American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-12-21
BLAINE'S ENSANGUINED SHIRT.

Blaine, on Senator Hamlin's motion to taxi
up the resolution offered by the former Sen
ator in regard to a supposed violation of thu
rights Of American citizens at the reeen
election, Mr.. Tht1rfftan took the floor an(
submitted the following as an amendment Il
the resolution:
The committee shall also inquire whether
any citizen of any State has been dismissed
or threatened with dismissal from employ
ment or the deprivation of any right or priv
ilege by reason of hts vote or intention tC
vote at the recent election, or has been other
wise iiiterfered with, and to inquire whether
in the year 1878, money was raised by assess
ment, or otherwise, upon Federal Officehold
under what circumstances and by what
means. and il so, what aitiotint was so raised
anu how the same was expended; and fur
ther, whether sticif assessments we're not in vi
olation of the law and shall further inquire in
to the action and conduct of the United States
as to the number of Matshals, deputy Mar
shals. and others employed to take part in
the conduct of said elections, in what States
or cities appointed, the amount of money
paid or promised to be paid to them, and
how. or by whom. and under what law and
Mr.. Thurman then addressed the Senate.
He said:
Mr.. President: I attempted to offer that
amendment before the Senator from Maff1e
proceeded with his remarks, but failed to
haye any opportunity to do SO. intended
thin to s.+ that w.hateyer opinion might be
entertained on this side IF Ire ChsInber as to
investigations that these resolutions contem-
tlate' yet we were disposed to waive all scrn
Piles OF that Character, and suffer the reso1u-
lions to pass without Opposition. If the
amendment now proposed should BIZ gddrd
to them. The Senator from Maine, however,
having q speech carefully studied and pre-
pared, exercised his right to deliver that
speech before any amendment could be Of
fered I do not complain of that at all nor do
now rise to make any extended reply to the
spesch that have heard just now. should
this debate be protraeted may exercise my
- yly tn
Senator from Maine, but to day shall CON
fine myself to a very few general obserta-
his resolution is broad. 1t includes all States.
1t provides FOR Investigation whether the
rights of the American citizers IN connection
with the elective franchise have been ttolat
ed or interfered with in any oft States, but
he frankly admits in the very outset of his
his purpose was to assail the Democracy of
tire South. He had two purpos IS in prepar-
Ggs a sSe to
whole Union but to inquire whether the
Democracy of the Southern States had vic.
then to find out what should be done with
them, Now. Mr. President, that is very frank,
the animus OF this resolution.
Mr.: President, said there might be some
doubts Is to the proDrfety Of this investiga-
ton repeat it, there may Dc s erss seesinD
Congress, we have been including the recess
that we always take. less perhaps than two
priation bills and othsr t,leastres of legisla-
ton that necessarily require the dttcnttCg OF
Congress, If the business session is to be dis
posed of and no extra session is to be called.
And now, sir, the Senator proposes an tnvesti-
CATION that 1 defy any committee that can be
ness, nay, In ahy satisfactrrs manner. with
any thing like business, either to th6se who
are implicated or those who may be fmpi
Gated, within the time that remains of the
session of the Senate. 1t is an fmpossibilfty
have, therefore, wondered why this resolu-
d string upon which to hang speeches to
arouse sectional hatred I'm one portion OF this
Union against an almost defenseless people
in another part of the Union. Now, Mr. Pres
fdent, this assault t of the Senator from Maine
is not an assault simply, however. npo: the
a speech, which beg pardon for repeating
here, that it did seem to me as clear as any
there was a deliberately formed purpose.
under the pretext that there was solid
south to create ia s sntb N9 La TO rule rule
one-half nearly, if not more. of people North.
1 thought that then. think SO now. I thought
patriotic, more unjust. more fraught with
ruin to this country, never entered the brain
OF man.. That is my belief: Why, Mr.. Presi-
Maine complains? That there we're not
enough Republican voters at the South. That
that out? He assumes, without one shadow
of truth produced here, that negroes OF the
south were prevented from ts voting or Iopced
therefore, that owing to these causes the ne
groes of the South are not represented by
members OF the House of Representatives
who come from that section of the Union, or
by Senators on this floor who represent the
rem MaSe to say thai Of
South are not represented by chosen Repre-
sentatises of the South and chosen Senators
of the Southl What right has he to vote those
negroes on one side himself and say the men
who bear credentials OF election do not rep
resent their constituents Why, Mr.. Presf-
ia a n
he has no right whatever to make. But,
again, the Senator ought to have Thought OF
tsenth and fifteenth amendments, or when
hs was assisting in framing them.
party, too-who told him, with long foresight,
that in the end property and intelligence will
rule the land, and ignorance can not. Mr.
President, there were men OF his party vine
foresaw that those people who have the intel
ligence and the education and property will
not be ruled by those who have neither, and
community into white people and colored
people-not at all is it necessary to do that.
No. Mr.. President. The result of these con-
stitutional amendments was clear enough to
be foreseen. am not here to day to justify
ever humble he may be. whatever may be the
poverty of his situation | ana here for no
heart, am here as much in favor of respect
ing the rights of every man under the Constl-
tuition as the Senator from Maine, or any
other Senator on this floor. But do know
that property, intelligence and education Will
assert their supremacy everywhere on the
face of this globe. Now, Mr.. President. let
me say one word more on this subject. Who
was it that drew the color line between whites
and negroes in the South? Let me tell you,
tho United states were expended by your
agents (the Freedmen Bureau agents) in get
ting every colored man in the South into loyal
leagues and swearing him never to vote for a
Democrat. This Is where the color
he sSnk td OF &e at
box, took charge of him in the cotton fields
everywhere, supervised every contract he
m ade allowed no contract to pc made unless
it had the approval of agents of the Freed
mems Bureau, and spent money and proper
ty called i" captured and abandoned proper
ty," that was surrendered to 1t, and many
millions of money directly appropriated out
OF the Treasury of the United states 1t was
that Bureau and its agents who first drew the
color line and yet, when the white people OF
the South-when men owning property and
having intelligence and educatiOn-saw their
very social system menaced with destruction
saw their very households threatened with
rected by the most INSCRIPTIONS of men
and when they naturally came together
when they naturally united, as people men
aced with danger ever will unite, then q cry
is raised against the solid South" Oh, Mr.
President, it will not do. This system OF leg
islation against the South that began ter
additional penal laws that you can better the
condition OF this county, s What does tine tine
look into the statute books on
this subject; let him read the
statutes in regard TO the enforcement OF
find in the statute books of any civilized coun
try on the globe body of laws SO minute. so
searching and bristling all over with penal
ties, and fines, and forfeitures, as do these
laws; but this is not all. In addition to that
you have the vast machinery of Superintend
ents of Elections, Federal Supervisors, Mar.
shals, Deputy Marshals, paid electioneers out
of the Treasury of the United States. under
the guise OF men to preserve the freedom Of
suffrage and peace ut elections. You have q
whole army of them provided for by youl
statutes. What more does the Senator want
1 think I see, Mr.. President, what is wanted
this is a note which is sounded to the people Of
the North that they must retrace their steps
To hs. ade in thu