The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-03-18
THE B1AeK .noSGREssM4N.
Maiden Speech of the Hon. r. b. Elliott.
A Washington dispatch of Tuesday, to TIL


A Washington dispatch of Tuesday, TO the
New York Herald, says:
The sensation in the House to-day was the
maiden. speech Of MI. Elliott, the negro mem
Der from South Carolina ME. Beck, of Ken
tucky, had introduced'a general amnesty bill,
and it was on this that Elliott made his speech.
/ He is a very dark negro, but evidently the
ablest Of the five black men in the present
House. General Butler, who had the floor,
yielded 10 Elliott, who spoke from seat in
tbe Immediate vicinity ,ot where Butler. sits.
Elliott is well educated and has agood delivery.
rather inclined to be.fmpassioned. He charged
down in. good style upon the Ku-Klux, and
then alleged that they were sustained and
countenanced by the Democratic party of the
North in general and Tammany Hall in par
ticuiar. Both Democrats and Republicans
gathered around him as he spoke, this being
The first speech by negro IN the House. AT
the close oil his speech he was warmly con-
.eratulated by several prominent Republicans:
| fhe biz was finally defeated, but whether on
account of Eulott's speech is not known.
The following were the remarks of Elliott,
as reported in the Herald:
| Mr. Elicit, celored, representative of South
Caroline; said he believed he had been re.
question: but at time like this, when he turn:
| ed his eyes to, the Sonfh ahd saw the loyal
men of that section suffering at the hands OF
| the very class OF men whom 1t was now pro-
posed to'relieve Of their political disabilities.
| he mast new and here enter his solemn pro
| test against this proposition 1t Was-nothlng
but paying premium on disto!alty and tfea'
son at the expense'of loyalty. ne was nos sur
| prised that the gentleman from Kentucsy
| INIT ,BeekJ should introdnce such Dill. he
appreciated the feelings Of sympathy which
the gentleman entertained for those men 10
the South who are now prohibited from hold
ing effice. They were the gentleman's a!hes
and compatriots. They are dsfranchised
simply because they rushed -into rebellion
apaiust the best government under Heaven,
| with the advice and consent of such,as the
gentleman from Kentucky. He regretted that
+lhe gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Farnsworthl
| on Friday took occasion to compare the con
dtti0n Of the men who are dlsllanehlsed- win
| those Yho are allowed to hold 'othce IN Lhe
SoAth. He took occasion 70 dsaW a eompaSs
son between an old man and his former ser.
want who held Office. and lad made On appeal
| in favor OF the toImer. But why was this so@
Because the old man with whom che gentle.
man from Illinois sympathized in his heart
Joined the rebellion, while the slave loyal
to,the government, The one desptsed the nag
while the other loved it, The difference was
the poor old man .woIia only curse tne gosi s,
ernment and .maltreat and marder losa
man.. while thesiaye was his protector. iR'
stead OF the removal of political disabilities
doing good, Il woHld be taken as an evldeaoe
that tIis Congress Desired to hand over the
lgoyernment to the tender meTces OF the dis
loyal msn, whe are responsible 4or the mIr-
ders and outrages at the;S ;South BY their denun-
citation of Congress and abuse OF the Presl-
dent and all connected With the government,
they are the men who commit the deeds; They
contribute to these deeds by 'thefr sociaf iniu-
ence. and with The money furnished oy Tam
| many Hall to keep up the outrages inorder to
Insure Democratic triumph In the South. ae
| INF. Elliott) was here In behalf OF the loyal
men to tell these facts. The number OF arms
shipped to the South op every steamer was an
evidence that the disI6yal .men at the South
are the Instruments for carrying ont designs
of their Northern allies. He represented white
men as well as men OF his own complexion:
His constituency were as loyal as that Of any
other man on this 5foor Thai. constituency
appeal to Congress, To do justice and protect
them by legislation, instead OF placing them
under the heel OF those who-ruled with an
iron hand.