The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-12
Washington.

Washington.
! BLAINE AND HIS DEFENCE OF TIE BLOODY
sBIRT-AN ASSAULT UPON THE PEOPLE OF
THE soUTH-MR. THURMAN's REPLY TO THE
ATTEMPT TO INJURE A HELPLESS PEOPLE
MR.. LAMAR ALSO SPEAKs-vIEwS OF sRNA-
TORS ON THE DEBATE-THE yICE-PRESI.
DENTS ss-PERsoNAL-THE IN
TER-sTATE COMMERCE BILL, sc.
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, December 11.-By II O'Clock
to-day the Senate galleries open to the pub
lie were packed with persons anxious to
hear what Blaine had to say in defence OF
the bloody shirt, and what Thurman and
other Democratic leaders would say in re-
ply. BY O'Clock, the time fixed for Blaine
to commence, the floor OF the Senate was
literally jammed with members Of the
House OF Representatives and others, in.
Guiding Colonel Abe Thompson, OF Han.
over Mr.. Huntington, and ex-Attorney.
General Williams. The Maine Senator look
ed nervous as he rose, and his first remark
was an index to the character Of bis
peech, for in it he charged wholesale
fraud and intimidation on the PEG.
pie Of the South at the late election.
This made some eXcitable Democrats look
wolfsh, and their temper did not improve
as he went on to state how the newspapers
had given accounts Of the outrages, includ-
ing murder, which had been perpetrated by
white Southrons to rob the negroes OF their
ballot. But when he proceeded to show
how negro suffrage had added to the politi-
cal power Of the South, until to-day 10000
white men in our section send a representa-
tive to Congress, while it takes 1872, 900 at the
North to do so. smiles played upon the faces
of those same Democrats, and they looked
for all the world as iftheY wanted to say TO
Blaine, "You and your party did this to
crush and ruin the South, and you have
reaped the reward OF your acs." He
assumed that il left alone the negro would
and was bound to vote according to the
dictates of Radical managers, and asserted
that but for fraud and outrage'the Demo
Gratis in sixty days would not be in the
ascendancy in both branches OF Congress.
There was studied meanness in his asser-
ton that q Confederate white rebel who
fought to break up the Government has now
twice the political power by reason OF his
vote that northern veteran who fought for
the Union has. He spoke for only thirty
minutes, and received the usual applause at
the close OF his effort. ConkliDg sat near
Blaine, and wrote all the time he was
speaking. He. seemed not to want to hear
4 word that was said. ~ 49,. ..|.-
MR.. THURMAN'S SPEECH. 49,.
The reply Of Mr.. Thurman was sensible,
temperate, and worthy OF a statesman.
When he alluded to the fact that Blaine's
speech was intended to iniure helpless
people the galleries rang with applause. He
said intelligence will always control, and it
is not to be expected that the educated
white men OF the South will not obtain con-
troll over the uneducated colored voters.
Blaine himself controls many votes in
Maine, and IL he lived in the South be
would have long tail Of negroes at his
back. MI. Thurman offered an amendment
to the resolution, providing for an investi-
CATION OF the assessments OF the Govern
ment officers by the Republicans for cleo
ton purposes, and for the investigation OF
the acts Of Johnny Davenport 81 Co. in New
York at the last election, and further, for
looking into the alleged fraud and intimi-
dation in Massachusetts, and other north
ern States last fall. ..
Mr.. LAMAR'S REPLY.
Mr.. Lamar could not resist the temptation
Of telling Blaine that New England has
already an undue representation in the
Senate for her population, and il his rule
were to obtain she would suffer. He de-
plored the fact that instead Of making the
speech he did Blaine had not come forward
with some great non-partisan scheme for
bene6ting the poor people Of the South.
His speech was eloquent, but did not pro-
duce the impression that Mr.. Thurman's
did.
At half past two the resolution went
over, and Blaine did not indicate what day
he will again call itup.
WHAT is THOUGHT OF THE DEBATE.
asked distinguished western senator
| what he thought OF the debate, and he said
Blaine's speech was complete water-haul-
q little tbirty-minutes' thing without sides
or bottom. 1t will have no effect and add
nothing to his reputation. Thuruan's
speech was Just what was needed in tone,
matter, and delivery, while Lamar's was an
excellent effort. Senator Johnston regarded
Blaine's effort as calculated 10 do no dam
age either to the South or the Democratic
party. He eulogizes Mr.. Thurman's speech
very highly, and thought Mr.. Lamar spoke
well. / asked two leading Democratic and
Republican correspondents what they
| thought OF Blaine's speech, and both ad.
mitted that it disappointed them and had
generally disappointed people OF both par
ties. -.s. r-..a.
The talk at the hotels tonight is one Of
disgust-that they expected so much o.
Blaine and got so little. The Republicans
take it hard that he should have raised ex
pectation SO high and then only read
thirty-minutes' speech, while the Demo
Gratis seem disguised that they have been
expecting an attack with heavy artillery
and been only fired upon with pocket-pls'
tolls OF small bore. M: >a.,iyr,. -, - s..l
THE UNFAIRNEss OF MR.. WHEELER. 7
When Mr.. Blaine was applauded the Vice
President said nothing, but when Mr..
Thurman was applauded he Threatened to
clear the galleries, and Mr.. Edmunds with
the Darwinian face patted him on the back.
Dir. Thurman politely called attention to