Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-04-16

ed and voted Yea. See Mmual page
500.
Mr.. Butler was evidently greatly cou>
fused when he made himself sick on the
3Oth of January. lie ought to have da-
ted his sickness On the 18Th and 10Th of
February following. But he can correct
this in his next letter and declare that
the record is wrong, as ne will do if there
is no other chance to draw the wool over
the colored mems eyes, as he did over the
eyes of old Humphreys in the rebel Legis,
lature of 1861.
II ENFORCEMENT BILL.
In my former article ! said that Mr.,
Butler refused to vote on tho Bill before
the House reported by Mr.. Bingham from
the Judiciary Committee. He says the bill
then before the House needed amend.
ments, that it took control of county
elections, that Congress has no right to
control such elections, and that he
did not and never will vote for such a
measure, Here, we have not merely a
doubt expressed, but a positive assertion
that he did not vote for Mr.. Bigham,S
Ill from the Judiciary Committeo-whicn
he says elsewhere is tho most learned
committee of Congress because it gave
Congress jurisdiction over county elections
which he says Congress has no right to
exercise. The purpose of this bill was to
secure to colored men the right to vote
in all elections, County, State and FEEDER.
al. ! quote the sections of the Bill to
which Mr.. Butler SO seriously objects,
viz Section 2nd. THAT all colored citi>
zens of the United States, resident in the
several States Of the United States shall
be entitled t%o.vote at all elections in the
State, county, Parish, town, township, ward
or hundred Of their residence subject only
to the same conditions which now are, or
may hereafter be required to qualify
white citizen to vote therein Sec bill
mtuH Mnual, 1870 page $50,
Now what does this bill d. ft tn ecol-
orcd mar more than is proposed to be
done for him in the Fifteenth amends
ment?' Not one thing. How does it
interfere with county elections, except to
give to the eolored man who pays bis tax
like any other man, the right to vote in
county and town elections equally with
the white citizens?And yet Mr.. Butler says
he never vote d for such o measure and
never will. toec his letter in the Echo of
April l0th) Such is his reason for not
voting for Mr.. Bingham's bill on May the
10th, 1870, as stated by me in my former
communication. Isit satisfactory? Let
the colored people answer IN their votes
in the next Congressional election.
If they, like Mr.. Butler says he is, are
opposed to Congress extending the right
to them-and protection il the exercise of
that right to vote in town and county cleo
tons, let them say so. Let them tell Con.
gress they want no such rights and no
such protection as is extende in that bill
which Mr.. Butler says he refused to vote
for and for which he says he ncccr cilI
cote. But more of this after Mr.. Butler
writes another letter.
TIE LABOR COMMISSION.
Mr.. Butler says in his letter that |
charged that he refused to vote for a bill
to fix the price of l"bor and say whether
it shall be fifty cents or one dollar per
day. Is the man thus ignorant of tie
records of Congress? Is he thus ignorant
of lis own record, and of the measur res
which have from time to time come be.
fore him for his action? | said not one
word about any such bill. 1t was a bill
to create a labor commission, to authorize
the President to appoint, with the consent
of the Senate, three men one of whom
should be identified with the laboring men
Of the country and selected from among
them whose duty it should be to investigate
the subject of wages,hours of labor the re-
lations between labor and capital, the So
cal, educational and sanitary condition
of the laboring classes, and how the same
are affected by existing laws regulating
commerce, finance and currency, and hat
they should report the result of their in>
vestigationS to the President to be by
him transmitted to Congress. | referred to
Manual for 1872 page Il, where the bill
is printed in full and where the vote
stands, yeas 1856, nays, 46. Not voting
r. r. Butler and others. The purpose
of this bill was to gather information SO
that Congress might see WHAT anything,