Ottumwa weekly courier., 1878-12-18


testify secretly, but not openly. The
Senator chad spoken abou. what so
and so had alleged in regard to de-
priyipg citizens OF their rights
There was not q particle Of proof Of
the fact. He (Butler) rs senator.in part
representing the state of South Caroli-
ma, desired to say TO the Senate and
country that the people of his state
desired the most complete and fullest
investigation which could be made
and any witness who appeared before
the committee in South Carolina
could testify just as safely az he could
in the state of Maine.
Mr.. Eustis said it occurred to him
as an extraordinary situation for the
Senator from Maine to occupy, when,
in advance of the examination of a
single witness, he took the liberty of
stating to the people of the country
and TO the Senate that the people Of
Louisiana had no more rights as vot.
ers than the inhabitants of Senegam-
bia. He (Eustis) could demonstrate
that the elections in Louisiana were
fair and peaceful, and there were q
great many reasons why the demo-
cratic candidates were elected. The
colorcd people exercised the right of
suffrage and discrimination.
Mr.. Blaine said Butler either pos
sessed or affected great ignorance of
past events in South Carolina. He
referred to the troubles in that State,
and said he had 200 letters giving de-
tails of great outrages on the right of
suffrage. Ifthe Senator desired in.
ves,igs,ion fee from intimidation he
would leave it to the committee as 10
whether the doors should be open or
not, and not lot witnesses, white or
colored. be notified that the doors
would be opened aud if they appear.
ed before the committee they would
do so at their peril.
Mr.. Butler said if Blaine desired
full and fair investigation, as he
claimed he did, he would vote for the
amendment. The Senator eaid he
had 200 letters complaining of out
RACES. He (Butler) understood the
Senator to say ia his speech Wednes.
day last that he based his statements
on. newspaper publications. Ifaews-
paper statements were considered
evidence the Senst0r from Maine, a.
we'll as himself, would have been
hung and quartered loug age. He
did not mean to say that newspapers
didn't communicate the truth, but
when correspondents were ssnt TO his
country 10 write down everything bad
about the people and suppress all
good, he thought 1t time TO complsiu.
If he (Butler) would go into Maine
with u corps Of detectives he would
make stencil in the nos.riis of the
world.
Mr.. Bsain.-You have the right to
do 80 under this resolution.
The amendment OF Butler was re.
jectei-yess 80, nays 30-s strict par
" vote.
Tho question then being on the
amendment, Bleine's, Davia wv. Va
moved to amend SO as TO provide
tina: the committee or any sub-com.
mittee should sit with open doors
when requested to do so by any mem.
Der of the committee.
Mr.. Bayard said: $50 far this
res Jlution and amendments have
been acted upon almost with unan-
unity. Why should it not continue ?
The courts always took testimony
with open doors, aud ii any investi.
CATION should be made publicly it
should be that affecting the character
Of whole community. There wac
something un-American in this secret
inquisition. If the charges made
were true, he hoped exposure would
follow, and punishment follow ex.
posure. If the charges were untrue,
he hoped punishment would fall up
on those who placed them on foot.
He hoped the Senate would unani-
mously agree that no such thing as q
secret inquisitiOn should he held.
He had been on investigation COM
nittees in Mississippi and the south,
and men came before the committee
to swear to just what they pleased.
This should not be party question.
The votes he had given had been TO
prevent II being such. He hoped
this investigation would be conduct
ed on the principle that justice every
where lays down for the calculation
Of truth"
Mr.. Herman favorc1 the amend-
ment.
Mr.. Merrimon sgid he had experi-
enne two years ago on an inyestiga-
ting committee in the South, and he
could not conceive q better plan to
encourage perjury than to close the
doors.
Mr.. Howe said that in an investi-
CATION in Lo ouisiana both white and
colored persons had told him they
dare not testify. One such witness
lid appear. and was afterward killed
on account of his testimony.
Mr.. Blaine said, according to
Thurman's ideas, the whites could
influence the committee much moro
than colored men, because of their In
telligence and property He declar-
ed that free election was never
known In the south, never . man In
Virginia, Georgia or Florida dared
vote for Abraham Lincoln, and In
1874 mono would vote for James g..
Birney.
Mr.. Blaine argued that intimids-
tion should be punished.
Mr.. Ransom said he could persuade
any patriot to retire from the posi-
tion held by Blaine in his argument
that q free election in the south was
impossible. This resolution had been
supported by Democrats. They want.
ed this investigation and had tabled
. proposition to abandon il. He ap-
pealed to Blaine If this opposition to
the amend mcnt was not mockery.
The senator had called forth the
light of Heaven on these transactions,
but when the Democratic said turn IL
on, he exclaimed "Oh no put II in q
dark room /; draw the curtain" Light
is the enemy Of fraud and corruption.
It protects our homes and allows no
suspicion as to the methods employ
ed. II would not be best for Blaine
10 assault the Southern people. 1t
was q mistake to think anything
could be said to provoke recrimina-
tion. Looking toward Blaine he said !:
Senator, il you are to have war il
shall be your war, not ours" A year
ago the Southern people acted patri-
otically, and gave this country peace,
instead of great trouble and revolu-
tion. They did not throw impede
ments in the way. .Rc the present ad;
'ss %''i:'rs,'sn doaa,ly Sm6fss.saa' 'ssse soa
or .gs and 4 ',,1soIGfron ,s JaiIb. ~
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