Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-02-16
senator Rayard's Resolution.

Ia tue L. 8. Senate, on Wednesday, the llth,
Mr.. Bayard asked that the resolution offered by
him the day before, calling upon the President TO
inform the Senate whether any officer of the | y.
army i'll South Carolina had been instrumental in
procuring legislation in that State to compensate
him for services rendered in the discharge OF his
duty, 30, bs passed. He said the matter was
brought to his attention last Match, and he had
no doubt great wrong had been perpetlated on
the people OF South Carolina, and the fair name
Of the officers of the army had been dishonored.
Hence 1t was in the interest OF all that the matter
be exposed should be promptly corrected.
South Carolina had been deprived OF 5000,
given as rewards for the conviction OF persons
under the Ku-Kiux act. Major Lewis Merrill, of
the United States army, 1t was charged, had re-
ceived $2l 400 of that amount, and had been busy
IN ohtalaiag the pssaage OF an act authorizing the
reward by the South Carolina Legislature He
sent 10 the Clerks desk, and had read report of
the commission for the distribution Of rewards,
In which ths name of Major Merrill appeared as
having received the above amount kesuming
his remarks, Mr.. Bayard said the convictions were
secured by paying those who had committed the
murders to testify against others. Such things
were shocking in he}history OF the country and
the administration OF justice. Many OF the men
thus convicted We're now langushiug IN n New
York prison The matter was lail over.
On Friday Mr.. Bayard called up his resolution
again, and occupied the foor of tho Senate until
the morning hour had expired, in a discussion
with Senators Scott and Patterson, who cndeavor-
ed In every way to embarrass the Senator from
Delaware, hut only to find that their effjrts we're
like the iint to steel, the harder the stroke the
bpgnter grew the returning lash. Mr.. BIysrd in
concluding Ills speech said
Mr.. BAYARD. l am only commenting upon ii
because the Senator says Bratton lived immediate
ly across the street from Major Merrilis head
quarters Major Merrill had him under view all
fkA fUna ~ ~ nI
ostracised by him, and yet bratton lived there and
Major Merrill made hundreds of arrests of inuo-
cent men, but let Bratton alone.
The righ: to arrest him under warrant existed
before the suspension OF the writ OF Nabeas corpus
Jhe statement made BY the Senator amounted tC
about this, as understood it to a confession that
the whole OF this harrying and dtagonnade in
South Carolina resulted IN the conviction of the
wrong men, and that the arrests aud convictions
that took place were Of everybody but the real Of
Tenders and the parties who were guilty, and
should have been punished.
1t is true that was not upon that subcommit
tee, and did not accomp any friend to South Car
whsre. did serve in two Of the other states, and
South Carolina was also embraced within the dii
the State of South Carolina. l passed through
those counties in which MARTA law had been pro-
claimed, and where Major Merrills will was the
eyes to the right and to the lett from the time
entered the borders of those counties until we
u
ton. No white man could be seen. He dspopu-
lated the country The people fled from his rule
The plow was left in the furrow; the farms were
abandoned. No man was safe. i remember meet
ing at Q railway station two young men who sat
down at the table with me. and asked them in re-
gsrd to the condition of tho country. They told me
It was because Of the declaration of martial law
that NO man, however aged, however respectable
safe if the basest negro simply pointed his i'm
ger at him and asked ior his military arrest. 1t
was a reign of terror. 1t continued Men were
arrested BY hundreds. dragged from their families
incarcerated without writ. discharged sometime.
without question and without any explanation, and
without any charge being brought against them
Such was the condition 81 things there SO long u:
there was no writ OF Lu5eas corpus with Major Mer
lief. That was martial law in Amerca-the sus
pension OF tho writ of habeds corpGs by the Presi
dent. in time OF profound peace, with the court;
all open, where every Judge was of his own party
every Jursr OF his own party, every prosecuting
officer Of his own party, the whole machinery fol
the arrest, trial and cOnviction oil men confined tC
men Of his own choice, because BY tse test oaths
which still prevail in the South men are disabled
from serving on jury. who ever performed the
most natural dictates OF humanity, the slightest ac
Sf hisndship. of assistance, toward their owa kin
died and frien Is during the entire period of the
The Senator may sneer at the affected solicitudt
cfSouth Carolina for tho honor of the Fedora
Army. 1t is for him to consider whether it is just
But the people of. South Carolina did not cause
this resolution. l make no especial profession
Of solicituds tor the honor of the American
can obtain it. right to be solicitous; it il
my right to be solicitous and If there were ne
other moving cause than my sympathy and friend
ship for o distressed and downtrodden people OF my
own race. o desire to save the poor remnant o
their property from further robbery if there were
HIy Of Ss Tnea
tify me. Ii has prompted me, in Offering this
luton. hope therefore that it may be adopted
although am quite willing the discussion should
so on ii Senators desire it.