Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-03-26
SPEECH OF SEH,rOR sKYkRD
Sku mau CruoliFd--The Radicals Exposed
SAD the Sosth YlHdiCated,

The rule prescribing the order Of
husippss at this session was then pro-
cseded with.
Mr.. Bsvard read from the resolution
O! MIR. Sherman instTucting the Ju-
dietary Committee to bring in bill
TO reUress disorders in the Southern
States.
bIr. b. said the charges recited in
the resolution were vague; they
named no parties as committing these
alleged OUTage5, and specined no
States where they were committed.
This resolution had not come from
any committee. No such report or
recommendation hal been made by
the special committee now iuvestigat-
inc affairs in the South, Of which he
TMr. b. was a minority member.
No. il was the emanatiOu Of a party
caucus. considered and determined
up0n in secret in the same manner as
THE VENETIAN COUNCIL OF TEN
determined upon the anonymous
char,-es dropped into the mouth of
the liur. The resolution Of the Sen
et0r premises that the charges made
are Sustained by cOtenpOraneOus his
tory. What does the Senator call CO.
tempgraueOus history? Why, the
clippings from partisan newspapers
and anonymous communications.
Aud further, that these charges are
sustained by the testimony before the
select committee. There we're fifty
two witnesses before the committee,
and their testimony related exclusive
Iv TO North Carolina. Yet it is upon
such q foundation as this that
THE BADGE OF INFAHY
is sought to be placed upon eleven
States, and a preteZt made Tor further
measures Of vengeance upon them,
and 10 put into the hands Of the Pres
fdent the most extraordinary power.
The two Senators from Virginia, re-
presenting opposite parties, had en-
Uhaticaliy denied the existence OF any
.JrganiZed laWlessnes5 in that State,
and the Senator from Ohio had been
compelled TO drop Virginia from his
Indictment. Was not this q COM
mentary, that Virginia, the only one
of these eleven States under Demo-
of these eleven States under Demo-
cratic control, was proclaimed by her
representatives 10 be entirely peaceful
and well ordered. And in regard 10
Kentucky, the base and malicious
charges made against that State had
been so efectuauy disposed OF by one
Of her hOnOred representatives on this
floor that it Wss not likely they would
again be repeated here. What should
be thought Of all these charges, in the
face Of the fact that for six long, weary
years Of unchecked power, Congress
H-aH a - hoo Hlrnn e
not effectual to give TO those States a
truly republican form Of government.
The Senator from Ohio (Mr. SheT-
man) said on Saturday that he did not
wish to make
A SENSATIONAL SPEECH,
but only to do his duty. There never
had been uttered a more outrageous
villiticatiOn of a whole people than
was then uttered by that Senator.
That Senator, on Saturday, in speak
ing Of the OutTages visited upon help
less prisoners by
KIRK AND BERGEN,
spoke Of them as perhaps discouFte-
Gus, but as perfectly proper treatment
of the men whom they had arrested
for violating the laws.
MY. D. LLEEA AEGAA AAblAA AAA6 AN5LA-
r,cuy before the committee of par
ties \ Srrested by the command Of Kirk
and Bergen, to the effect that they
were repeatedly hanged up, pistols
pointed at them, and their lives
threatened, and the most abusive Ian
guage used in order to make them
6confess' things of which they knew
nothing. This was the kind Of treat
ment which the Senator from Ohio
STYLED probably discourteOus." The
Senator said that Kirk was justified
in refusing 10 deliver up his prisoners,
because he held them according to
law. and that If his refusal TO deliver
had resulted in the death of his pris-
oners, vet il would be justified.
What law would justify this? There
was
no SUCH LAW, NOT EVEN AMONG
sAVAGEs.
Kirk had no law behind him but
the order OF Vim. w. Holden, the
Governor Of North Carolina. What
cared Holden for law? He thought ne
saw his way to power, and he marched
over law, his oath, justice, and hu-
manity. The order OF this man was
all the law Kirk had when he spat
upoC the writ Of hd5eGs corpus.
Mr.. =. continued further to quote
from the testimony taken before the
select commitlse in regard to the
State of North Carolina, and contend
ed that much of it, which had the ten
dency to sustain the charges OF the eX-
istence Of Iawlessness and laVyless or
Vanizations, was made by parties who
had interested motives TO subserve.
he referred TO the appointment of
Iudge Settle as Minister TO Peru, and
Of Bergen as consul TO PernambucO,
au0 indicated his belief that the ap-
nCiutuents were made as a reward for
Ire Dartisal nature Of the testimony
.Jiven bv theW. He further quoted
rom the testimony 10 disprOye the