Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-01-23

Mr.. Voorhees said that no member
had exaggerated the importance OF
the events transpiring in New Or
leans. Mr.. Dawes, in his Judgment,
was entitled to the thanks OF the
country for the independence OF mis-
conduct in asking for an investigation
which would fall on his own political
friends. He described the state OF af-
fairs existing in New Orleans, and
said that If such state Of things did
not call for an investigation at the
hands of the American congress, he
did not know what would do so.
Mr., FarnsWorth asked Mr.. VOor-
hees what congress was to do when 1t
found out the facts to be as stated.
Mr.. VOORHEES, excitedly exclai ned: {:
"Oh! DON'T ssk me what congress
will do"
FarnsWOrth-What ought Ii to do?
VOorhees-In my judgment, 1t
ought TO do a great many things con-
nected with Southern affairs which
the gentleman from Illinois, with even
his strong sense of justice, which L
recognize, would not agree with me
in. 1 have been in the South this
summer, and my judgment is that the
Southern governments are the worst
in the world, without any exception.
There is nothing comparable to them
anywhere else. They are unparalleled
for their iniquity, their infamy and
their Ignorance. The law. makers are
incompetent to make laws. When
yOu show me legislature, four-htths
of whose members can neither read
nor write, and who do not pay even
a poll-tax, and set them to the duty OF
levying taxes for untold millions on the
property and intelli gence Of COM
munity, will show you, as l have
said, a government that is the worst
beneath the sun. Mr.. VOORHEES,
went on to depict the terrible
condition Of things not onlv in Louis
lana but in all the Southern States,
and attTibutIng hat condition to the
reconstruction laws of congress. It
matters little what became of the fac
tions now warning in Louisiana; but
It did matter much to the character Of
American government whether 8
State should literally disorganiEs it.
self and dissolve into elements of
anarchy az well. Almost, might they
allow Barataria pirates to raise their
flag OncemOTe in the Gulf of Mexico,
as TO allow those people to go on as
they were going. In his deliberate
judgement the governments In the
South had been built on the wrong
end, as the pyramid stood not upon
its base, but upon its apex. They
had built those governments on vice,
on ignorance, On iTPespOnsibility-nOt
on stability, not on intelligence, not
on CLASSES VINO are responsible for
peace, order and the welfare OF the
community. AT the end Of siX-and-
a-haif years of Republican rule and
government In the South this was the
result. Were Republicans members
of.the hougs content with it-Would
they go before the country and say, as
honest men, that their plan had
borne fruits of peace, prosperity and
integrity
Mr.. SheIlabsrger replied to Mr..
VOORHEES,, but first defended the Pres
ident from insinuatiOns published
against him, TO the effect that he was
opposed to the committee going to
New Orleans. He happened to know,
accidentally, how exactly opposite to
truth that cruel statement was He
wished the gentleman from Indiana
(Mr. VOOrhees) had been more ex-
piicit on that cardinal elementary
proposition of his, that the S9u hern
governments he'd been set upon the
wrong end. Did he mean that when
congress placed those governments on
the votes Of all the people that that
was setting a pyramid on its apex in
stead Of On its base? Did he mean by
that to say that congress should turn
round now and set back the hands
upon the dial OF time and take away
votes from any portion OF the people
vino nov had the right to VOteY II
he meant that he should have said so.
He wanted to knOg right here, and
once for all, if the Democrats proposed
to take th right OF suffrage from the
black men OF the republic?
Mr.. Eldridge-NO; but We propose
to invest the intelligent people OF the
South with it
Mr.. Shellabsrger, not noticing the
went On to speak OF the
presenting themselves In the
work OF reconstruction. There were
three alternatives. They might have
placed suffrage alone in the hands that
were literally dripping with the blood
of lost patriots, and excluded all black
men, or they might have placed 1t in
the hands Of the black man alone
violating any OF the pTece-
dents furnished by the history of the
world in regard to tha methods of
hVrf
done neither, but had based govern
meHt on the suffrage OF all; and the
result to-day Wss that the leader of
the Democratic party in the house
now said that congress had placed
the pyramid of Southern government
on its apex.
Mr.. Beck said that the gentle
man from Indiana, Mr.. Voorhees,,
being unable through hOarseness
to reply to Mr.. Shellabarger's
inquiry, he, Beck, would tell the
wherein the govern
ment in the Southern States had been
placed on Its apex. That gentleman
said that congress had enfranchised
al men In the south. That was not
true. 1t had disiranchised intelligent
men in those States and placed the ig-
lOrant over them. Not only that;
but congress had sent down set Of
bad men to infiame and delude ne
yr0es and rob and plunder the people.
Mr.. Beck spoke Of the large increase
Oi the debt in all Southern States, and
spoke OF the various governors, Bull
lock, of Georgia; Clayton, Of Arkan-
sas; BrOwnlOW, of Tennessee, ETC.,
who had tried to avoid being sent to
the penitentiary by taking refuge Ia
The senate Of the United States.
The speaker called Mr.. Beck to or
Ter, and reminded him that he was
on the coordinate branch
Of congress.
Mr.. Kerr sent 10 the clerks desk
and had read q dispatch just received
Dy him from w. 7. Blackmore, a SEN
itor In the Louisiana legislature, stat
ng that the condition of affairs was
'earful, and that there was no longer |
any Republican government or liberty |
n Louisiana; that the Statehouse and
approaches were filed with armed |
men to intimidate the legislature, and
isking that select committee should |
70 TO New Orleans at once.
MIR. stevenson, OF Ohio, replied at
ength to Messrs. VOORHEES, and Beck,
,ontending that their statements as
o Southern state debts were gross ex-
and that property in the |
south now Is much more valuable |
han before the war.
The debate throughout was very ex-
iting, and attracted much interest |
Finally il was brought TO close, and
he resolution was adopted without |
division, and the house adjourned. |