The New York herald., 1878-12-17

vote for the amendment to open the doors The Sem
OF outrages He (Nir. Butlerl understood that sea-
tor TO say in his speech Wednesday last that he
based his statements upon newspaper publications..
newspaper statements evidence the senator
from Maine well himself (Air. Butlerl would
have been hung and quartcred long ago. He did not
mean to say that newspapers did not communicate
truth, but when correspondents were sent to his
pie and suppress all that good he thought II time
to complain. He Mr. Butler) could go into Maine
with corps OF detectives and make the State
stencil i'll the nostrils of the world.
Mr. BlAIsE--fou have the right to do 1t under this
resolution
SECRET INQuIsIrIoy.
The amendment of Mr.. Butler was rejected-Yeas.
So nays, 0 strictly party On this vote pairs
were announced as foliows:-AIessrs. Barnum, But
Ter, Mcdonald, Maxey and Thurman. who would have
voted in the affirmative, were paired with Messrs.
Chaffee, Sargent Dorsey, Spencer aud Edmunds. who
would have voted in the negative
The question then being on the amendment of Mr..
Blaine, above stated, Mr.. DAVIS. of West Virginia.
or any subcommittee should sit with open doors
when requested 70 do so by any member OF the COM
mittec.
REMARKS OF AIR. BAYARD.
Mr.. BAyARD. dem.) of Del. said SO far the reso-
luton and its amenements had been acted upon
almost with unanimity. why should it not con-
tinuc? The courts always took testimony with
open doors. and II any investigation should
be made publicly it. should be that affect
ing the character of whole community.
There something un American in this secret in
QUESTION. II the charges made were true he hoped
sure. II the charges were untrue he hoped the pun
ishment would fall upon those who placed them on
foot. He hoped the Senate would unanimously agree
that no such thing secret inquisiton should be
held. He had been on investigating committees.
in Mississippi and elsewhere. and men came before
the committee who swore to just what they pleased.
This should not be party question: and the votes he
had given had been to prevent it being such. He
hoped this investigation would be conducted the
principles that Justice everywhere lays down for tho
eucidaton of Truth.
Mr.. HoAR. rep.) of Mass, said the proposition to
have Onpn N n IN
prccccnts both of the Senate and House. in all like
cases, since the formation OF the government.
Mr.. BAyARD said he member Of the special COM
mittcc which sat six weeks in New York investigating
the affairs Of the Custom House there That exani-
nation conducted in public.
Mr.. HoAR inquired if the question whether there
should be open closed doors not left with the
committee
Mr.. BAYARp replied in the affirmative.
Mr.. HERMAN dcm.) of N. Y. favored the amend
ment and said it was simply to prevent majority OF
the committee from closing the doors. 1t one mem
ber Of the committee in the interest of justice de-
sired the doors to be opened they should be.
Mr. MEaRIMoN. OF North Carolina, said he had an
experience two years ago investigating committees
in the SOUTH and he could not conceive of better
plan to encourage perjury than by having closed
doors. He had seen, day after day, the rankest in
justice done to Of men who not there to
defend themselves The secret Investigations
against tho principles Of eternal justice and wrong to
the American people.
ence on investigating committees in Louisiana. He
had converted with white aud colored witnesses in
that State who protested that they dare not testify
One witness who appeared before the committeeman
he was q native Of the Statc-was afterward killed.
and 1t said account of the testimony which he
gave to the committed.
Mr. BLAINE said that the Senator from Ohio Mr.
Thurman) argued that property and intelligence rule
the South II that the people possessing
them would have thousand opportunities to in
iuence the judgment Of the committee where those
who wrongcd had one. He was free to say that
FREQ election in the Of the constitution was
never known in the South. There man
in Virginia, Georgia Florida who dared to come up
and vote for Abraham Lincoln.
Mr.. WIrHERs, (dem.) Of va.-There votes cast
for him in Virginia
Mr BLAINE (continung)-And in 1874 no one in the
South would vote for James g. Burney.
Mr. EAroN ldem.l Of conp;-perhaps no one there
Mr. HERMAN of New York. said he had always been
in favor Of elections unswayed by bribery money or
anything else but persuasion but that had nothing to
do with the amendment If men were charged with
anything wrong they should have an opportunity to
Mr. NcsllLLAN (rep) Of Minn argued that this
subject had been brought to the attention of Congress
through the Message Of the President. 1t did not
arise from partisan standpoint. Citizens in certain
parts of this country had been deprived Of the right
Of suffrage by violence, intimidation and outrage,
and the offenders should be punished.
SPEECH OF MR. RANSOM
Mr. RANSOM, (rep) OF n G.. said the constitution Of
the United States provided that in all prosecutions
he confronted with the witnesses against him. and
investigation affecting the great right of suffrage
forms surround the trial of the most humble cti-
zen for the most trifing offence against criminal
| law. lie nOpeu the senator from Name INF.
Blaine would pardon him. but he did not
think thai Senator used peaceful argument when
he declared there never had been fair
proper he could take up that glove and persuade any
patriot To retire from such position. lie would not
say it u calumny upon the history of the Soutn
ern people. He would leave it to the calm Judgment
Of the Senator from Maine to correct ut his leisure
IT too late for the Senator to declare in discus
sion to-day that there had never been fair election
in the South He assured the Senator that was not
the way to secure peaccablo relations in this country
When this resolution came up this morning motion
from eminent democratic Senator TO lay it the
table met with response the demo-
cratic side. SO determined were the Senators
and full investigation. Democratic Senators from
the North and from the South showed them that they
wanted this investigation. he dr Hansom) now
| appealed to the Senate and to the Senator FROM
Maine, was not this opposition to the amendment
moctery. Those who . opposed this a amendment ,s T
protect their witnesses their statements not
to be divulged. The Senator from Maine had called
Now when the democratic Senators say 'Turn the
light" "oh. no., says the senator from Mainc put
us in dark room. draw the curtains.
LIGHT.
Continuing his remarks. Mr.. Ransom said, this
light of heaven. the first creation Of the Almighty is
| the great protection OF man. II is the enemy OF
fraud and corruption ii is the light which protects
our homes. When the evidence taken by this COM
mttee should come to the Senate let il come with
suspicion upon it.: lot 1t be broad so clear that
all would have to agree that remedy or no remedy
was needed as the case might be. 1t would not be
senator to make assault upon the Southern pco-
pie. II there was any thought that anything could
be said which would provoke recrinnstion against
the North II was a mistake. The Southern people
had no such purpose Looking toward Blaine. he
said:-
Senator's If you to have with us it shall be
your war, not ours"
He said twelve months ago 1t was in the power Of
Southern to give this country great trouble. but
they acted patriotically. They could have brought
a revolution; they could have thrown impcdiment
after impediment in the way of the present admins
frat ,rlf unf 1n hoy dp
il. Southern men loved this country-loved its
peace loved its honorand they expected to deserve
its blessing; and IL they had the power they womid
Southern people desired to be let alone, to build up
heir fortunes for they poor as the sands on
the shore. For long years he had sat hero
and heard his people abused, but his duty was to
bear it, Now, when IL was proposed to indct them,
they would meet their accusers half way and say,
Turn on the lights, II ALL" God forbid that It
should go out to the balance of mankind and go
down the stream of time forever that this American
| 49, sl. La