The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-12

the men OF the south here on this floor and beyond
tins Chamber. that. even II they could strip the
negro of his constitutional rights. they never
permanently maintain the inequality of white men
in this nation; they can never make white man >
vote In the south douby as powerful in tho admin
istration OF the government as white mans vote in
the North.
In a memorable debate in the House Of Commons
Mr.. Macaulay reminded Daniel OConnell, when he
moving for repeal. that the English wings had
endured ealumny. abuse, popular fury loss OF
position. exclusion from Parliament rather than
the great agitator himself should be less than u
British subject; and Mr.. Macaulay warned him
that they would suffer him to be
more Let remind you that the
government under whose protecting flag we sit
to-day sacrificed ,nyriads If lives and expended
thousands Of millions of treasure that our country
men OF the South should remain citizens OF the
United States having equal personal rights and equal
political privileges with all other citizens. And
venture. and here to the men OF the South.
in the exact words OF Macaulay, that will never
suffer them to be more!
Upon the conclusion of Mr.. Blsines speech there
considerable applause in the galleries. but it was
checked by the Vice President.
MI. THURMAN's AMENDMENT.
Mr.. THURMAN then took the floor and submitted
the following an amendment to the resolution OF
Mr.. Blane:-
The committee shall also inquire whether citizen of
from employment deprivation OF any right r.vegc
~ a s e as s
whether ~ the year ISIS money was raised by
elect purposs and under what circumstances and by
S a% thu same 30 nsa a % 50
assessments were not in violation II law; and shall
States rsrvisors i.etions in states and
% ,Ss ase s sar IN the ire
~ What stats or cities sppohsa o aman, o. 9nsy
and under what law and authority.
THURMAN's SPEECH.
Mr.. THURMAN then addressed the Senate as fol-
lows:-
Mr.. PREsIDESr-I attempted to offer that amend
ment before the Senator from Maine proceeded with
his remarks. but failed to have any opportunity to
do So intended then to say that whatever opinion
might be entertained on this side OF the Chamber
to the competency OF Congress to make all the in
vestigations that these resolutions contemplate,
yet we we're disposed to waive all scrupes
OF that character and suffer the resolutions to
pass without opposition ii the amendment pro-
posed should be added to them. The Senator from
Maine, however, having u speech carefully studied
and prepared exercised his right to deliver that
speech before my amendment could be offered. do
complain Of that at all. nor do l now rise
to make extended reply to the speech that have
may exercise my privilege of saying something in
reply to the Senator from Maine, but to-day
general i observations nf I'll The Senator ' is frank
i'll thing. His resolution is. broad;
it includes all the States provides for nvest
CATION whether the rights OF American citizens in
connection with the elective franchise have been vo
lated interfercd with in any of the States but he
frankly admits in the very outset of his remarks that
that was not his purpose: that his purpose was to
assal the democracy OF the South he had two pur-
poses in preparing this carefully elaborated speech
this whole Union, but to inquire whether the democ
racy of the Southern States mad violated the rights Of
American citizens and thus to find out what could be
done with them. Now. Mr.. President, that is very
frank aud have no doubt very true statement of
the ani,nus OF this resolution. Mr.. President.
1 said that there might be some doubts
to the proprety of this investigation. repeat it,
There may be such doubts especially to-day Here
is a short session OF Congress. We nave excluding
the recess that always take, less. perhaps than
two months within which to dispose of the appro-
priation bills and the other measures OF legislation
Com
the business OF the session IL to be disposed Of and
no session is to be called. Aud now, sir, the
Senator proposes an investigation that defy any
committee that be found to make with anything
like thoroughness, nay, in any satisfactory manner,
with anything like justice either to those who are
implicated or to those who may be implicated, within
the time that remains of the session OF the Senate.
1t is impossibility. have, therefore, wondered
why this resolution was introduced unless 1t was 10
be made a string upon which to hang speeches to
sectional hatred i'll one portion of this Union
against almost defenceess people in another por
ton OF the Union. Applause in the gallerlcs.)
The VICE PHEsIDEST-The Chair gives notice that
this applause shall be repeated the galleries will
Mr.. EDMvSps-And, Mr.. President, if the Senator
will pardon me, hope the Chair will add, "and that
the persons guilty OF this disorder be taken into ar
rest
The VICE PEEsIDESr-The Chair adds that
THE SOLID" QUESTION.
Mr.. THURMAN-And hope that there will be no in
terruption whatever. did not say anything when
the galleries cheered the peroraton of my friend
from Maine for love an eloquent thing as much as
anybody can, and have sometimes checred it when
did not agree with 1t at all Laughtcr.) Now. Mr..
President this assault OF the Senator from Maine is
not assault simply. however, upon the people OF
the South. said hve months ago iii speech which
/ beg pardon for repeating here that II did seem to
me as clear as anything IN American politics could be
under pretext that there was solid
south. TO create solid North-to rule not only
the solid South but to rule one half nearly. IL not
more. of the people of the North" i thought so
then and think now that purpose more unpat
riotic more unjust more fraught with ruin to this
meyer crttsr he Of hat * my
belief
Why. Mr.. President of what Is it that the Senator
republican votes in the South That is the amount IF
it, And how does he make that out!
SENATOR BLAINg's ASSUMPTIONS
He assumes, without shadow OF proof pro-
duced here. that the negroes OF the South pre-
vented from voting or forced to vote the democratic
ticket He Assumes. therefore. that owing to those
the negroes of the South not represented
by the members OF the House of Representatives
who came from that section OF the Union by tho
Senators this floor who represent the Southern
States. What right has the senator from Name to
say that the negroes OF the south not represented
by the chosen Representatives OF the South and the
chosen Senators of the SOUTH What right has he
to vote these negroes on one side himself and
do not represent their constituents? Why, Mr..
President IL is bare assumption on his part that he
has right whatever to MAKE. But. again. the Scna-
tor ought to have thought of tins when he was
framing his fourteenth and fifteenth amendments,
when he assisting in framing them. There
were thcn--incn OF his own party toc--who told
him. with long foresight. that in the end property
and intelligence viii rule the land. and ignorance
not Mr.. President, tncrc were men OF his party who
furesaw that those people who have the intelligence.
the education and the property Will not lie ruled
by those who have neither, and in that II Is not
necessary to separate the community into white peo-
pie and into coorcd people not ut all is 1t necessary
to do that. No, Mr. President the result OF these
constitutional amendments easy enough to he
forc-ecn. am not here to-day to Justify the viola
ton OF the right Of any man, however humble lie may
be-, whatever may be the poverty or his situation
am here for no such purpose A. that. IL know my
the rights OF every under the constitution the
senator from Maine. any other Senator on this
floor. But do know that property intelligence and
education will assert their supremacy every where on
the face of this globe.
LINE?
Now. Mr.. President, let say word more on
this subject. Who II VINO drew the color line
between the whites amt the negroes in the south i?
Let me tell you. sir, that millions OF moncy-of this
money of the people Of the United StHtcF-wero eS-
pended by your agents. the Freetlnmn's Bureau
agents, in getting every coo.d in the South into
loyal leagues and swearing him to vote for "a
democrat. That Is where the color line began 10
be drawn. That institution. which took charge Of