This was in defiance of the express provision of the Constitution
that Congress might at any time alter the regulations prescribed
by the State Legislatures as to time, place and manner of
holding elections for Senators and Representatives.
Mr. Beck declared that that course would be adopted and adhered
to, no matter what came of the Appropriation Bills. He was
followed by Mr. Thurman of Ohio, the leader of his party in
the Senate, and Chairman of the Judiciary when it came into
power. He said it was a question upon which he had thought
long and deeply, one of the gravest which ever arose for the
consideration of the American Congress, and added:
"We claim the right, which the House of Commons in England
established after two centuries of contest, to say that we
will not grant the money of the people unless there is a redress
of grievances .... England was saved from despotism and an
absolute monarchy by the exercise of the power of the House
of Commons to refuse supplies except upon conditions that
grievances should be redressed .... It is a mistake to suppose
that it was a fight simply between the Throne and the Commons;
it was equally a fight between the Lords and the Commons;
and the result of two centuries of contest in England was
the rule that the House of Lords had no right to amend a Money
Bill.
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