Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-28
UNION AND AMERICAN
OUTRAGES NORTH AND SOUTH
A Mastery Exposure of Radical
DupIicity.
Speech Of Mr.. Thurman, of
Ohio, in the United States
Senate, March FL, 1871.

House amendment to Senate resolution to
appoint a rowing commission to inquire
'fnto the condition of the late insurrec-
tonary States SO far as regards the execu-
ton of the laws and the safety of the
lives and property of the citizens of the
United States" when Mr.. Anthony, of
Rhode Island, moved to add to the House
amendment the following words: Sand
said committee shall have power to print
and make public from time to time dur
ing the recess the results of their investi-
cations"
MIR. Thurman said
MIR. Presidents the Senator from Indi-
ana, (Mr. Morton says that if the South
is guhtless of the enormities that are
charged, IN the interest of the South the
result of this investigation should be
published as soon as possible, because the
reports that are made are preiudicial 10
the South, prevent immigration, and de-
lay the achievement of the prosperity for
which she seeks. believe, too, that a
perfectly fair and complete investigation,
made under no bias to State results for
partisan purposes, will be benefit to the
South, and that the sooner the true state
OF facts shall be known the better il will
be, not only for the South, but for the
whole United States. l believe that IS
firmly as anybody, not that 1 suppose it
possible that this committee will not
bring forth mass of testimony showing
that outrages have been committed here
and there. Appoint rowing commission
to go over the Northern states, with
power TO find and inquire whether person
and property are safe, whether outrages
are committed or not, and what a body
of testimony could such committee &C
cumulatel
But when it comes TO the North, moth
ing is said; there is no clamor whatsoever.
Eight men can be taken, as they were not
ten days ago, out of a prison in one of
the western States, State prominently
loyal, four of them shot, and the re-
mainder hung up by the heels until they
were dead, and it creates no word of
comment in the Senate of the United
States. There is no clamor for investiga-
ton there. There is no committee ap-
pointed to investigate any such thing as
that. Sixty or seventy men in the Sena-
tors own State of Indiana, can take citi-
zens out of jail and hang them up by the
neck until they are dead, and not one of
them even arrested for the offense, and
there is no commotion over the North;
there is no motion in either branch of
Congress; there is no inquiry into it; but
all ic 90 rolonid hara fhs, 81, l,o4,
our heads. When, however, it comes to
the South, when it is necessary to make
out that the South is still in rebellion,
when 1t is necessary to agitate the public
mind of the Moth, when it is necessary
to carry elections by diverting the atten-
ton of the people from the subjects which
ought TO engage their attention, when it
is necessary TO make them forget the bur
den of taxation under which they labor,
when it is necessary to make them forget
the revenue reform which they demand,
when it is necessary to make them shut
their eyes to the abuses of government,
when that is the case, then it is the Gus
tom to once more sound the trumpet of
war against the PROSTATE South. That,
sir, we have seen, and seen too much of.
The Senator from Indiana says that
this investigation has been opposed by
the Democracy at every step. Why, sir,
was there ever more unfOunded asser-
ton! What Democrat in this Senate vo-
Ted against investigation
Mr.. Norton ask the Ser ator, when
offered the resolution to appoint that COM
mittee, if it was not opposed, will not
say tiercely, because that would be hard
ly parliamentary; but was it not opposed
bitterly during discussion of half day
here, which was suddenly terminated the
next day for some reason, did not know
Why's 1t was opposed in bitter speeches,
and wss even assailed, almost personally,
for having Offered the resolution.
Mr.. Thurman must deny that it was
opposed. OF course it gave rise to re-
mark; of course it gave rise to comment;
but that there was any disposition to OPP
pose the investigation deny, and l chal-
lenge the Senator to point TO one single
Democrat who voted against the investi-
CATION. There vas none. And so in re-
gard to the resolution that We sent to the
House of Representatives for joint COM
nittee. | believe not one man on this
side of the Chamber voted against it. l
certainly would have vOteo'sgainst it, if l
had discovered that this clause was in it.
certainly would have voted and sp ken
against it if had known that; but that
escaped my observation, and ], with ev-
cry other Democrat ON tuis floor be-
ieve, voted for the resolution. There is
no member of the Senate who has more
Etemly denounced, TO the best of his abil-
YIy, ku-Klux oulrages than l have done
not to-day, not yesterday, but from the
very first time that / took seat
in this Chamber. want order and peace.
know very well that every outrage that
is committed there is maguiied hundred
fold for party purposes, aud that every
such outrage that is committed there
serves as preleXt 20 put The heel of mill
tsry power up n that PROSTATE people
and to crush ont anything like freedom of
election. know il; and / know that
those people stan in their own light |
know that They are doing what their ad-
versaries car''rt IL: LEY are endangering
themselves and cndangeIing their people