The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-04-13

however, 1t comes to the South, when
it is necessary to make out that the
South is still in rebellion, when it ::
necessary to carry elections by divert
ing the attention of the people from
the subjects which ought to engage
their attention, when it is necessary
to make them forget the burden O.
taxation under which they labor, wher
it is necessary to make them forge
the revenue reform which they de
mand, when tits necessary to make
them shut their eyes to the abuses O.
Government, when that is the case
then it is the custom to once more
sound the trumpet of war against the
South. That, sir, we have seen, ant
seen too much of.
The Senator from Indiana says tha
this investigation has been opposed b!
the Democracy at every step. Why
sir, was there ever a more unfoundeC
assertion2 What Democrat in thi:
Senate. voted against investigation?
Mr.. Morton. [ ask the Senator
when [ offered the resolution 10 ap
point that committee, ii it was no
opposed, will not say fiercely, be-
cause that would be hardly parliamen
ttAl OuL ~ stS ALsAOt=
during discussion of half a day
here, which was suddenly terminated
the next day for some reason, did
not know why? 1t was opposed in
bitter speeches, and was even assail.
ed, almost personally, for having of.
fered the resolution.
Mr.. Thurman. l must deny that il
was opposed. OF course it gave rise
to remark of course it gave rise to
comment; but that there was any dis.
position to oppose the Investigation ]
deny, and l challenge the Senator to
point to one single Democrat who vo-
ted against the Investigation. There
was none. And SO in regard to the
resolution that we sent to the House
of Representatives for joint commit
tee. / believe not one man on this
side Of the Chamber voted against it,
[ certainly would have voted against
it if had discovered that this clause
was in it. / certainly would have vo-
ted and spoken against it if 1 had
known that; but that escaped my OBJ
servation, and /, with every other
Democrat on this floor | believe, vo-
ted for the resolution. There has
been no attempt to check it. There is
no member of the Senate who has
more strongly denounced, to the best
of his ability, Ku-kIuX outrages than
| have done-not to-day, not yester-
day. but from the very first time that
[ took a seat in this Chamber. want
order and peace. [ know very well
that every outrage that is committed
there is magnified hnndred-fold for
MOI 1.txr an6 hot I,
outrage that is committed there serves
as pretext to put the heel of militia
ry power upon that PROSTATE people
and to crush out anything like free
dom of election. I know it; and
know that those people stand in their
own light. L know that they are do
ing what their adversaries can not do;
they are endangering themselves and
endangering their people and endan-
gering theireountry By these outrages
that are committed. But 1 do deny
that the persons that commit those
outrages are representative people of
the Southern States. 1 challenge any
man on this floor from the Southern
States to say whether the truth is, OF
is not, that the great mass of the peo-
pie, the education, the wealth, the So
cial standing of the South, is just as
much opposed to these Ku Klux out
RACES as any man that treads this
earth?
Why, sir, it is not year ago since
we had speech from the Senator
from North Carolina Mr.. Pooll. And
what did he tell us? Did he tell us
that the education, the wealth, the So
cial standing of his State gave coun-
tenance to these outrages? If my
is right he told precisely
the reverse. Why, sir, it is human
nature that that class of people should
be opposed to them. Those who haye
an interest in the country, those who
have an interest in the prosperity of
their State, those who have property
to be preserved by law and order,
those who have liberties to be prot, C
ted, those who have rights that they
cherish, are the last men in this world,
in any community, to give sanction to
acts of violence of this kind. And
when you undertake to attribute to
the whole Southern people the acts of
a few bad men you are simply seizing
hold of these casual or incidental out
RACES to blacken whole communities
and to misrepresent whole States
That is the truth of it. "a ..s.-......-sl
But again, sir, the Senator from In
diana says that my opposition to this
admits that if these often
ses are committed there, the disclos-
ure of the fact will iniure the Demo
cratic party. Why, what remark
was that! What a fair statement was
that! Injure the Democratic party!
No, sir; The Democratic party has
been party of law and order from
its foundation. If it has. any fanati-
cism at all it is fanatical love of the
and the institutions of
the country. If it has ever stopped
in the path of progress, it is because
there lay across that path the constitu-
ton of the Republic The Democrat
ic party in favor of violence, forsooth!
Can not the Senator recollect when
the Streets of Baltimore ran red with
blood shed by Know Nothing myr-
blood of Democrats
Can not he recollect when houses de-
voted to religion were given to the
flames, and women turned out in the
dark, cold hours of midnight because
they belonged to particular faith?
Cannot he recollect the scenes of Lou
isville and of New Orleans? And
will he tell me that this party to
which ! belong, and-which has suf-
fered more from violence than any
party that ever existed In the country,
is not a party of law and of order?
No, sir; it will not do. s..
But these outrages thus committed
are but but drops in the bucket COM
pared to organized outrage in the name
of law, compared to organized out
rage where the military force of the
Government puts its heel, OF attempts
to put its heel, upon the free elections
of what is called by courtesy | sup
pose, free country. l3ii
Again, sir, let us leave these excit-
ing topics and come down to see the
matter really before Us. I may have
been seduced into speaking more at
large on the subject; because spaulo
mdioro cdnaaaus; we are very apt to
be seduced into speaking about that
which is greater instead of that which
is less. s 9ta 'F
II