Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-01-07

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from the right of sepul-
ture, and the free exercise of the
police power of the State. These he
thinks are a denial of the equal protec-
tiOn of the laws, which those cOnstitu-
tional amendments were made to guard
against. He shared those feelings of
high personal regard which pervaded
the house in respect to the gentleman
| from Georgia Mr.. Stephensl, but when
| that gentleman lent his voice to defeat
this measure, he Mr.. Elliott would not
shrink from saying that it was not from
| him Stephens that an American house
OF representatives would take lessons
in matters touching human rights. No
consideration should restrain him from
saying that that gentlemen now offered
to the government that which he had
done his utmost to destroy, q very poor
return for its magnanimity in coming
here and seeking to continue by
the assertion of doctrines OBJ
noxious to the true principles of
government, burdens of oppres-
sion which rested on those who had
never failed to pray for the success of
| the government which that gentleman
had sought to blot out from the galaxy
of nations. Applause from the floor
and in the galleries, which were filed
with cOlOred people. 1t was scarcely
sixteen years since that gentleman had
shocked the civilized world by an
nouneing as the highest form of gov
eTnment one that rested on human
slavery, but the progress of time had
swept away that pseudo government,
and the race which he fStephens) so
ruthlessly spurned and trampled upon
was here now to meet him in discussion
to demand that the rights enjoyed by
former oppTessors should be accorded !
to those who, even in the darkness of
slavery, had kept their allegiance true
to freedom and union. That gentleman
had learned much since 1861, but he
was still a barrier. He Mr.. Stephens1
should put away entirely those false and
fatal theories which had marred his 9TH
erwise enviable record. He should ac-
cept, in its fullness, that American citi-
zenship carries with it every civil and
political right that manhood can confer.
He should lend his influence and Lis
mastery ability to complete the
proud structure of the legislation
which made our nation worthy of
the great declaration that heralded
its birth. Let him do that, and he viii
have done that which would most sure
ly redeem his reputation in the world,
and best viudicate the wisdom of that
policy which had prompted him to re-
turn TO his seat in the house. As to the
gentleman from Virginia Harris, who
had yesterday traGscended decency and
propriety, he (ElliOtt) should have
no words with him. He would let that
gentleman feel that a negro was not
only too magnanimOus to smite him iu |
his weakness, but was even charitable |
enough to grant him the mercy of his |
silence. Applause and laughter. The
holy scriptures told of an humble hand |
maiden who had long and faithfully |
cleaned in the rich fields of her wealthy
Sinsman, and that at last, in spite of |
her humble antecedents, she found COM
plete favor in his sight. So with his |
race. 1t had, for two centuries, reaped |
down their fields. The cries and woes |
which they had uttered had entered into |
the ears of the Lord God of SabbaOth. |
and they were at last politically freed
the last vesture of civil rights only was
needed. Having gained that, they
might, with hearts OVERLOOKING with |
gratitude and thankful that their pray-
er had been granted, repeat the prayer |
of Ruth: "Eutreat me not to leave thee, !
or to turn from following after thee, |
for whittier thou goest | will go, and |
where thou lodgest l will lodge, thy /
people shall be my people, and thy God |
my God; where thou diest / will die, |
aud there will l be buried. The Lord |
do so to me, and more also, If aught but |
death part thee and me-"
The speech was listened to with mark
ed interest and attention by the mem |
beTs on both sides of the house, and by |
the crowded galleries, and, at the close, |
was very generally and loudly applaud |
ed. Many members congratulated the |
cOlOred orator warmly, and General |
Sherman, who was present in the hall, |
joined in those congratulations.
Mr.. Monroe supported the bill. 1t i
had been said that there were peculiar |
difficulties in enforcing the rights Of the |
colored race; but this only showed that /
that class need protection more |
than others, and that was
certainly not a reason for neglecting |
them. If congress failed in that, it |
failed wholly. If it could not protect |
colored people, it would be found it could |
protect nobody. When it withdrew the |
shield of protection from them, it would |
also withdraw it from white citizens. |
Mr.. Lawrence made a leg Al argument |
to prove that congress had the cOnstitu- |
tional right to pass the bill.
The debate was further continued by |
Messrs. Walls, Purman and StOwell for |
the bill, and by Messrs. Blount, Bright,
HernandOn, Whitehead and Buckner
against it. At forty minutes past three
O'clock in the evening the general de-
bate closed. The debate, as might nat
urally be supposed, had great attractions
for the cOlOred population of the city,
and consequently throughout the whole
day the gentlemen's gallery WAS
filed to oyerfiowing, and the doOrways
blocked up, in which the colored race
counted at least ninety-five per cent
In the ladies gallery dark faces
were also predominant, and even the
galleries set apart for the families of
members were not free from the pres
eDce of the representatives of the race
which was so deeply interested in the
matter before the house. The diplomatic |
gallery was the only part of the hall |
where there were no cOlOred persons, |
and that gallery was practically vacant |
the whole day.
Mr.. Butler Mass. !, who reported che |
bill, took the floor at the close of the |
debate, but yielded to Mr.. Hale Me. I, |
who reported, from the appropriation |
committee, the regular naval appropria |
ton bill, which appropriates SO, 800, ,S56, |
and moved that it be made the special |
order for Thursday next.
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