Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-17

q 4bltants OF Zenegambia. He (Eustis) could
! demonstrate that the elections in Louisian;
were fair and peaceful and there were great
many reasons why the Democratic candidates
were elected. The colored people exercised The
rlgat OF suffrage with discrimination.
Senator Blaine said the Senator from South
Carolina, Butler, either possessed or affected
great ignorance OF past events in South Caro-
ma. he referred to the troubles in that State
and said he had 200 letters giving details Of
great outrages on the right of suffrage. II
Senator Butler desired a free and fair investiga
ton, free from intimidation, he should leave il
10 The committee as to whether the doors
| should be opened or not and not let witnesses
White and colored, be notified that the doors
| would be opened and if they appeared before
the committee they would do SO at their peril
| Senator Butler said if Senator Blaine desired
full and fair investigation, as he claimed, he
| would vote for the amendment to open the
doors. The Senator Q3laine) said he had zoe
letters complaining of outrages in South Caro-.
Ina. he (Butler) understood that Senator to
say IN his speech on Wednesday last that
| he based his statement on news
paper publications If newspaper statements
We're evidence the Senator from Maine as well
as himself (Butier) would have been hung and
quartered long ago. He did not mean to say
| that newspapers did not communicate the
| truth, but when correspondents sent to
| his country to write down everything bad about
| the people and suppress all that was good, he
thought it time to complain. He 7Butler1
could 60 into Maine with corps of detectives
and make the State stencil in the nostrils of
| the world
Senator Blaine-You have the right to do SO
under this resolution.
The amendment of Butler was rejected--yeas
~, nays 3O-a strict party vote. On this vote
pairs were announced follows: Barnum
Butler, Mcdonald, Maxey and Thurman, who
would have voted in the Affirmative were
main Hhoffn
and Edmunds, who would have voted in the
negative.
The question then being on the amendment
OF Blalne's, Senator Davis, West Virginia,
moved to amend SO as to provide that the com
mlttee or any subcommittee should sit with
open doors when requested to do SO by any
member of the committees.
Senator Bayard said far this resolution
and It's amendment had been acted upon al
most with unanimity. Why should it not con-
time? The courts always took testimony with
open doors, and if any investigation should be
character OF the whole community, There
was something un-American in this
secret inquisition. If the charges
made were true, he hoped exposure would
follow and punishment follow exposure. If the
charges were untrue he hoped punishment
would TALL upon those who placed them On
foot He hoped the Senate would unanimous
ly agree that no such thing as a secret inquisi-
tIon should be held. He had been on investi-
eating committees in Mississi ppi and elsewhere,
and men came before the committee to swear
to just what they pleased. This should not be
a party question and the votes he had given
had been to prevent it being such. He hoped
this investigation would be conducted on prin-
clples that justice everywhere laws down for the
elucidation of truth.
Senator Herman favored the amendment.
Senator Merrlmon said ihe had experience
fyun -..LL-
in the South, and he could not conceive of a
better plan to encourage perjury than by hav-
ing closed doors. He had seen day after day
the rankest injustice done to scores of men
who were not there to defend themselves.
The secret Investigations against the
principles OF eternal justice and wrong to the
American people.
Senator Howe said he had experience on in
vestlgatlng committees in Louisiana. He
had conversed with white and colored wit
nesses in that State who protested that they
dare not testify. One witness who appeared
before the committee, and he was a anative Of
the State was afterwards killed and it was
said on account Of the testimony which he
gave the committee.
Senator Blaine said the Senator from Ohio
Thurman, argued that the property and intelli-
gence rule the South If that was so, people
possessing them would have thousand oppor-
tunltles to influence the judgment of com NIT
e..
He was free to say that free election, in the
sense of the constitution, was never known in
the South. There never was man in virginia.
Georgia or Florida who dared to come up and
vote for Abraham Lincoln.
Senator Wlthers-There were votes cast for
him in Virginia.
Senator Blaine, continuing-And in 1914 no
one in the South would vote for James G. Bar
ney.
Senator Mcmillan argued that this subject
had been brought to the attention of Congress
through the message of the President It had
not arisen from partisan standpoint Citizens
IN certain parts of the country had been de-
prlved OF the right of suffrage by violence, in
foundation and outrage, and the offenders
should be punished.
Senator Ransom hoped the Senator from
Maine (Blaine) would pardon him. but he did
not think the Senator used peaceful argument
when he declared there never had been free
election in the South. If he (Ransom) thought
proper he could take up that glove and per-
suade any patriot to retire from such a position,
He would not say it was a calumny upon the
history of the Southern people, He would
leave 1T to the calm judgment OF the Senator
from Maine to correct at his leisure 1t was too
late for the Senator to declare in discussion to-
day that there never had been a fair election in
the South. He assured the Senator that was
not the way to secure peaceable relations in
this country. When this resolution came
up. this morning motion from an
eminent Democratic Senator to Law
it on the table met no response on the Demo.
ocratlc side, so determined were they that there
should be a free and full Investigation. He
tRansom) new appealed to the Senate and to
the Senator from Maine, net this opposi-
ton to the amendment a mockery. Those who
opposed this amendment must admit one of
two things, that they could not protect their
witness, or their statements were not to be
divulged. The Senator had called for the
light Of heaven to shine on these transactions.
Now when Democratic Senators say s.Turn on
the light, "Oh, no" says the Senator from
Maine put it in dark room and draw the
Continuing his remarks, Senator Ransom said
this light Of heaven, the first creation of the
Almighty, Is the great protection of man; it is
the enemy OF fraud and corruption. It is lig ht
which protects our homes. When evidence
taken by this committee shall come to the SEN
ate let. 1t come with no suspicion upon it. Let
it be so broad, so clear, that all would have to
agree that remedy or no remedy was needed
as the case might be. 1t would not be best for
the Senator from Maine or any other Senator.
to make assault upon the Southern people.
If there was any thought that ANYTHING would
be said which might provoke recrimination
against the Nerth it was mistake. The South
ern people had no such purpose.
Looking toward Blaine, he said: ssSenators.
if you are to have war with us, it shall be
your war, not ours" He said twelve months
ago it was in the power OF Southern men to
give this country great trouble, but they acted
periodically. They could have brought on
revolution. They could have thrown impede
ment after impeachment in the way of the pres
ent administration, but they did not do it.
They never would do it. Southern men loved
this country, loved its peace, loved its honor,
and they expect to deserve it's blessings. and il
they had power they would not exercise it over
the people of the North. The Southern people
desired to be left alone to
build up their fortunes, for
thew were as moor fbo cap1 ~, Az, -, aLo.,