The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-12-19

The patent, undenlaDle lntenIol tnlh pIoNhlou
was that II any class OF voters were denied or IN
Any way abridged In their right OF suffrage then
the clais so denied or abridged should not be
counted In the basis OF representation; or, IN Nther
words that no State or States should gain large
increase Of representation in Congress by reason
of fComting any class Of population not permitted
TO take part In eectipg such representatives, But
the construction given TO this provision is that be-
fore any forfeiture OF representation can De en-
forced the denial or abrldgment OF suffrage must
be the result Of a law specifically enacted by the
State Under this construction every negro VOter
NAV have his suffrage absolutely denied or fatally
abridged by the violence, actual or threatened, OF
irresponsible mOhs, or by frauds ana deceptons
of State officers from the Governor down to the
last election clerk, aud then, unless some State
law can be shown that authorizes the denial or
abridgment the State escapes all penalty or peril
OF reduced representation. This construction may
be upheld by the courts, ruling On the letter OF the
law (which killeth' but the spirit Of Justice cries
aloud against the eyasive and atrOciOus COnGlus'
ion that deals cut oppression 20 the innocent ana
shields the guilty from the legitimate conseqnen'
Cea OF wilful tranagressiOn.
The coioTed citizen Is thus most unhapDily stu.
ated his right of suffrage is but hollow mockeTyi
Il holds TO his ear the word Of promise, but breaks
II italways to his hope, and the end only IN oelng
made the unwilling instrument OF increasing the
political strength OF that party from which he re-
ceived every.tghtening fetters when he was a
slave and contemptuOus refusal Of civil rights
since he was made free. He resembles, indeed,
those unhappy captives of the East, who, depriy.
ed of their brthrght, are compelled to yield their
strength to the upbuilding Of the monarch from
whose tyrannies they have most to fear, and IN
fight against the power from which alone deliver,
AnCe might be expected, The tranchise INTENDED
for the shield and defense Of the negro has been
turned against him and against his friends, and
has vastly increased the power OF those from
whom he has nothing to hope aud everything TO
dread.
10 bv nf the nODulntiOn
amoHnts 10 thirty five Representatives In Congress.
1t is maSsed almost sOlidly and Offsets the great
State of New York; or Pennsylvania and New Jer'
sey together or the whole OF New England or
Ohio and Indiana united or the combined
strength Of Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, California,
Nevada Nebraska, Colorado ard Oregon. The
seizure Of this power is wantOn usuIpston (; 1t is
flagrant outrage; 1t Is violent perVersion OF the
whole theory Of republican government,
But whenever feeble protest ia made against
such injustice as have described in the South
the response we get comes to us In the form OF
taunt what are you going to do about ltY' and
"HOw do you propose to help yourselves2' This
is the sterentyped answer Of defiance which in
trenched wrong always gives TO inquirug JUS
tce.
In memorable debate in the House OF Com
MONS Mr.. Macaulay reminded Daniel OGOnnell,
when be was moving for Repeal that the English
Wings had endured calumny, abuse, popular fury,
loss Of position, exclusion RON Parliament rather
than the great agtator himself should be less Than
British subject; and Mr. Macaulay warned him
0 that they would never suffer him to be more. Let
me now remind you that be Government, under
whose protecting flag we sit 10 day sacrificed
myrads OF lives and expended thousands OF mil
ions OF treasure that our cOuntrymen OF the south
should remain citizens of the United States, hav-
ing equal personal rights and equal political
privileges with all other citizens Aud venture,
now and here, TO warn the men OF the South, IN
the exact words of Macauley, that we will never
suffer them to be more
Mr.. THURMAN's AMENDMENT.
Mr.. Thurman then took the floor and submitted
the following as an amendment to the resolution
Of Mr.. Blaine
1.-THE Committee shall also inquire whether any
citizen Ofany State has been dismissed, or threat.
ened with dismissal fIOm employment or depriva
tiOD OF any right or privilege by reason OF his vote
or intention to vote at the recent elections or has
been otherwise interferad with and TO inquire
whether, in the year 1878 IEOney was raised by
assessment or otherwise upon Federal Office hold
ers or employees for election purposes and under
what circumstances, and by what means; and If
sO what amount was raised and how the same
was expended; and further, whether such assess
ments were not in violation OF law and shall fur
ther inquire into the action and conduct of Unit
ed States Supervisors of Elections in the several
States. as to the number OF Mdrshals, Deputy Mar
shals and others employed to take part in the
conduct of said elections IN what States or cities
appointed the amount of money paid or promised
to be paid them and how or by whom and under
what law and authority"
Mr. Thurman then addressed the Senate, He
said:
REMARKS OF SENATOR THURMAN:
Mr.. President-I attempted to offer that amend.
ment before the Senator from Maine proceeded
with his remarks, but failed 10 have any opportu.
nifty to do so. l intended then to say that what
ever opinion might be entertained on this side Of
the Chamber as to the competency oi Congress to
make all the investigations that these resolutions
contemplated yet we were disposed to waive all
scruples Of that character aud suffer the resolu-
tions to pass without opposition If the amendment
now proposed should be added to them. The Sen.
ator from MaiHe, however, having speech care.
fully studied and prepared exercised his right to
deliver that speech before any amendment could
beofered. l do not complain of that at all, nor
do now rise to make any extended reply to the
speech that have heard just now. Should this
debate be protracted, l may exercise my privilege
Of saying something in reply to the Senator from
Maine; but too day shall Confne myself to q very
few general observations.
The Senator is frank on one thing--his resolu J
tion is broad 1t includes all the States 1t provides
for an investigation whether the rights Of Ameri.
can citizens In connection with the elective fran.
chise have been violated or interfered with In |
any of the States but he frankly admits, in the
very eutset of his remarks, that that was not his
purpOse-that his purpose was to sssail the De.
mOcracy OF the South, He had two purposes in
preparing his carefully elaborated speecn-not to
vindcate the right Of suffrage throughout the
whole Union, but to inquire whether the DemOc-
racy OF the Southern States had violated the rights
Of American citizens and then to fiud ont what
should be done with them. Now, Mr. President.
that is very frank, and have no doubt very
true, statement Of the anlmus of this resolution.
Mr.. President said there might be some doubts
as to the propriety Of this investigation. Irepeat
1t. There may be such doubts, especially to-day
Here is the short session Of Congress. We have
even including the recess that we always take.
less, perhaps, than two months within which to
dispose Of the Appropriation Bills aud other mea.
sures Of legislation that necessarily require the
attention of Congress if the business of the session
is to be disposed of, and no extra session is to be
called. Aud now, sir, the Senator proposes an in.
Vestigation that defy any Committee that can be
found to make with any thing like thOroughsess
nay, in any satisfactory manner, with any thing
like justice, either to those who are implicated or
those who may be impltcated-w the time
that remains Of the session Of the Senate Itisan
impossibility. | have, therefore, wondered WHY
this resolution was introduced uuleSs 1t was to be
made string upon which TO hang speeches to
arouse sectional hatred iu one portion of the
Uqioo against au almost defenseleSs people in an.
other portion of the Union.
Now, Mr. President this assault OF the Senator
from Maine is not an assault simply however.
upon the people Of the South said five months
ago in speech, which beg pardon for r peating
here, that 1t did seem to me as clear as anything
In American politics could be that there was a
deliberately formed purpose, under the pretpxt
that there was a Solid South, to create a Solid
North TO rule not only the Solid South, but to rule
one half, nearly, if not more, Of the peOpe of the
North. thought that then-I think so now. |
thought then, and think now that purpose
more unpatriotic more unjust, more fraugnl with
ruin 10 the country, never entered the brain of
man. That Is my belief. Why, Mr. President Of
what s II that the Senator from Maine cOmplaint?
That there was not enough Republican voters at
the south That is the amount OF It. And how
does he make that out He assumes, without one
shadow OF truth produced her, that the negroes
Of the South were prevented from voting OF forced