The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-03-16
Wait TIL the Overaewing seoarse is Upon
YOu,
SPEECH OF JEREMIAH s. BLACK BEFORE THE
ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL on TUESDAY,
FEB. 2S.

| FEB. 2S.
| Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN had
not, and have not now, any intention to argue
this case. never heard the objections, nor
knew what they were, until they were read in
your presence this morning. 1t would be
| presumption in me to attempt an argument
before tribunal like this on such a case as
this, having had no previous opportunity to
consider it which might put me in condition
better than the judges themselves You have
heard as much of this case and know as much
about it us do.
My idea Of the duty which counsellor
owes to court or to any other tribunal, judi
cial or quasi-judicial, is that he should never
open his mouth ex sept for the purpose of as
sisting the judges in coming to correct con-
cluson; and if he is not in situation to do
that, he ought to keep silence.
Besides that l am, suppose, the very last
man in this whole nation who should be
called upon to speak here and now. Every
body has suffered more or less by events and
proceedings of the recent past, some by wear
and tear Of conscience and some by deep
sense 'of oppression and wrong. But per-
haps |, more than most Others have felt the
consciousness that have lost the dignity of
an American citizen. |, in common with the
rest, am degraded and Inundated. This ma
tion has got her great big foot in trap 1t
is vain to struggle for her extrication
am so fallen from the proud estate of a
free citizen, you have so AFFECTED me that /
an fit for nothing on earth but to represent
the poor defrauded, broken-hearted. Democ-
racy. And because | suffer more they think
me more good for nothing than the rest and
conclude to send me out ON this fororn hope.
tslging, no doubt truly. thas X matters moth
ing what becomes Of me. | ought to go glad
IL if anything which can Do or say might
have the effect of mitigating the horrible Ca
lamity with which the country is thr a'ened
a President deriving his title from shameless
swindle, not merely fraud, but fraud de-
tccted and exposed know not how I would
feel if called upon to suffer death for my
country. | am not the stuff that martyrs are
made Of, but if my life could redeem this ma
tion from the infamy with which she is cloth.
ed, ought to go to the grave as freely as l
ever went to my bed. ! see, however, nc
practical good that can do, and it is mere
weakness to complain.
We have certain objections to the uniting
Of this Hayes vote from South Carolina which
look to Inc insuperable, but I cannot hope
that they will wear that appearance in Other
mems eyes. Perhaps the feeling which
J in common with millions Of others entertain
on this subject, prevents us from seeing this
thing in its true light But you are wise
! you are calm. You can look all through thit
awful business with learned spirit; no pas.
sionate hatred of this great fraud can cloud
your mental vision or shake the even balance
Of your judgment You do not think it any
wrong that nation should be cheated by false
election returns. On the contrary, it is rath-
er blessing which Heaven has sent us in
this strange disguise. When the omnipotent
he shall be throned and sceptered and crown
ed, you think we ought all of us to fall down
and worship it as the hope of our political
salvation. You will teach us and perhaps we
will learn perhaps not) that under such rule
we are better of than if truth had prevailed
and justice been triumphant.
Give, then, your cool consideration to these
objections, and try them by the standard O.
the law. | mean the law as it was before tn,
organization Of this commission. / admi
that since then great revolution has taken
place in the law. 1t is not what it used t.
be. All our notions Of public right and pub
lie wrong have suffered complete bouleverss
nsent.
The question submitted to you is whethe
the persons who gave these votes were "dul
appointed" Duly, Of course, means accord
! ing to law. What law? The Constitution o
the United States, the acts Of Congress passe
in pursuance thereof, the Constitution {
South Carolina, and the authorized acts c
her Legislature-these, taken together, COL
stitute the law Of the case before you.
By these laws the right, duty, and power
appointing electors is given to the people c
South Carolina; that is to say, the citizens
the State qualified to vote at general election,
Who are they? By the Constitution Of th
State in order to qualify them as voters the
must be registered. The registry of a nativ
citizen is sine qua non to his right Of votin
~ much as the naturalization of fo
eigner.
!. Now, the Legislature never passed any Ia
for the registration Of voters, and no regi
tration OF them was ever made. No doul
. has been or can be entertained that the oil
r ject aud purpose of this omission was dishor
d est; for the Legislature as well as the Exc
u utiye Department Of that Government h,
= been in the hands n the most redemptionle
= rOgues on the face Of the earth. But wha
= ever may have been the motive, nobody ca
y doubt that the legal effect of thi. omission
= - to make the election Illegal
\ That is hardly the worst OF it. The ele
n tion itself, emacipated from all law and a
), authority, was no better than riot,' mo
= a general Saturnalia, in which the soldiers
N the United States army cut the principal
ID well as the decentest figure We offer I
>, prove-the offer will 20 upon record, and the
v it will stand forever-that every poll
le Charleston county, where they rushed in
,; the ballot box 1000 majority, was in poss,
II sion OF the soldiers.
a. A Government whose elections are co
le trolled by military force cannot b. republic
" v in form or substance. For this recite d
m authority Of Luther VS.. Borden, ii perchan
I'd the old-time law has yet any influence. |
t" you not see the hideous depth Of national de
u radiation into which you will plunge us if y
sanctiiy this mode of making Presiden,
I'M Brush up your historical memory and thil
ed Of it for a moment. The man whom You eli
n. in this way is as lnrely the creature of d
| military n1svar "a Cnlinlln OF Don,;t;n.