The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-09
WASHIN GTON.
The Southern Question Among
the Politicians.
Mr.. BLAINE'S RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY
Amendments To Be Offered. by
the Democrats.
FEELING REGARDING THE CIPHER DISPATCHES.
Progress or the Army Reorgan-
ization Bill.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 1873.
THE PROPOSED REVIVAL OF THE SECTIONAL
ISSUE.
is not certain that Mr. Blaine will get the floor to-
morrow for his Southern inquiry resolution, as Mr.
Edmunds gave notice last Wednesday that he would
call up the bill to amend the Presidential Election law
on Monday. and unless he gives way Mr.. Blainc's
resolution will have to wait day. 1t is understood
that Mr. Thurman will offer amendment to the
resolution making the inquiry cover also cases of
intimidation by employers, OF assessment OF office
holders and OF interference of government officers at
the polls to obstruct voters and, of to make
the inquiry all the States and not only the
Southern States. Mr.. Thurman will not, probably.
make any speech the subject, and it is not yet de-
cided by whom Mr.. Blaine shall be answered, nobody
knowing what he will say whether he will be con-
ciliatory will seek to create excitement The
democratic Senator'S to doing anything
to stir up anew q sectional ISSUE and the general
opinion among them is that the matters complained
of should be left for the present to the courts. which
judicially investigating them, and that where
wrong has been done the wrongdoers ought to be
punished. Meantime the Southern men assert that
there has been great exaggerton in the reports which
have been spread, and that it is impossible for Mr..
Blaine any else at this time to know the accu-
rate TRUTH and it will be unjust in the republicans to
try to make party capital by basng their proposed in
qury the reports which circulated for partisan
purposes.
There appears to be general Discrimination in the
House to investigate the cipher dispatches. The
democrats are waiting for republican motion, and
the republicans hesitate and not as anxious as
they appeared to be few weeks ago to demand
investigation. 1t is understood that Mr.. Hale had
resolution prepared the subject before Congress
met aud he may determine to introduce it any day.
1t is probable that unless the republicans move
in the matter the democrats will for the present let
it go.
1t is suggested in influential democratic quarters
that if the election trials i'll South Carolina shall show
that frauds sufficient to invaiidae the election in the
two black districts (Smalls and Rainey's)
mitted the elections there shall be promptly declared
void when the new Congress meets, next December,
and election be ordered this should not be
done by the South Carolina authorities the seats be
declared vacant until it is done.
The Southern men in the House disposed to
move the grant of money asked by the President to
carry out the federal election trials and to pass the
appropriation without delay. They confident
that thorough judicial inquiry will show the
try that there was intimidation in the Southern
States that there violence during the but
ut most half dozen points and that it viii appear
that in some Of these cases the colored peo-
pie the aggressors. being infamed by mischief
making black demagogues. and that the election
frauds charged will be found to have been practsed
in but few counties in one or at most two States.
They say that Judicial inquiry will be great bene
1T the South, the evidence ii will furnish will
enLghten the Northern mind and show conclusively
that the offences sporadic and not general that
they had not the sympathy Of the of white peo-
ple contrary and that the exaggerated reports
circulated here and at the North put forth by the
same class Of carpet bag republicans whose unscrupu-
lous ambition many years kept the country in q
turmoil.
There is once more a growing and noticeable feel
ing among the extreme republicans against the Prcsi
dent They denounce him with great bitterness in
private; say that his remarks on the South were
wishy washy; that he is marplot and weak
kneed republican. not to be depended on, and
that it is necessary to move forward with
ont him. The plain fact is that they are
very averse tho Presidents plan of resting with
the enforcement Of the federal election laws. They
wanted him to recommend additional legislation
against the South and Congressional inquiry. and
they feel that his calm and law enforcing plan makes
it difficult for them to excite the public mind to
bring public sentiment to justify the passage Of new
restrictive laws. They altogether in unhappy
frame Of mind. and now place all their hopes the
confident expectation that the democrats will commit
some folly which shall help them.