The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-04-05

and walks in the garden at the end oi
each hour. than one who plois on with.
out rest through the lsng day. :
s tn E YOUTH.
Speech of Senator Thurman on Dis.
orders at the South.
The Proposed Congressional Investigation
The Attempt to make an Electioneer-
ing Job of 1.-THE Position of the Dem
ocratic Party as Regards Law-R Breaking
North and South-The Way to Cure the
Southern Troubles. -
In the Senate, on the 2fst inst ant,
Senator Thurman delivered q brief
speech on the appointment of COM
mittee on Southern disorders that has
attracted a great deal of attention.
The Senate was considering the House
resolution for joint committee of sew
en- Senators and fourteen Representa-
tives to investigate the condition'of the
South, and report at the m. eting of
Congress in December when Mr.. An
thony, q Radical, from Rhode Island,
moved to add the following: "And
said committee shall have power to
print and make public, from time to
time during the recess. the results of
their investigations" The following
discussion then ensued:
Mr.. Thurman. That strikes me as
very novel proposition
Mr.. Anthony. That is the way We
passed it.
Mr.. Thurman 1t entirely escaped
my observation II I had noticed 1t
in the original resolution I should
have submitted some remarks upon it
and have asked the Senate to strike it
out. The committee is to make pub
lie from time to time during the re-
cess Of Congress the result of its in
vestigatious; it is to report to the peo-
pie from time to time. to publish the
results of the investigation; that is,
they are at the public expense to make
8 lot Of electioneering documents to
60 before the public, not for the bene-
fit of Consrcss-because they make
their report on the first day of the next
session in ample time for it to be con-
sidered by Congress-but they are to
print at the public expense, to be paid
out Of the contingent fund OF the Sens
ate. from time to time as political ex--
igenoies may require, such statements
as :: ajnrity Of the committee may de-
clare to be the results of their investi-
ton?
Mr.. Konkling. For the interest OF
what political party, may ask,
Mr.. Thurman Well, for the in.
terest of no political party that is gov
srned by right principle. ] am not
willing to trust the committee with
any such power. I believe that al
most the whole OF this thing is q sim
pie attempt to manufacture political
and partisan capital; and am not
willing to trust any body Of men, SEN
ators or others, with the power to go
travelling around and issuing from time
to time political bullitins to affect the
elections of the country.
What business have we to do any
such thing as that? Who has made
US the publishers OF partisan pam.
phiets at the public expense to indu
ence elections No. sir; if this inves-
tigation is in good faith, if it is for
the purpose of en.ightening the Sen
ate and enlightening the House of
Representatives., so that we may be
enabled to pass such laws as we have
constit utional power to pass, that OBJ
ject will be achieved by the committee
making its report to the Senate and
to the House Of Representatives at the
next session of Congress.
Then there will be time to consider
it; and this thing of giving us home
opathic or allopathic doses of this
travelling and roaming commission
during the whole of the summer is q
thing, take it. unheard of, and that
has no justification whatsoever. do
not care how honestly they attempt to
exercise it !; men are hut men. The
majority of the committee will have
their views they will have their pre-
jRdices thew will be biased, perhaps
uuco 1sciously, by their prejudices and
now, without having finished any in
vestatlon at all, but going along from
time to time a. they may find one or
place where they think they
have struck o good lead to make po-
litical capital in the country. we are
to have a ma: ifeste, bulletin, print
ed at the public expense and scattered
abroad as the result Of an investiga-
ting committee! You might as well
ask jury to report to the public from
lay to day the result Of the testimony
offered before it without waiting for
the whole testimony to be heard and
The argument to be adduced. Why,
'ir. it is simply monstrous. do not
sney but that it discloses the object
ii th,s whole movement, and that 1t
$ well enough that it is called to the
not only of the Senate, but of
he people.
But I do say that if fairness be IN
ended, il Il tair investigation by Con-
.Fess be intended, a fair ascert ainment
II the fac:s, and a fair discussion up
N those facts when obtained with a
'iew to legislation-the only thing We
ave a right to consider At all-if that ;
'e the case, this amendment ought rot !
o be adopted and the report should
'e made to Congress
TMessrs. Morton and Stewert re-
lied to Mr. Thurman, but failed to
meet the point of his objection to the
The latter then contin-
ed his speech as follows: .-- /
Mr.. Thurman Mr.. President, the
enator from Indiana says that if the
touth is guilt!ess of the enormities
g: s-e cts-ssi, !, ths interest c. tia