The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-03
AND LOSS OF LIFE,
STIRRING EASTERN NOTES.
CHRISTIANS IN PERIL
The Crisis Approaching.
XLIVTH CONGRESS--First Session
WAsHISGToS, August 2, 1876.

XLIVTH CONGRESS--First Session.
WAsHISGToN, August 2, 1876.
SENATE.
The river and harbor bill was nearly COM
plcted to-day. It'passes rs reported by the
committee, without amendment.
Adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
The silver bill was tilibustered over to
tomorrow.
The impeachment managers reported to
the House the result Of the trial.
The House went into Committee OF the
Whole.
Mr.. Lamar, OF Mississippi, proceeded to
make a speech on political subjects. He
commenced by saying that it could not be
truthfully asserted that the practice and pc
culiar system of measures adopted by the
present Administration commanded the ap-
probation OF majority OF the people, but
that on the contrary the sentiment in which
the Administration rcople regarded the
conduct OF natioral affairs was one OF
very decided dissatisfaction and deSpon-
dency, accompanied with very
strong and intense desire for change.
There was a deep and anxious protest
, against the methods OF the Administration,
the tone and character OF the public service,
and the principles OF legislation that had
marked the action OF the Government for
many years past. And yet it was remarka-
BILE that this popular feeling had produced
no change in the Administration. Such
development Of public sentiment
in England would have produced a
change in the administrative agencies
OF the country within twenty-four hours.
He attributed the absence OF reform to the
principles OF a centralized party organiza-
ton, which garrisoned the country with
100000 office-holders and 100000 expect
ants OF Office. lie quoted from the speech
OF Mr.. Sanford in the recent Republican
state Convention OF Massachusetts, in the
arraignment OF the Administration,
which speech, he sail, ii it had been
made by a Democrat would have
been regarded as 4 gross partisan
exaggeration. And yet that Convention
and its members were in active cooperation
with the very Administration thus charac-
terized and held up to public apprehension,
and the supporters OF political party which
had endorsed that Administration, and had
in turn been endorsed by it. 1t was utterly
impossible that the reform desired could be
effected by continuing in power that party
whose debasement Of the civil service OF
the country and whose corruption OF the
administration was the thing to be re-
formed, The success OF that party would
give immunity to the corrupt practices that
are the subject OF such universal condemns
ton.
But it was said that the advent OF the
Democratic party to power would endan-
ger the permanency OF the new institutions
established by the war, and there was an ap-
prehension that what was called the south
ern sectional combination would be brought
back, and therefore they were not prepared,
for the mere sake OF correcting the dlsor-
ders Of the Administration, to put these
new institutions into the hands OF those
who were originally opposed to their estab-
lishment. He appreciated the value
OF these grave apprehenslons. lie
would speak, however, in behalf OF
q people who had accepted with sincerity
the results OF the war; who felt that they
had on them the burden of recovering the
confidence of the nation, and who also felt as
sured that with better knowledge OF their
purposes and motives they would derive
that faith and confidence which is necessary
to bind together the various sections Of the
republic in the bonds of peace, which, in
these days OF party discard, he feared was
almost past understanding. He did not be-
lieve that the apprehension growing out OF
the united support by the southern people
OF the Democratic party was well founded,
or that it should stand in the way OF the
aspirations OF a great people for progress and
reform. The idea that the South, under
any combination OF parties and circum-
stances, would ever again obtain the control
OF this giant republic and WELD its desti-
MES against the will and interest OF the
mighty people was, of all ideas, the most
preposterous and baselesS. The people OF
the South were PROSTATE. They had been
defeated in war and made to feel that the
sacrifices, and humiliations, and helpless
ness OF defeat had been allotted to them as
their share, while the people OF the North
had reaped the rich results OF victorious
war. The institutions OF the South had been
shattered and DESTROYED; her industries had
been disorganizcd; every foot OF her fertile
soil sterilized by an alldevouring taxation
her educational interests waning and latf'
gushing; and her population was so feeble
in comparison with that OF the great Union
that with the South united, black and white,
it would be impotent to secure single
southern man, or to defend single south
ern interest. It was therefore absurd for
great people to apprehend that the people OF
| the South arrogated to themselves the
|
nation. There was no aspiration which
they had that was not bounded by the horl-
zon OF the Union. II they were Aited with
the Democratic party, it was not for the
purpose OF sectional ACKNOWLEDGEMENT; II
was not for the purpose OF reversing the
policy OF the Government; but it was be-
cause they had observed an instructive and
imperative law OF self-preservation.
Mr.. Lamar proceeded to argue against the
idea that the accession to power OF the
Democratic party would suspend the SUI
pervision OF the National Government over
the conduct of affairs in the South, and that
such suspension would imperil the rights Of
the colored people. He quoted from a
speech made by Senator (then Governor)
Morton, Of Indiana, in 1865, against confer
ring franchise OH the colored race, and in ia
yor Of postponing their political rights
for ten, fifteen, or twenty years. ut
which time, he argued, the States would
have been so completely filled up by imml-
grafton from the North and from Europe
that the negroes would be in a permanent
minority. II that distinguished statesman
away I'D in Indiana had such view OF the
effect of negro citizenship. what must nave
been the appalling feeling OF southern so
| ciety on which that avalanche was to DE let
! looseY Was it to be wondered at that the
neople OF the South at that time endeavored
! 70 save themselves from that shock! he
claimed, however, that after that system De
came fastened upon them they Ind striVen
earnestly and honestly to give it falr ana
free development, and that they might nave
4 succeeded in some degree but for the mea'
s,,res which had been adopted in conse'