The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-17

were untrue he hoped the pnnishmer
would fall on those who placed them olioO
he hoped that the Senate would unan
y mously agree that no such thing as secrt
: inquisition should be held. He had bee
= on the investigating committee in Missis!
e ippi and elsewhere, and men came befor
b the committee who swore. to just wha
: they pleased. This should not be part
4 question and the votes he had given ha
; been to prevent it being such. He hope
: that this investigation would be conducte
: on the principle that justice every wher
3 lays down for the elucidation OF truth.
Mr.. Herman favored the amendment.
Mr.. Merriman said he had an experi
ence two years ago on the Investigating
, Committee, in the South, and he could no
conceive OF better plan to encourage
perjury than by having closed doors; h
had seen day after day the rankest injus
tice done to scores OF men who we're no
there to defend themselves. The secre
investigations were against the principle
, OF eternal justice, and wrong to the Amer
ican people.
Mr.. Howe said he had had an expert
ence on the Investigating Committee il
Louisina. lie had conversed with whit
and colored witnesses in that State whj
protested that they dare not testify. 0nI
witness who appeared before the Com
mittee land he was native OF the State
was afterwards killed, and it was said, OF
account OF the testimony he gave to tht
Committee.
Mr.. Blaine said the Senator from 0l,ic
(Thurnan) argued that property aud in
telligence rule the South. II it wasso the
people possessing them would have q
thousand opportunities TO influence the
Judgment OF committees where those who
were wronged had one. He was free 10
say that free elections, in the sense OF the
Constitution, was never known in the
South. There never was man in Nir.
ginia, Georgia, or Florida who dared to
come up and vote for Abraham Lincoln
Mr.. Withers-There were votes cast for
him in Virginia.
Mr.. Blaine, continuing, and in 1874 nc
one in the South would vote for James G,
Birney.
Mr.. Mcmillan argued that this subject
had been brought to the attention Of Con
gress through the message OF the PreSi'
dent. II had not arisen from q partisan
standpoint. Citizens in certain parts oi
this country had been deprived of the
right OF suffrage by violence, intimidation
and outrage and the offenders should be
punished.
Mr.. Ransom hoped that the Senator
from Maine (Blaine), would pardon him,
but he did not think the Senator used a
peaceful argument when he declared that
there never had been a fair election in the
South. II he (Ransom) thought proper
he could take up that glove and persuade
any patriot to retire from such position.
He would not say it was calumny on the
history OF the South. He would leave it
10 the calm judgment OF the Senator from
Maine to correct at leisure. 1t was too
late for the Senator to declare in dis
cussion to-day that there had
never been fair election in the
South. He assured the Senator that
that was not the way to secure peaceable
relations in this country. When this dis
cussion came up this morning, the motion
from the eminent Democratic Senator to
lay it on the table, met with no response
on the Democratic side, so determined
were the Senators on that side that there
should be free and full investigation.
The Democratic Senators from the North
and South had shown them they wanted
this investigation, and he (Ransom) now
appealed to the Senate, and TO the Senator
from Maine, was not this opposition to the
amendment mockery? Those who oppose
the amendment must admit one OF two
things; that they could not protect their
witnesses or their statements, were not to
be divulgel. The Senator from Maine,
had called for the light OF Heaven to shine
on these transactions, now when the
Democratic Senators say: "1Im on the
lightw Oh, no says the Senator from
Maine, put us in dark room, and draw
the curtains.
Continuing his remarks Mr.. Ransom
said: This light of heaven, the first crea-
ton OF the Almighty is the great protec.
ton OF man. ltis the enemy OF fraud and
corruption. It is the light which protects
our homes. When the evidence taken by
this committee should come to the Sem
ate, let it come with no suspicion on it.
Let it be so broad, so clear, that all would
have TO agree that a remedy or no remedy
was needed, as the case may be. II would
not be best Tor the Senator from Maine or
any other Senator, to make an assault on
the Southern people. II there was any
thought that anything could besaid which
would provoke recrimination against the
North, it was mistake. The Southern
people had no such purpose. Looking to-
ward Blaine he said: Senators, il you
are to have war with US, It shall be your
war, not ours" He said u months ago
it was in the power OF Southern men to
give this country great trouble, but they
acted patriotically. They could have
brought on q revolution; they could have
thrown impediment after impediment in
the way OF the present Administration,
but they did not do it. The Southern men
loved this country; loved its peace; loved
its honor, and they expected 70 deserve its
blessings. II they had the power they
would not exercise 1t over the people Of
the North. The Southern people desired
to be let alone, to build up their fortunes
for they were as poor as the sand on the
sea shore. For seven long years he had
sat here and heard his people abused, but
it was his duty to bear It. Now when It was
proposed TO indict them, they would meet
their accusers half way, and say turn on
the light" and see it all. God forbid thai
it should 60 out to the balance OF man
kind and go down the stream oi time for
ever; that this American Senate declared
that an investigation should not be made
in the light OF day.
Mr.. Blaine, in reply, read froma RaleigF
paper to the effect that this was white
mans Government, and that white mer
should rule 1t, but theydid not intend tha
the negro should be deprived Of the right
OF suffrage, as the South gained in repre-
sentation on account Of such right 10 tbs
negro.
Continuing his remarks, Mr.. Blaine said
he Indicted the Democratic party rs fo'
Of free speech, aud as lifelong ioc Of fre'
, elections in tho South. lie (Blaine) haC
heard q good deal about preventing trouble
in the seating OF President Hayes, and h,
desired to say that behind Congress was tina
, same people who had expended life with
ont stint, and money without count, ant
for the sake OF a thousand Mr.. Tildcn
or a thousand Mr.. Hayes, they woul,