The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-01-27
The Southern States Before Congress

tllIt u SS1SNC ~ NV 1S&A>'~~-S
be appointed to which shall be referred
the documents and papers recently laid
before the Senate by the President in
reference to the condition of the South
ern States; and that such committee
have power to employ clerk and steno-
graplier, to send for persons and papers,
administer oatAs. and investigate the
matters referred to in the documents
and papers aforesaid; and the truth or
falsehood of the crimes and outrages of a
political character alleged to have been
committed in the Southern States; and
whether there be in those States security
for persons and property" i
The design of the resolution is appa-
rent. It is party movement, designed
to effect party purposes. Truth is not
the object sought, but the production of
political campaign document, whose
&c f,arte statements anu baseless fabrica-
tions will make capital for the next
Presidential election. -.
Senator Sawyer supports the rcsolu-
.tion because outrages have manifestly
been committed upon the Constitutional
rights Of the citizens Of the South, and
ia the dutyof the national government
to protect the citizen in his rights. he
charges, further that these violations of
law have been committed bythose who
are opposed to the Republican party.
Yet the Senator forgets his own denun-
Citations Of the frauds which were oom-
nlitted under the odious election lawsof
the State, and which have been the
main cause of our present troubles, Such
: is the testimony OF Republicans them
selves. So notorious is the fact, that
Republican Senator openly declared, n
few dayssinee, on the floor Of the Senate
of this state-l,. that gross frauds had
been practised and 2, thatthe real and
true source Of al the troubles and dis
sensions which were alleged to exist in
this State, had their origin in these
frauds, by which the people Of the up
country regarded themselves as deprived
of their honest ballots. aetga.xss,. :,
let the, cause be removed Let test
oaths and disabilities be removed, and
the Constitutional rights Of the citizen
be guaranteed by, a liberal policy on the
part of the State end Federal Govern
m .nts, and there will be no need Of
.Gongressionarinvestigating committees.
Senator r thurman. Of Ohio,y jim discuss
ing the resolution OF Mr.. Morton, Fidi-
Q lies the idea of furnishing . violation
Ut the frsaehiss on the part of a few
men, when there is this wholesale
wrong committed by law which ena-
bles one man to: say who shall fill ever
important office in the State: Says
he. - ,ex6. So s,2 = as'. -
aTslk OF purity of election there! tafk
OF the voice of the majority Of the people
prevailing there! Why, there Is not a
Senator Oh this floor from o Northern
State who would listen without his blood
boiling from the top Of his head to the
soles of his feet, R It was proposed to
vest such u power as that in the Cover
nor Of his State. What would you: say
ii it wereproposed to vest In the Gov
eYnor of Connecticut, q Democrat, or, in
the Governor of New York, Democrat,
the power to appoint every officer in
thass States, every election judge, every
returning officer, every canvasser, OF
yotes, and to allow them, as these laws
do, to transact all their business in secret
and be responsible to nobody ;whatso'
ever2 No; IL you want to go.into the
question Of the purity of elections. if yOn
want to protect; the purity of, elections.
first cast cut that beam that is in, your
own eye before you look for tue mote
that is in your peighbor's.h z,-1 -
Asit is in South Carolina, so it Is in
Florida, in Louisiana, in Texas. The
law is framed to cover up fraud, and
ito enable one man, under the forms of
law, to o-eontroi the election in the inter-
ests of party. z5s.ssIi
1sir, the Senator fromssouth Caroli-
aa," says Mr. hurman speaks about
his States. T do not knew how true it is, |
but I do Know that the papers 0f the |
country, during the last political cum.
paign In South GarolifIasr we're filed
preyenteds fiie Conservative candidates |
from addressing the people. And who
does notknow that for a aeolored man TO
vote the Democratic ticket In much the
greater portion Of the Southern country
Is aerisk hisiife? Talk Of Intimidation,
indeed! There was never such inum- |
idatiop in the world, there never was
such deliberate, concerted, effective m
timidationsin the world as the colored
men of the South exercise toward any
one Of their brethren, who seeks TO- vote