Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-04-11

tice to go through with the trials, 7 have
very good reason to believe that evidence
of that kind will be produced.
MIR. Blair. Mr.. President
The Vice President. Does the Senator
from Missouri desire unanimous consent, :.
Mr. Blair. wish to say a few words:
The Vice-President. The, Senator from
Missouri desires unanimous consent to
make statement. The Chair. hears no
objection. 49,, ,-.ss
fallen from the Senator from Vermont, L
desire to say that so far from abandoning
the Ku-Klux cases we have the statement
here of Hon. Reverdy Johnson that he
and Mr.. Stanberry remained there and
accomplished all that thev sought to &C.
comphish in preparing a case for 'hs Su-
preme Court of the United States. They
did not, like the Americans at Bladens-
burg, as stated BY the Senator, take so
little interest in the matter as. to leaye,
but they took sufficient interest to come
here to the city, Of Washington and appear
in the cases here, and argue:them ons the
1Sshlof March before the Supreme Court.
There is nothing that these gentlemen
have uttered giving authority to any onS
to say that they were so disgusted with
the outrages committed that they had
abandoned the cases. There isno justif-.
cation for it whatever except IN the gen.
tlemap's own Imagination.
Further, in regard to thegentlemen who
were accused Of being the advisory. board
the Senator said that he had been INFORM,
cd that there was fpfoof il the hands OF
the Executive-Ithink that the language
Mr.. Edmunds. Evidence in the hands
Of the judicial authorities did not say
proof There is difference between
proof and evidence.
Mr.: Blair. submit to the Senator'S
criticism. The Senate and the country
understand what mean What pro-
pose. to say in regard to that is that these
Gentlemen ceme here tosWashington city
Immediately upon reading the report Of
that DEBATE presented themselves here,
andafter consultation gave the statement
which has been presented to theSenate to-
day into the hands of the Senators from
South Carolina, in which they utterly de-
ny that there is any such evidence; oreif
there is, they say it is false evidence they
atfy the Government to prosecute them,
and [ think that the Senator having had
this information. as l have no doubt he
had, and relying upon it, when these gen,
t;emen have come forward and presented
their statement, knowing the character OF
these men, he should not reiterate the
charges he formerly made against them.
II it is.proper for him to do so, it becomes
those who know the merits Of these gen
tlemen to state again on the floor OF the
Senate and to the country that nobody5
perhaps with the exception of the Senator
from Vermont, believes any snch charge
against him. I do not believe you can
find any person besides the Senator who
will give credence ia this accusation and
it is evident because no attempt has been
made to arraign these gentlemen before
the Courts in South Carolina, and no at
tempt has been made to arraign them any
where upon these. charges; and when the
arraignment is made, venture to say
that they will be able to show themselves
entirely free from the aspersion cast upon
them.
Mr.. Edmunds. Only aword, Mr. Pres
ident.
The Vice-President. The Senator from
Vermont desires to add word
Mr.. Edmunds. The Senator from Mis-
souri, suggests that l made charges against
|. these gentlemen. I do not make charges
against any one in this body unless | in
tend to support themi in manner in which
this body can decide upon them. In
public debate I did say, for which I am
responsible-I will not say "here Or else
where" for that is rather an unhandsome
term-that had such information, that
there was such evidence. l do not un-
dertake to say that that evidence upon
trial would turn out to be sufficient to
convict them, OF would not turn out to be
perured; l only said, in discussing pub
lie question that had relation to that sub
ect, that we ought to be careful how We
took steps until we had information: That
is all hope as much as the Senator
that these people when they are tried will
be found to be entirely innocent, but do
not undertake to pronounce any opinion,
and have not undertaken to pronounce
any opinion upon their guilt or innocence.
Nothing would make me more happy than
to find Them perfectly innocent.
Mr.. Blair. l am very glad to hear the
Senator say what he has Just said, and l
think it was due to the occasion that he
should say it to the Senate.
Mr.. Robertson. desire to say one
word
The vice-Presideht The Senator from
South Carolina desires to add a word.
Mr.. Robertson l said at the time these
gentlemen were assailed: that in my opin-
ion they were innocent; that they We're
gentlemen of character and position and
education. l still think so. In a person.
al conversation with myself they told me
that they held themselves in readiness to
answer to the laws OF their country, and
it is very hard that they should be assail-
ed for an act for which they themselves
claim to disdain. repeat my assertion
that I think they are entitled at least to