The Portland daily press., 1876-12-28
Forty Fourth Congressional Session.
HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, Dec q.
Bill providing a form of government for the
District of Columbia was reported and made
the special order for Jan. 4th.
message was received from the President
regarding the extradition treaty with Great
Britain. He would continue to regard the
new treaty would be entered into. Referred to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Discussion arose as to the reading of a petit
ton from Cincinnati, relating to counting the
electoral vote, Mr.. Garfield contending such
reading was out of order, even il it was pre-
scented by the Speaker,
During the discussion Mr.. Banning of Ohio
said the Republican party was attempting to
defeat the will of the people 10y fraud, but if
there was one thing the people loved more than
another, more than life, it was the liberty that
was vouchsafed them in an honest ballot box
Applause on the Democratic side and in the
galleries He wished to tell the gentleman
from Ohio (Garfeld) that the people would
have an honest ballot box though an army
might come with eighty rounds of ammuni-
ton, though the navy might be called upon,
though the $4,000 office-holders might be called
to the rescue. An honest people would put
them all down., (Applause.) He hoped the
members on the other side of the House would
throw aside their partsanship and stand by the
right.
Mr.. Garfield said he was glad at last a gen.
tleman had been found who could speak for
the American people, who could tell exactly
what the people were going to do. He sincere
ly regretted that his colleague (Banning)
should speak in time of real danger like the
present when the country needed all its wis
dom, all Its fairness and all its calmness, that
he should have found it necessary at such a
time to hint at what the people would do; that
they would defy the authority of the United
| States; that the army might come; that the
navy might come; that the trappings of war
| might rattle, but the people would come down
AID override everything, 1t was the very es-
| sence of violence for gentleman to appeal to
| the people to resist the plain process of law and
| in an hour like this the men who attempted to
| shake brand over the country were the men
| who ought to be most severely judged by the
| people.
| Mr.. Banning said he also thought the condi-
| ton of the country was dangerous and the
House ought to proceed with fairness and GER
tanly that side of the House was doing so and
it would continue to do so, but it would not be
deferred from its duty by anything or ANYBODY.
Mr. Banning then spoke of ex-Gov. Welles
| of Louisiana as being a dishonest man and
was SO branded by Gen. Sheridan. Mr., Frye
| spoke IN the defence of Weles, characterizing
| him as an honest man, true man, man of
courage, man who loved his country and one
who would not knowingly do a dishonest or
Frye continued; If he (Frye) lived down South
and saw his state legislature composed of ne
g'oes he might share in the feeling
which often brought forth the re.
| marx, we Will CTeaG IQ0 COl0roQ man
well in his place, but he shall not vote. %
He might experience that feeling, but that
| would not make it right. But gentlemen of the
South must know that the constitution having
given colOred men the right of suffrage they
would be compelled to grant them the free ex-
ercise Of that right if they desired the peace OF
the country. The prosperity of the North was
tied up with the prosperity of the South, and
desired peace. The North would not harm the
South, nor would it interfere with it if the col
ored men were allowed to vote.
Mr.. Atkins of Tenp.-Not man in the
South opposes it.
Mr.. Frye-Wil the gentleman take the tes-
timony of Gen. Sheridan that 5000 colored men
had been murdered in Louisiana because they
desired to vote?
Mr.. Willis of N VI will mott L will not
believe word of it,
Mr.. Frye said he did not know what would
convince the Democratic party that outrages
had been committed in some Of the Southern
states, but outrages had been going on since
the day in 1866 when convention being held in
Mechanics Hall in New Orleans had been fired
into by platoons of Democratic policemen and
260 men were butchered in less than two hours
From that time down to the present outrages
had been frequent and the law was powerless
intimidated by the sight of revOlvers displayed
in open court, he was asked by Mr.. Spencersoi
Louisiana, in what parish they had occurred.
Mr.. Frye-I do nos know that, but do know
l ohoo lhO paAlcuOc VI Gdol DdtOu NUuSe, LdSG
Feleciana and Grant are written in letters of
blood, and the gentleman from Louisiana
| (Spencer) and his children, will one of these
days put their faces in their hands and their
hands in the dust when the record is made of
those parishes.
MI. Spencer repealed the charge that the out
RACES had beeu committed in Louisiana. He de.
nounced as utterly false and absurd the declara
ton OF Gen. Sheridan that 5000 political murders
had been committed in Louisiana The blood
l Of no fhat fal1 tn afT o1e
upon the heads and hands of Packard and KEEL
logg who had commissioned two sets of officers
| in that parish and had then refused to interfere
to preserve the peace and this was done
to manufacture political capital. Far from in.
tlmldatlOn and murder having been committed
it would be the verdict of the American people
that the people Of Louisiana had exhibited a
degree OF courage and magnanimty that was
truly sublime. The gentleman from Ohio
(Garicld had said that some of the ballot
boxes of Louisiana were reeking with fraud
and red with blood. 1t was Republican FRAUD
and rascality if such was the fact at all, be-
cause no Democrat had the opportunity Of
touching the ballot boxes. He asserted thai
| on the day of the election there had not been a
not or turmoil in that state. A more forbear.
ing, more chivalrous people did not inhabit
the American continent than inhabited the sol
| of Louisiana. AS a citizen of that state, re-
memberiDg the wrongs which had been perpet
| rated upon her, the acts of wrong which were
done to her by the President, he confessed that
he was ready to put his face in his hands and
cry God save my state" 1t was enough
to bring the blush of shame to the cheek Of
every man in America.
Mr. Chittenden of New York thought thai
the petition and all other petitions relating tt
the same subject should be printed no matter
whether signed by Democrats or Republicans
The petition was then read and referred t
the committee appointed to examine the sub,
ject. 1t contains resolution declaring thai
| the President of the Senate has not mower IL
alone count and declare the vote.
L The Honaa at 9 adionrnod