The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-02-11
Appealing to. the Country.
A NOBLE DEFENCE OF THE sLANDERED SOUTH

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A NOBLE DEFENCE OF THE sLANDERED SOUTH
:. In the United States Senate last week, Gen.
Gordon made an able and succinct reply to the
speech of Senator Conkling, who defended the
condition of the. administration in Louisiana,
and argued that the Presidenthad been unwar-
.rantably attacked by Gordon and others:
Mr.. Gordon, of Georgia, referred to his
Speech he made q few days ago, and sand ne
had not made any attack on thesPresident! In
that speech he; expressed his confidence that
the bitter sentiment which characterized this
debate found no response, with the Northern
people; Such was his opinion, notwithstand-
Ing the false charges made on this floor against
hina. Since the surrender of the Confederate
army no man ever heard him utter any senti-
ments against the Federal Government He
referred to the arguments of Messrs. Conkling,
Morton. and others, and contended that Vigers,
the Clerk of the Louisiana Legislature, holding
over, had no right to call the roll, and he did
not think any people would sustain the Senate
in any such proceedings. The honorable Sen
ator from New, York Mr.. Conkling) had said
the times changed and so did the people. He
(Gordon) thought so, and he said it with no
disrespect, but the majority in this body
changed its action according to its own politl-
cal proclyities. He,then, referred to- the action
Of the Alabama Legislature which elected
Spencer, stating that it did not meet at the
time nor the place required by the constitution
of Alabama, yet the majority in this Senate
admitted Spencer to his seat. Mr.. Gordon then
spoke of the feeling in the South, and especial-
II in his own State, and denied that there was
any animosity existing between those OF differ
ent rolitical sentiments, He desired to lay be-
fore the Senate the words of gallant soldier,
Who. while the war lasted, ever had his sword
cleaning In the front of battle, but who. when
the war ended; laid his sword upon the altarof
civil war. He referred to Major General w.
s. Hancock, and read from an order of Han
cock, issued while that officer was in command
atNew Orleans in 1867. Resumingl his argu-
ment he said those words ought to be stamped
upon the records of this; land, as they are to-
day stamped upon the hearts of the people Of
Louisiana. The Senator from New York had
not touched upon the question as to whether
the law authorized the invasion of Louisiana.
Neither had other Senators on that side of the
chamber. When asked to point out the law,
their response had been murder, outrage. That
had been the sum and substance of all the
speeches made upon the other side. What
Was the use of continually hurlingin his Cor
don,s) teeth and the teeth of his people, that
thew we're rebels7 They differed in opinion
with the people of the North, an opinion hon.
estly entertained. Perhaps if he had lived
North he might have been in the Northern
army. The people of the North thought those
of the South wrong, but that was no reason
why the sections should be quarrelling forever.
He referred to the testimony offered before the
committee in the other House Of Congress re-
Gently, in which witness said that he, Cor
dcn,i in a speech in Alabama, had advised the
Democrats to carry the election by force. 10
show how much truth there was in that state
men1, he (Gordon) would say he had not made
a political speech in Alabama i'll five years, and
at the time he was charged by witnesses with
making this speech, he was 200, miles away
from the place in another State, He sent to
the Clerks desk and had read kilograms from
w. G. Morrill,, of Maine, who was formerly
agent of the Freedmal's Bureau in Georgia,
and now resident of that State to the effect!
that there was nc. oppression OF blacks by
whites, and also had read telegram from the
Governor of the State in respect to educational
privileges of the blacks, to the effect that there
was no difference between whites and blacks
under the State system, though whites paid
taxes upon S266, ,000,000.5 and the blacks; paid
taxes upon $6,000,000, and that over 1900
colored children attended public schools last
year. 80. .". !'r s'f".~ " @,
Numerous other. telegrams and letters were
read by request of Mr.. Gordon, all tending: to
show the amcable relations between the races,c
and resuming his argument, he said .. Gen.
Grant once made o tour through the South,
and reported thereon, but he, too, was charged
with having whitewashed the Southern people
He had not been in the South since, and the
only information he had from there Was from
those who, for nine long years, had sfandered
the people he (Gordon) represented. He next
had read a Telegram from the Governor Of
Georgia as to the enforcement of law in that
State Under Democratic rule, and its enforce
ment under Bullock's, Republican, rule, show-
ing that the present. Governor had pardoned
two white men who had been convicted of muir
der and commuted the death sentence of four,
two of whom were white and two colored of
persons executed, ten were negroes and six
Whites while under Bullock'si government,
forty-six persons were pardoned tor the crime
of murder, eighteen had their sentences COM
mnted and two were executed: The records
under .Bullock's government do not specify
color: whole number Of pardons issued by
Bullock, 444, to At issued by the present Gov
ernor and q majority of those pardoned by the
pfesent Governor were blacks. Mr.. Gordon
then asked "Where is Bullock now? ?"l A .refu-
gee from justice in Canada. He then spoke Of
Foster Blodgett and said when he had charge
of the railroad in Georgia, which now paid
$500, 900 annually to the State, it did not paya
Cent and besides he robbed it OF half fmillion
dollars Mr.. Gordon then asked, "Where is
Blodgett nowYn Safe in.the province of South
Carolina. The road which he had so robbed
was now run by Senator who occupied a seat
on the other side of this chamber. -
Mr.. Sprague-Wbo is the Senator?
Mr.. Gordon replied he would rather not
nainehim he was an honorable man, and paid
money to the State, promptly he belonged to
company who managed the road. He. next
referred to crimes committed in the South by
negroes. .....a..
Mr. Pease, of Mississippi, rose to ask ques-
tion, but Mr.. Gordon refused to yield, saying:
Excuse me YOU have had nearly week to