National Republican., 1878-12-17
FORTY.FIFTH CONGRESS.
fCbntipued Gom Fyrx Puce. I


of,he country, when such visit may, in their judg-
men facilitate any portion OF the object OF The ILL.,
quiry.
as to provide that the committee, OF any sub.com.
mitec thereof, shall sit with open doors,
Mr.. BLAINE. VIII the Senator explain his mo.
Mr. BurLSe replied his motive was to have
free, fair. and full Investigation,
BSn AZ snd there re wSpd nss Se @ d
Of the chamber; he did not know whether II was
the minority or not.
Mr.. BLAINE opposed the amendment Of Mr.. BuT-
IER, aud said there might be a ease where witness
would be emPaIrssd MIA EsS by iesiiyins openly ve
were more intinidatcd on the witness stand lie
would leave the whole matter Of open sessions of
the committee with the committee itself
Mr. BUTLER said lie understood the Senator from
Maine objected TO the amendment upon the ground
that in certain parts Of the country certain wit.
openly. The Senator had spoken about so and SO
being alleged In regard 10 depriyipg citizens OF
iRS iace lie, as Senator in part @ eselins IS the
State Of South Carolina desired 10 10 the Senate
and 70 the country that the people q his State de.
which could be made, and any witness who np-
peared before the committee In South Carolina
could testify just as safely as he could In the State
Mr. Eusrrs said SO far as tho State Of Louisiana
was concerned past investigations proved that Re.
publican witnesses were not intimidnted, because
Republican witnesses not only testified there but
great many OF them testified on both sides II
occurred to him as an extraordinary situation for
the Senator from Maine TO occupy, when In ad.
vance Of the examination OF single witness the
honorable Senator took the liberty Of stating To
the Senate and the people OF the country that the
people OF Louisiana had no more rights rs voters
than the inhabitants OF Seuegambia. lie could
demonstrate that the elections in Louisiana were
hir and peaceable, and there were great many
reasons why the Democratic candidates were
elected The colored people exercised the right of
suffrage with discrimination. However, he would
lot thp In glipa.
his people.
Mr.. BLAINE said the Senator from South Carolina
either possessed affected great ignorance Of past
events In South Carolina. He referred 10 troubles
~ that State aud said lie had 900 letters giving tho
details OF great outrages on the right Of suffrage
IL the Senator desired free aud fnir
free from intimidation. he would leave It to the
committee as TO whether the doors should be open
or not, and not let the witnesses white and colored
be notified that the doors would be opened, aud IL
they appearrd before the committee they would do
Mr. BurLER said II the Senator desired full and
fair nyesgatiOn, as he claimed he would vote for
The amendment TO open the doors. The Senator
tad he had 20 letters complaining Of outrages. He
understood that Senator TO say In his speech on
Wednesday last that he based his statements upon
newspaper publications. lfnewspaper statements
were evidence the Senator from Maine as well as
himself would have been hung and quartered long
ago lie dld not mean to say that newspapers did
ents were sent TO his country to write down every.
thing bad about the people and suppress all that
could 70 into Maine with corps ofdetcciiyes and
world.
Mr. BLAINE. You have the right to do II under
this resolution.
The amendment of Mr.. Butler was reJccted-yeas,
30; nays, D-a strict party vote.
The question then being on the amendment OF
Mr.. Blaine, above stated,
Mr' DAVIS lw. val moved to amend so as to pro.
should sit with open doors when requested 10 do so
by any member OF the committee.
Mr. BAYARD said so far, this resolution and It's
amendments had been acted upon almost with
unanimity. Why should II not continue? The
courts always took testimony with open doors and
II any investigation should be made publicly. Il
should be that affecting the Character Of whole
community. There was something nm. American
in this secret inquisitOn. II the charges made
we've true, he hoped exposure would follow and
punishment follow exposure. II the charges were
untrue, he hoped the punishment would fall uDon
sa%o,o %s VINO P"GsH Scnas Them On foot S hoped ,hs
thing rs a secret inquIsitiOn should be held. lie
had been oil Investigating committees IN Missssip.
pi aud elsewhere, and men came before the com
miitee who swore 10 Just what they pleased. This
should not be party question, and the votes he
had given had been To prevent ii being such. He
hoped this Investigation would 10 conducted Oh
the principle that Justice everywhere lays down
for the eucidatiOn OF truth.
Mr.. HoAn said the proposition TO have open doors
Of the committee was In opposition TO the uniform
pfcccdcnts, both Of the Senate aud House OF Rep.
Iescntatives In all like cases since the formation Oi
the Government
Mcssrs. KEHNAS and MERRINoS favored the
amendment
Mr.. Howe said he had had experience on invest.
eating committees In Louisiana. He had ConveTsCd
with white aud cOlOrcd witnesses IN that State, who
protested that they dare not testify. One witness
who appeared LeiOre the committee land he was
native Oilhe statcl was Rllerward killed, aud II was
taid on account Of the testimony which he gave tC
the committee.
Mr. BLAINE said tho Senator from Ohio CMr
IhiifmanD argued that property and intelligence
rule the South. II that was So the people possess
ing them would have u thousand opportunities Il
influence the Judgment Of the committee wher,
thosc who had been wronHed had one. lie wa
free to sny that free election In the sense of lhI
Constitution was never known IN the South. Thcr,
never was Il man in Virginia, Georgia, or Floridr
who dared 10 come up aud vote for Abraham Lin
colm.
Mr.. wirIERs. There were votes cast for him IL
Virginia.
Nj. BlAIEE (cOutinuIg). And In 1871 no one II
the south would vote for James q. Burmey.
Mr.. EATON. Perhaps no one there wanted 10 volt
for James Il. BUrney. Laughter
Aner further discussion the amendment of Mr.
Davis was TcJrclcd-ycas, IS nays, 29--a striC
party vote.
Pending discussion Mr.. Whyte said there wcr,
other Senators who desired TO speak on this rcsOlu
ton, and he therefore moved that tho Senate z,
into executive session. Agreed TO, aud the Senate
alter bief executive session, at halfpast four ad
touriIed until tomorrow
HnTyE ER EpI, Fs sryT1TTpry