The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-12-17
Carolina could testify just as safely as
he could In the state Of Maine.

| NC Coufu III blo Stdtc VI 0ldlucs
Mr.. Eustis said it occurred to him a,
an extraordinary situation for the sena.
tor from Maine to occupy, when In ad.
vance of the examination of single
witness, the senator took the liberty Of
stating to the people and the country
that the people of Louisiana had nc
more rights as voters than the inhabi.
tants of Senegambia. He (Eust.s)
could demonstrate that the elections In
Louisiana were fair and peaceful, and
there were a great many reasons why
the democratic candidates were elected.
Colored people exercised the right of
suffrage and discrimination.
Mr.. Blaine said Mr.. Burler either
possessed or affected great ignorance of
past events In South Carolina. He re-
ferred to the troubles in that state, and
said he had two hundred letters giving
details Of great outrages on the right
Of suffrage. If the senator desired a
free and fair investigation-free from
intimidation-he would leave it to the
committee as to whether the doors
should be opened or not, and not let the
witnesses, white or colored, be notified
that the door would be opened, and If
they appeared before the committee,
they would do SO at their peril.
Mr.. Butler said il the senator desired
full and fair investigation, as he
claimed. he would vote for the amend
ment for open doors. The senator
(Blaine) said lie had two hundred letters
complaining Of outrages. He (Butler)
understood the senator to say in his
speech on Wednesday last, that he
based his statements upon newspaper
publications. If newspaper statements
were evidence, the senator from Maine
as well as himself (Butler) would have
been hung and quartered long ago.
He did not mean to say that newsla-
pers did not communicate the truth,
but when correspondents were 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 (Butler) could 60 into
Maine with corps Of detectives and
make the state q stencil in the nostrils
If the world.
Mr.. Blaine-''You have right to so
do under this resolution.''
Mr., Howe said, as an investigator in
Louisiana, both white and colored per-
sons had told him that they dare not
testify. One such witness did appear
and was afterwards killed on account
of his testimony.
Mr.. Blaine said, according to Mr..
Thurman's ideas, tue whites could iu-
duence the committee much more than
colored men, because Of their intelli-
gence and property. He declared a
free election was never known In the
south. Never man in Virginia, Geor-
gia or Florida dared vote for Abraham
Lincoln. And in IA none in the soutl,
would vote for James G. Birney. The
iutimidators should he punished.
Mr.. Ransom said he could persuade
any patriot to retire from the position
held by Mr.. Blaine in his argument
that free election In the south was
impossible. This resolution has been
supported by democrats. They wanted
this investigation and had tabled
proposition toabandon it. He appealed
to Mr.. Blaine if this amendment to the
proposition was not mockery. The
senator hal called for the light of
heaven on these transactions.
"Senators, if you are to have war
with us, it shall be your war, not ours,
A year ago the southern people acted
patriotically, and gave this country
peace instead of great trouble and re-
volution. They did not throw impede
ments in the way of the present admin
istration. Southern men loved the
country; loved its peace and honor, and
expected to deserve its blessing, and if
they had the power they would not ex-
ercise 1t over the people of the north."
The amendment of Butler was re-
jected. Yeas, 30; nays, 30; strict
party vote.
The question then being on the
amendment of Mr.. Blaine, Mr.. Davis,
of w. Va, moved to amend so as to
provide that the committee or army
subcommittee should sit with open
doors when requested to do so by any
member Of the committees.
Bayard said 80 far rs the resolution and
amendment had been acted upon with
unanimity, why should it not continue.
The courts always took testimony with
open doors, and if any investigation
should be made publicly, it should be
that affecting the character of the
whole community. There was some-
thing un-American in this secret inves-
tigation. II the charges made were
true, lie hoped exposure would follow,
and punishment follow exposure. II
the charges were untrue, he hoped
punishment would fall upon those who
placed them on foot. He hoped the
senate would unanimously agree that
no such thing as secret inquisitions
should be held. lie had been ON inves-
tigating committees in Mississippi and
elsewhere, and men came before the