Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-04-23
The Speech Of the Season.

Michigan delivered, before the Con-
iederate Congress at Washington the
following ringing speech. Let every
one read it:
Mr.. Burrows was the next speaker.
II said that if the gentlemen on the
other side were really anxious to pre-
serve the peace and purity of elections,
they would be the last to attempt to
tear down the only remaining fortress
reared for that purpose. Do they de-
sire an honest registration? These laws
provided it. Did they want pure
ballot? These laws secured it. Did
they want a fair count? These laws
insured it. Did they want true
return? These laws eujolned it. Did
they want peace and order at the polls?
These laws commanded it. There
was nothing in those laws that was
terror to any man, save the one who
had committed or was meditating an
attack on the purity of elections He
referred to the outrages on colored
men 10 Louisiana, and said that there
the Republican party had been stamp
ed out n blood. Free speech, free
press, free homes, free emigration, aud
free ballots had been made impossible
within many portions Of that State.
In view OF these facts, he listened with
impatience to the Eypocrtcai cant
about peace, protection, and purity
at the polls. Even now, while mem
bers of the other side were protesting
such jealousy for the rights of Ameri-
can citizens, whole race was fleeing
from some of the Southern States as
they would flee from a pestilence.
They were fleeing; not to escape Fed
eral bayonets, but ruffianly bludgeons;
not from Federal bullets, but from
Southern bowie knives; not to escape
Federal Courts, but Southern frsud
not from Marshals, but from murder
ers; not from registration, but from
masked raiders; not from Supervisors
of Elections but from Southern shot
guns. In word, they were fleeing
from a country where every right was
cloven down, and every wrong went
nnredressed.
Mr.. Gibson made several efforts to
get in disclaimer Of these statements
but Mr. Burrows declined to hear
to him and he continued his remarks.
With all your professions, said ne,
of desire for the purity of elections,
your chiefest desire is the election of a
Democratic President in 1880; by
what means you little care. You want
these laws repealed because they stand
in the way of the consummation of
such purpose; for you know we'll
land the country knows that if they
are permitted to stand, and can be
enforced, you can no more elect a
President in 1880 than that you are
honestly entitled to your majorities in
either House of Congress. Applause on
the Republican side.
He continued to say that at the last
Congress there had been a Senate to
coerce; now there was but an Execu-
tive to overcome. 1t was the pro-
gramme of the Democratic party to per-
slstuntll it had starved the President in
to submission. or until Congressional and
Presidential terms had expired by
Limitation. That party now stood at
the bar of public opinion on its own
plea of self-convicted conspiracy
against the life of the Government,
The excuse urged for the present at
tempt coerce the President he character
as compound of idiocy and inso
lence seldom equaled, never excelled.
If the Democrats persisted in their
present course in 1880 they would
meet their political Appomatox. 1t
was revolving to the sentiments of the
American people, and, because it was
so, the Republicans proposed to resist
it to the extent of their power, for if
they yielded now where were they to
make stand? Let no gentleman in-
dulge in the illusion that there would
be no further advances on the part of
the enemy. This was but the begin
ming of a series of assaults, to be push
ed with vigor until every fortress
reared for the defense of free ballot,
for the peace and purity of elections
for the national life, and for individ-
ual liberty should be torn down, un-
til violence, fraud and murder should
run riot in the land. How
long would 1t be before a clause
would be put on an appropriation
bill repeating the last three
constitutional amendments, and the
President be told to sign or starve?
Quoting from Mr.. Blackburn's de-
claration that THIS Congress would die
by natural limitation without passing
the Appropriation bills if the legisla-
ton sought to be put upon them was
not accepted, Mr.. Burrows went on to
say that the event cannot happen until
| the 1th of March 1891 ,na =, tho on