Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-12-12
FOHTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, December IL
Senate.
SECOND SESSION.


appropriation of $4,000 to furnish the east wing
of the new building to be occupied by the war de-
| partment.
| Referred to the committee on appropriations.
The following bills we've introduced and refer
| red as follows:
| Mr. Anthony from the committee on naval af-
| fairs, reported without amendment, the senate
bill relating to the appointment OF professors of
| mathematics in the navy.
Placed on the calendar.
Also from the same committee without amend
ment, the house bill to promote q know edge of
steam engineering and iron ship building among
| the students Of scientific schools colleges of the
| United States.
Placed on the calendar.
Mr. Window reported with an amendment the
house bill making appropriations for the support
| Of the military &C Ademy.
Placed on the calendar
| The vice president announced as committee OF
the senate to attend the next annual examination
OF cad, Is of the Uuted States military academy,
Messr.. Window and White.
| MIR Blame took the floor and proceeded to
| speak on the resolution offered by him on the
| alleged frauds and outrages In the recent eltc.
| tons
See speech on second page.
Mr.. Thurman submitted the following as al
amendment TO Mr.. Bsine's resolution.
The committee shall also inquire whether sny
citizens Of any State has been dismissed from the
employment or deprivation of any right or privi-
lege by of his vote OF intention to vote Ut
recent elections, or been otherwise intertered with
| and to inquire whether in the year 1873 money
was raised by asse s.me ut or otherwise upon fed
| eral Office holders or employees for election pur-
poses, or under what circumstances and by what
means, and if so what amount was raised, and
how the same was expended. and further whether
such assessments were or not IN violation of the
| law. And shall further inquire into the action
| aud conduct of the United states supervisors OF
elections in the several States, and as to the num-
| Der of msrshals, deputy msrshals and others em-
ployed to take part in the conduct of said cleo
| lions, in what States or cities appointed, the
| amount of money paid or promised to be paid to
them, aud how or by whom and under what law
| and authority.
Mr. Thrrman-Mr. President--I attempted to
| offer that amendment before the senator from
| Maine proceeded with his remarks but failed to
, have any opportunity to do so. l intended then
| to say that whatever opinion might be enter aimed
| on this side of the chamber rs to the competency
OF congress to make all investigations that these
| +, solutions contemplate. yet we were disposed to
waive all scrupes OF that character and suffer the
| re, solutions to pass without opposition, II the
| anne udnent now proposed should be added to
: them.
| The senator from Maine. however, having .
speech carefully studied and prepared. exercised
his ight to deliver that speech before my amend
| ment could be offered. | do not complain Of that
| at ALL nor do now rise to make any extended
reply to the speech have heard just now. Should
this debate be protracted, l may exercise my priv
|
from Maine, but TO day l shall confne myself to \
| very few general observations.
| The senator is frank IN one thing. His resolu-
ton is broad. 1t includes all the States. 1t pro-
vides for an investig whether the rights Of
| American citizens in connection with election
| franchise have been violated or intcrferred with
10 any of the States, but he frankly admits in the
| vety outset oil his remarks that that was not bis
purpose. That his purpose was to assail the DEM
| ocracy Of the South. He had two purposes in
| al fullv oia knr cd
| indicate the rights of suffrage throughout this
whole Union, but to inquire whether the democia-
cy of the Southern States had violated the rights
| of American citizens. and then to find out what
could be done with them.
Now, Mr. President, that is very frank, and |
have no doubt q very true statement Of the ami
mus of this resolution.
Mr. President, said there might be some
doubt, as to the proprety OF this ihvesllgaton. 1
repeat it. There may be such doubts, especially
to-day. Here 10 q short session of congress. We
have, excluding the recess that we always take,
| less pc rhaps than two months within which to dis
pose of the appropriation bills and other measures
Of legsla,i that necessarily require the stten-
ton Of congress, if the business of the session is
to be disposed of and extra session to be called,
| and now, SIR, the senator proposes an investigs-
ton that defy any committee that can be found
to make with anything like thoroughness, nay, IN
any satisfactory manner with anything like justice
either to those who impe ached or to those
who may be impeached, within the time that re-
mains of the session OF the senate. 1t IS an i'm
possibility.
| have therefore, wondered why this resolu-
ton was introduced unless was to make
string upon which to hang speeches to arouse Sec
tiunsl hatred in one portion of this Union against
an almost defenceless people in another portion OF
the Union. Applause ia the galleries.
The vice President-The chair gives notice that
il this applause shall be repeated the galleries
will be cleared.
Mr. Edmunds-Mr. President If the Senator
will pardon me | hope the chair will add, And
that the person guilty of this disorder will be tax
en- into arrest
| The vice President-The chair adds that.
| MI. Thunman-And hope that there will be no
interruption whatever. did not say anything
when tue galleries cheered the plerorstion Of my
friend from Maine, for love an eloquent thing as
much as any body can and have sometimes cheer
ed II when did not agree wi h it at all. Uaugh-
teri Now, Mr.. President, this assault of the Sen
sor from Maine is not an assault simply, however,
| on the people of the South. said five months
ago in speech which beg pardon for repeating
here that 1t did seem to me as clear as anyth ny
in Amer can politics could be, that there was q
delbe rstely formed purpose. under the pretexi
that there was solid South, to create solid
North, TO rule not only the solid South, but to
rule one half, nearly, if not more OF the people Of
| the North. | thought so them think so yet.
thought then and think now that purpose more
unpatriotic, more Unjust more fraught with run
| to this country, never entered the brain of man
| lhat Is my DeneI. W ny, MT. Iresiuent, Oh Wus
is it that the Senator from Maine complains
That there not enough republican votes at tn,
South That is the amount OF 1t, and how does hi
IN AXE that QUIT lie assumes without one shadow
OF proof produced here, that the negroes of the
South were prevented from voting, or forced Il
vote the democratic ticket. He assumes. there
fore. that owing to these causes the negroes of the
South not represented by the members Of the
House Of Representatives from that section OF the
Union, or 10y the Senators on this floor who repre-
sent tue Southern States. What right has the
Senator from Maine to lay the negroes Of the
South are not represented by the chosen repre-
sentstives OF the South, and the chosen Senator
of the SOUTH What right has he to vote thes,
negroes one side himself, and say the men who
bear credentials of election do not represent theii
constituents Why Mr.. President, it is = bare
assumption on his part. that he has no right what
ever to make. But again, the Senator ought t6
have thought of this when he was framing his l4tt
and 18th amendments, or when he was assisting
in framing them. There were men there, men o
his own party, too. who told with long foresight
that in the end prosperity and intelligence viii
| rule the land, and ignorance cannot.
| Mr.. President, those were the men of his party
who foressw that those people who have the in
tellgence, the education, and the properly will
not be ruled BY those who have neither, and il
that it is not necessary to separate the community
| into white peOpe anu colored people, Not nj al