Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-12-18

/ elections in the mother land. Their
10 the greatest danger. The question
10 whether this country shall be gov
, erned with view to the rights Of ev
| cry manor whether the larges
purse shall carry the elections, ant
thus be . mere plutocracy instead o
democratic republic. That ia thu
danger; and that danger, let me tel
my friend, extends far more in tn,
, North than In the South. Sir. If b,
wants to preserve the purity of cleo
tions-if he wants to have this gov
ernment perpetuated as system tha
can be honestly administered, from ,
primary election to the signature of ,
bill by the president, let him set hi
face toward and exercise, his grea
ability in stopping the food gates o.
corruption that threaten 10 deluge thu
whole land and bring republican in
stitutions into utter ruin and disgrace
There is one thing that made mt
doubt . little - to the propriety ot
this resolution-although, as l have
said, / am going to vote for it--and
what the senator from Maine has said
has added to the great doubt which
entertained on that subject, and tha,
10 that l am not quite sure there are
not persons who fave this kind Of q
resolution and "a much debate upon
1t as you can have and as much inves.
tigation ~ you can have, in order tc
divert public attention from the real
questions which ought to engage the
congress of the United States. Ques.
tions Of economy,questions of finance,
questions Of government-all are
showed aside that popular speeches
may be made tending to excite one
section of the people against another.
certainly do not charge the senator
from Maine with having got up this
debate for the purpose Of putting
aside and throwing out of view that
which should form the subject of our
thoughts and of our legislation; but
fear that such may be in some mems
minds one of the things to be desired
in such resolution.
T. Mr.. Edmunds said he had been
much impressed by Thurman's re-
marks and the gravity Of the subject,
and he therefore moved that this
amendment be printed. and called
for the regular order.
Mr.. Blaine said he did not want to
detain the senate, but Thurman had
stated that property in the south
would rule.
Mr.. Thurm.n-I said no such thing.
l said no more Of the south than tina,
everywhere property intelligence and
education will rule.
Mr.. Blsine-Regardless II num-
bers?
Mr.. Thurman The senator can
make II regardless of numbers il he
chooses but he meant by influence,
as the senator did in Maine influence
many people, this year being an ex.
ception. The senator al ways influenc-
ed people, because he hsd education,
skill and property.
After come badinage, Blaine again
raised the point that South Carolina
had one hundred and fifty thousand
more col0red voters tEau white, vet
when 1t was asserted that they had
been frAudulently and violently over
come st the polls, the democratic
leader replies "There are important
questions to be considered, and con-
gress has no time to waste on that"
We're he permitted to speak of the
house, he would affirm that that body
was not legally under the contrsl Of
the democratic party, and that it held
sway only by fraud and outrage, and
yet we are asked tn abandon all sec-
tional agitation or to ubmit all grave
questions that affect property or hu-
man rights to congress that 10 based
upon distinction Of human rights
and that lacks the warrant laid down
by Jefferson, of right to govern. II
has not the consent of the governed
Manifestations.
The vice president announced that
tho resolutions would go to the cal
endar, and Lamar said he would
speak on them before their adoption
He wished to say that it was natural
that Blaine who occupies q dis;in.
guished position, should feel q deep
interest in the south where the prob
lem of the readjustment Of social
forces to normal life was working it
self out. Had he brought forward a
scheme to raise the condition of the
colorcd people, his patriotism would
have been recognized, and he would
have given that people what they
moet need. There are other evils in
that country which might call forth
lofty and enlarged measures of pat
riot and American citizen, but must
confess to some regret that states
man go distinguished, in looking upon
this recently disiocated member OF
this grea: American empire. instead
of regarding it anxiously for those
great interests ths. affect this great
country through the long track of
coming years, should have couceu-
trated his whole gaze upon its simple
attitude Of party relationship-that
nothing should have struck the gem
tleman except that particular partisan
feature which affects The ascendancy
of political party. cannot but
feel regret that one Of such resolute
purpose-of such tenacious and such
daring ambition, and such great abil-
ities-should have so narrowed his
mind as 10 give to party what was
meant for mankind. TArough the pro-
tracted remarks OF the gentleman to-
day, he could not utter one word-he
could not because it would not have
been the truth If he ha al-.hat there
was single right of freedom or OF
citizenship belonging to the black
race of the south that was not as se-
cure and as we'll enjoyed as that OF
the prOudest and freest white man in
the land. There 10 another remarka.
able fact that in this indictment OF the
south, there is no pretense that there
is q single menace in her present at
titude to any Of the great Interests OF
| this country-not an imputatiOn OF
that character, for solid" as the
phrase goes, as the south may be, as
she stands in line with nearly q ma.
jority of the American people upon
every question which 10 now discuss
ed in this country or argued here in
her council chamber. But 10 come to
the direct point, the senator asserts
that In consequence OF the suppression
Of the negro vote at the south, By
means which are illegitimate and ir-
regular, the south has q dispropor-
tionate power In this government.
Before this discussion Is over will
show that no negro vote has been
suppressed in the south. will DEM
onstrate that this political phenome-
non, which 10 the subject OF so much
discussion aud misrepresentation is. q
phenomenon which would occur in
any free society, and that it has been
brought about by the agencies which
the intelligent, and virtue and sagac-
ity, and other evidences of ciyiliza-
tion which always fringe upon class
90 that are ignorant and debased.
But, sssu suming all that the gentleman
says to be true, that there are in the
house Of representatives one hun
dred and ak representatives
elected by one party com.
plexion, and elected by means not
what he considers legitimate, let us
see where we stand Ia this position.
What interest OF the north, what in.
terest Of this country, 10 endangered
by 1t. With the united vote Of the
south shD stands powerless section
In this government. She is an i'm.
potent minority, unable to protect 4
single southern right or to defend q
single southern interest. But, says
a -