The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-15

HbbuIUDLlOu Du lib part JIlHJ ne HIS uo lIRiI
whatever to make. But again, this Senator
ought to have thought OF this when he was
framing his fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments, or when he was assisting in framing
them there were men then, men OF his own
party, too who told him with long foresight
that in the end property and intelligence
would rule the land and ignorance cannot
Mr.. President, there were men of his party
who foresaw that those people who have the
intelligence and the property will not be
ruled by those who have neither, and in that
1t Is not necessary to separate the community
into white people and colored people; not ut
all Is it necessary to do that. No. Mr.. Presi-
dent, the result Of these constitutional
amendments was easy enough to be foreseen.
am not here to-day to justify q violation Of
the rights of any man, however humble he
may be, or whatever may be the poverty OF
his situation. | am here for no such purpose
as that II / know my own heart, ] am here as
much In favor OF respecting the rights Of
every man under the constitution as the Sen
ator from Maine or any other Senator on this
floor; but ! do know that property, intelli-
gence and education will assert their suprem-
acy everywhere on the face of this globe
Now, Mr.. President, let me say one word
more on this subject. Who was 1t that drew
tho color line between the whites and negroes
Of the South Let me tell you, sir, that mil
lions Of the money Of the people of the United
States were expended by your agents, the
Freedmens Bureau agents In the South, get
loyal leagues and swearing him
NEVER TO VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT.
That Is where the color line began to be
drawn. That institution which took charge
of the negro at the baIlot-bOx took charge OF
him in the cotton fields, everywhere super
vised every contract he made, allowed no con-
tract to be made unless mt the approval of the
agents OF the Freedmans Bureau, and spent
the money and property called captured and
obu UInpal Drnnart W that WI GIIrropIprpI
to 1T, and many millions Of dollars in money
directly appropriated out Of the Treasury Of
the United States. 1t was that bureau and
Its agents
WHO FIRST DREW THE COLOR LINE,
and yet when the white people Of the South,
when the men owning property and having
intelligence and education, all over the South,
saw their very social system menaced with
destruction saw their very households threat
ened with ruin under an inundation OF bar
barsm directed by the most Inscriptions OF
men, and when they naturally come together.
when they are naturally united, as a people
menaced with danger ever will unite, then
cry is raised against the solid South" Oh,
Mr.. President, it will not do. This system Of
legislation toward the South, that began ten
years ago, Is rraping its fruit, and IL s not by
additional penal laws that you can better the
condition Of this country. What does the
Senator want more penal laws for? Let him
look into the statute books on this very sub
ject. Let him read the statutes in regard to
the enforcement of the rights OF citizens to
vote, and ! defy him to find in the statute
books OF any civilized country on this globe
body OF laws 50 minute, SO ScOrching and
bristling all over with penalties and fines and
forfcturcs as do these laws. But that Is not
all. In addition to that you have vast ma
chincry superintendent Of elections, Federal
supervisors marshals deputy marshals,
PAID ELEcTIoNEERs OUT OF THE TREASURY
Of the United States, under the guise of be-
ing men to preserve freedom Of suffrage and
peace at elections. You have whole army
of them provided for by our statutes. What
more does the Senator want? ! think see,
Mr.. President, what is wanted. This is note
which is sounded to the people of the North
that they must retrace their steps; and this
very party which required amendments to
the constitution to be made in the interest, 1t
was said Of the colored population Of the
South, Is now preparing to face about, retrace
its steps, and undo what 1t did only n few
years ago, either directly or by indrection.
Indeed, / thought while the Senator from
Maine was making his speech, how much rea-
son the country, and especially the South
ern part Of the country, had to congratulate
itself that the next House Of Representatives
will not have majority OF gentlemen think
ing like the Senator from Maine, for If he is
right in what he said, il his threats are not
mere idle wind, and | certainly do not at
tribute any such thing to him, II they are the
deep-seated and permanent thoughts oil those
with whom he acts then should be pre-
pared to see House OF Representatives in
which there was a Republican majority
EXCLUDE SOUTHERN MEMBERS by THE SCORE
then | should have been prepared to see
Them decide among themselves that the right
of suffrage was prohibited down there to the
negro, and then to see them, in their supreme
as they would cOnstrue 1t, vote out
Lhe chosen representatives of the South-not
by ones, not by twOs, but by the score. 1t is n
fortunate thing for this cOuntry-it is u for
.unate thing for every free institution that
here Is not in the present House OF Repre-
and will not be In the next, ma |
ority thinking as the Senator from Maine
links and willing to act rs he is willing to
let. Mr.. President, one word on the amend |
nent have offered. 1t is my own belief that
here Is a far greater danger that menaCcS
pur institutions and menaccs the right of suf- |
rage in this country than that to which the
senator from Maine has alluded. Sir, the
most dishcartening thing to an American who |
owes free institutions Is to see that year by
year tho
CORRUPT USE OF MONEY IN ELECTIONS
s making its way until the time may come,
md that within the observation of the oldest
nan here, when elections in the United States
will be as debauched as ever they were in the
worst days of borough elections in the mother
and. Mr.. President there is the greatest
Hanger. l ne udUbti ID WlltbItI IulS touIltI
shall be governed with q view to the rights Of
very man, the poor as well as the rich man,
,r whether the largest purse shall carry the
elections and thus be n mere plutOcracy in
stead Of a Democratic Republic. That Is the
hanger, and that danger, let me tell my friend,
,xists far more in the North than in the South.
Sir, if he wants to preserve the purity OF cleo
ions if he wants to have this government
perpetuated as a system that can be honestly
from primary election to the
signature Of bill by the President, let him
set his face toward and exercise his great
ability in
THE FLOOD GATES OF CORRUPTION
hat threaten to Geluge the whole land and
oring republican institutions into utter ruin
md disgrace. Mr.. President, there is one
thing that made me doubt the proprety of
this resolution, although, as | said, | am GO
ing to vote for it, and what the Senator from
Maine has said has added to the great doubt
which entertained on that subject, and that
Is, that am not quite sure there are not per-
sons who favor this kind of resolution, and as
much debate upon it as you can have and as
much investigation as you can have in order
to divert public attention from the real ques
tons which ought to engage the Congress Of