The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-12
Blaine Flaunts the Bloody
Shirt and Cries Fraud in
the South,
SENATORS THURMAN AND La
MAR REPLY.
Discussion in the Senate,
SENATE.

MIR. Hamlin the senate proceeded to the &
cons,dayation Of the resolution submitted I
nv MIR Blaine in regard to the inquiry as {
N whether at the recent elections the con- Z
stitntional rights of American citizens 1
were violated, etc. Mr.. Blaine made
speech on the subject. A debate followed,
participated in by Messrs. Thurman, La
mar. Edmuuds aud Blaine. The debate
between Messrs. Lamar, Blaine and Ed
mu1Ca was characterized by good many
personal illusions.
Mr.. Thurman then submitted an amend
ment to Mr.. Blaines resolution, instruct
ing the committee to inquire If any citizen
OF any state has been dismissed or threat
ened with dismissal from employment by
reason of his vote or intention to vote at
the late election, or been otherwise inter-
fered with, and whether in 1873 federal
employees had been assessed for election
purposes and the circumstances attending |
such assessment, its use and whether the
law was thereby violated. Also to inquire
into the conduct of United States election
supervisors, the number of marshals and
others employed to conduct elections, with
the salary paid or promised, and under
what law.
Mr.. Thurman said his side would have
waived all argument, had this amendment
been Incorporated in the original resolu-
ton, but MIR. Blaine had refused to give
way for it, He wished to-day to make
only a few observations. The senator
from Maine had frankly admitted that
his purpose was to assail the democracy OF
the SOUTH There were some doubts as
to the propriety of this investigation.
The session is short and important legisla-
NJ ftnn
make with any sort of thoroughness or
business the examination required within
the time remaining of the session. He
therefore had wondered why this resolu
ton was introduced, unless to hang on
speeches for the purpose of arousing sec
tiOnal hatred against an almost defenseless
portion of the Union. Referring to a
previous speech, the speaker said he had
declared then that there was deliberately
formed purpose to array the solid north to
rule the south, and nearly half OF the
north, under pretense that there was a
solid south. l thought then and l think
now that purpose more unpatrlotic, more
unjust, more fraught with ruin to this
country, never entered the brain OF man
Of what is it that the senator of Maine
complains. That there was not enough
republican Yotessat the south. That is
the amount of it. And how does he make
that out? He assumes without shadow
of truth produced here that the negroes
of the south were prevented from voting
or forced to vote the democratic ticket
He assumes, therefore, that, owing tC
these causes, the negroes of the south are
not represented by members of the house
of representatives who come from that sec
ton of the union or by the senators on THU
wi IN ia EOnth Gfa
What right has he to say that tts negro 81
of the south are represented by the choseI
representatives of the south and choseI
senators If the south? What r ut ha
he to vote those negroes on one sue him
self and say the men who bear credential
of election do not represent their constitu
entsT Ii is a base assumption On hi
part that he has no right whatever
make. The senator ought 10 have though
OF this when he was framing his -Four
teenth and Fifteenth amendments
There were men there, of his own part
too, who told him with long foresight thu
in the end property and intelligenC
will rule the land and ignorance canno
Those were the men of his party who fo
saw that these people. who have the intel
igeDce, the education and property will NJ
be ruled by those who have neither, and
that 1t is not necessary to separate tn
community into white people and cOlOre
people. Not at all Is it necessary to d
that. The result of these constitutions
amendments was easy enough to be fore
seen. l am not here to-day to Justify tn
violation OF the rights of any map, howeve
humble he may be, whatever may be tn
poverty of his situation. If | know u
own heart am here as much in favor
ba oh 20 IF Il,
the constitution as the Senator from Mar
or any other Senator on this floor, but
do know that property, intelligence an
education will assert their supremac
every where on the face or the giobt
Who was it that drew color lines betwee
the whites and negroesin the South? Ii
me tell you, sir, that millions of the pei
pies money were expended by the Freed
mems Bureau agents in forming loyt
leagues OF negroes and swearing them t
never vote for Democrats. The color lin
began there. That bureau controlled th
negro utterly and spent millions apprt
priated directly and turned over to it 10
directly in drawing the line which mena,
ed with destruction the whole social sy,
tenn of the South, and when they unit
against destruction the cry of Sol
South" is raised This system of legisl;
ton toward the South is reaping its frui
Why does the Senator want more pen,
laws2 No civilized country in the worl
has more minute penal laws, There is III
whole army OF treasury paid marshals, 81
pervisors and deputies. What, then. doe
the secretary waDt2 This is q note sounC
ed to the northern people that they mus
retrace their steps and undo the amend
meDts which it made in the interest, SC
called, of the colored people, either
directly or indirectly undo that legislation
lie had congratulated himself while Blaiu
was threatening SO vigorously that tn
next house was not to be of his party 70
lowers. He would be prepared to see
republican house exclude southern men
bers by the score under the pretense tht
the right OF suffrage was prohibited dow
there. 1t is fortunate that the preseI
house Is not aud the next house will nc
be composed of majority who entertai
like feelings
Mr.. President, one word on the amend
ment have offered. 1t is my belief tina
there is far greater damage that men
aces our institutions and menaces the ript
OF suffrage in this country than that I
which the senator has alluded. Sir. III
most disheartening thing to an America
who loves free institutions is to see tn,
year by year the corrupt use of money
elections is making its way until ne tim
may come, and that within the Observable
OF even the oldest man here, when eIe
tions in the United States will be as d.
6auched as ever they were in the wor