalmers, John B. 

 Clark, ir., Clymer, Cobb, Coffroth, Colerick, Con- 

 verse, Covert, Cox, Cravens, Culberson, Davidson, 

 Lowndes H. Davis, Do La Matyr, Deuster, Dibrell, 

 Dickey, Dunn, Elam, Ellis, Evins, Ewing, Felton, 

 Ford, Forney, Forsythe, Frost, Geddes, Gibson, Gil- 

 lette, Goode, Gunter, N. J. Hammond, John T. Har- 

 ris, Honkle, Henry. Herbert. Herndon, Hill, Hooker, 

 Hosteller, House, Hurd, Jonnston, Jones, Kimmel, 

 King, Kitchin, Klotz, Knott, Ladd, Le Fevre, Lew- 

 is, Lowe, Manning, Benjamin F. Martin, Edward L. 

 Martin, Joseph J. Martin. McKenzie, McLane, McMil- 

 lan. Mills, Morrison.Muldrow, Murch. Myers, New, 

 O'Reilly, Persons, Phister, Poehler, Reagan, J. 8. 



