Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-03-07
EXTRACTS FROM THE
Speech Of Hon. Eugene Hale,

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| ees-
EXTRACTS FROM THE
Speech Of Hon. Eugene Hale,
In the Hesse Of Representatives, Fes. 1ssh
1878.
The House having under consideration
the contested election case of Acklen vs.
Darrell, Mr.. Hale said;
Mr.. Speaker The gentleman from vlr.
Rinia (Mr. Harris) In opening this Louis
lana election case speaks OF the situation In
that State. contrasting Its present. which
he has portrayed in bright colors. with her
past, which Is To him equally dark. Upon
this shall sresk and am glad that the
gentleman has given me the opportunity OF
keeping within the rules and going beyond
personal explanation; for he has already
cpehed the whole Lousiars question. But
am free TO say thai am now upon the
floor. called out mainly by the course of
the discussion here last Thursday, In which
participated. At that time the gentleman
from louisiana (Mr. Gbson) arose to an
explanation, by the unanimous consent OF
the House WAS allowed 10 90 on, and in his
speech dwelt upon the situation OF affairs
In his State, tracing late events there hap
pening and bringing them down to the pre-
sent time, aud especially to the prosecu-
tons now pushed against the members OF
the Louisiana returning board. | took oc
casion at that time TO ask him whether he
sustained the prosecutions against the mem
bers Of the returning board, whether he
upheld the proceedings against General
Anderson; because, Mr.. Speaker. had
heard that much talk was beIng made by
certain southern gentlemen that these pro-
ceedings against Mr.. Anderson were an
outrage. that they were In violation of the
understanding OF the people OF Louisiana
TO whom the government has been remitted
In the person Of Governor Nichols. had
reason to believe that southern gentlemen
upon this door In private repudia,ed the
proceedings against General Anderson and
the course OF the trial. | had reason to be-
lieye that this claim was set up elsewhere,
and that it was urged in high and in low
plsces; that the prosecutions in Louisiana
were the work of violent men, and that the
people did not follow In that direction will
ingly, and | wished TO gain Information
from the distinguished gentleman from
Louisiana. lMr. GIbson.1 an old member
here, OF Importance on this floor and OF
| much reputation aud Importance In his own
State, whether he sustained the prosecution
or did not. l asked him the question. which
| appears IN the Record whether he approy-
ed, and his answer was, In short, that II the
| accused were guilty they ought to be pun
ished. | asked him then IL he had disap-
proved or had done anything to discourage
these prosecutions, which question he did
| not answer. but asked me what my opinion
was OF the prosecutions going on In Louis
| lana; 10 which | replied that believed
them TO be the greatest outrages that had
| occurred IN American political history; on
| which his answer was this: "Since | have
| been In This House the gentleman from
| Maine has omitted no occasion, in season
4 aud out Of season, 10 denouuce the people
I OF my state" had just denounced the pro
I secutions now going on against General
4 Anderson aud his fellows, aCd the reply oi
I the gentleman from Louisiana was that
Y was continually, in season and out OF sea
I son, denouncing the people OF Louisiana.
/ Sir, must believe logically that the POSI-
+ that the people OF the State OF Louisiana
or at least his party there, are behind these
/ prosecutions urging them on, and that he
represents those people here.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, | have no desire 10
/ relnhame old issues. | have not in times
( past, lin season and out of season de-
nounced the people OF Louisiana. | have
taken occasion heretofore upon this floor,
when believed that there were grievances
plainly upon those grievances. | have not
been one who has been 10 favor OF putting
The strongest and most rigid iron hand up
/ on the South. NV record has not been in
that direction, neither here nor in my own
| state nor elsewhere.
But speak TO day as u man who learns
BY current events. | am upon this floor
profoundly moved by my observation OF
the course of events in Louisiana for the
past year and especially for the last siN
months | an profoundly moved because
at the beginning | watched the experiment
OF Cancellation hopefully, and believed that
to the magnanimous course pursued by
the President toward Louisiana "a generou
and hearty response would come. | hav,
watched and waited for some response to
that policy and my hope has grown dim
day by day, and when at last have seen
that = peoples honor pledged to a return
for generosity has been forfeited and rhll
resolutions OF state Legislature 60 .,t
nothing, and that political prosecution,
are urged to-day in Louisiana with 4 spirit
OF Intolerance that reminds me of oldel
days, | have been able TO keep silent nc
longer.
Mr.. Speaker, there Is a profound im-
preston in the country that thus proceed
Ing in Louisiana, sustained as IL Is by the
Democratic party there, has some root
elsewhere. There are many men who be
lieve that this whole performance is die
ta,ed, urged and driven on by the restless
men who do not mean TO ever admit that
the presidential title has been settled; that
| it is part and parcel OF "A preconceived and
| predetermined plan To open the al juSt-
ment which was accepted by Congress in
March last and TO bring upon the country
all the annoysnces and embarrassments
and dangers of contested presidential
seat. Whether or not that be SO do not
know and | care as little. ouly know
that the manifestation II om these late pro
ceedngs is that no Cancellation Is possible
with the Louisiana Democracy, and that
when the old intolerant spirit against Re
publican offenders leaps up into life gain
the whole Democratic party, South and
North. spplsuds the demonstration.
This. sir, cures me OF cOnciiation as ap-
piled to that party. There is but one way
to meet il, and that way is in open, con-
slant conflict.
These things have made profound i'm
preston upon the people OF the North.
They see that good faith on the part OF the
gentlemen OF the South cannot be expect
ed. Their confidence has been checked
or thrown back wholly.
The President of the United States has
IN opportunity to-day OF learning the les
son OF misplaced confidence. 1t is the old
Old story, . story that was old when
Shakespeare bsnlshed lord sung of mans
ingratitude In the forest Of Arden. There
has been nothing that the President of the
United States could do to make efflcacious
his course toward the South that has 10,
been done, both in Louisiana and else.
where. There has been no encouragement
that could be holden out to that section to
exhibit good faith that the President has
not resOrted 10. He has appointed officers
in high places; one in his Cabinet from the
South he has appOiWed ministers to rep
resent US abroad FROM the South. He ha:
taken into his confidence in filling impor.
tant local places gentlemen OF high repute
and standing In the Democratic party and
has regarded their counsel because ht
has been Anxious that in this expert
ment he has been trying that no one shsl
say. il it falls, that there was any lack OF
his part, and to-day this is the return h.
receives from Louisiana.
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