Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-04-04
rup vrssfssfppy ELECTION.

THE MISSISSIPPI ELECL1o1'
The Mississippi election is to be inves-
,igated. The substitute of Senator Chris
tiancy for the original resolution, which
was adopted by the Senate, gives the pow
err to investigate The speech OF Mr.
Bruce of Mississippi, while the question
WAS pending, gave some facts in regard
to the election. going to show that it was
an organized outrage upon the right OF
suffrage. There is not the shadow OF a
doubt that the success of the democrats
was the result OF political villainy OF the
most a,rocious character
In 1873 the republicans carried MISS
issippi by 10000 majority. Last fall the
democrats claimed TO have carried it by
10000 majority-a democratic gain OF
10000 in two years. How came 1t, IN
ouired Mr.. Bruce, that such change was
effected and class of officials elected VINO
misrepresented the people' Haadmitted
that in a State like New York, where the
press was so potent and the telegraph and
other facilities Of intelligence in such lib
eral use, changes nearly as marvellous
sometimes take place, but in Mississippi
it was different. 1t was sparsely popula-
ted in many places and did not possess so
many privileges as many other States.
The colored people represented nineteen
twentieths Of the population and were
mostly republican voters. Then why this
change in the popular voteP In Yazoo
county the republicans carried the election
in 1873 by large majority, while last
fall only seven votes were cast for the re-
publican ticket, and he had been assured
that some of these were cast by the dem
ocrats in derision. they asserting that the
republicans ought to have little show.
The evidence will show that in many
parts of the State violence and intimida-
ton were used, and what was known as
the White League was accountable for
much of this class of outrages. A notice.
able feature of the outrages and violence
was their application to colored citizens.
The emancipation proclamation gave four
millions of citizens to the country. with
out homes or the franchise. Mr.. Bruce
gave statistics to show the thriftiness OF
the colored people, and how they had inn
proved the political privileges that had
been bestowed upon them. and claimed
that no charge could be brought against
them for misuse of their right. The State
debt was less than half million dollars,
and the taxes were light. The judicial
statistics show that there had been no
abuse of privilege there. If they had
misused the power entrusted them there
might be cause of complaint; but even
then the remedy lies in the ballot, and
not in the shotgun, not in fraud and vio-
lence. The celored people, he said. were
opposed to the "color line, !" but they must
be protected and guaranteed in the en-
joyment of all their privileges and rights.
1t shows the spirit of the democracy.
that while they have thirty-five investiga-
ting committees of the House at work in
search of garbage to be used in the cam
paign, the democrats in the Senate OBJ
iected to and opposed investigation of the
Mississippi election, matter of far more
importance to the public welfare, to pub
lie rights, to republican institutions, than
all the investigations now going on in the
name of reform. Mr.. Bayard even had
the audacity to introduce the manner and
style of speech of the sleveholdng aristo-
Gratis Of the past in opposing investigation,
demonstrating that the old spirit OF slavery
still lives. and is only kept in subsection
BY the knowledge that the people OF this
country are not willing to submit again to
Its domination.