Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-02-26

| distress from the Democratic party. That
party was in trouble and this house was called
upon to help it out. If these laws were en-
| forced the Democratic party knew that the
penltentiaries would be filed with Demo
| cratic voters
Mr. Davis NC. !, criticised the right Of the
| elective franchise in Rhode ISLAND and Mas
| sachusetts. In the latter State no one was
| allowed to vote who could not read the con-
stltution. If that were test in the southern
| States. nine-teHths of the Republicans in
| those States would be excluded la 1877, by
fraud, by perjury. by foreerles, by improper
use OF the army, and of Federal eff GERS, the
voice OF the people had been of no avail, and
| their will had been defeated. The pending
amendment was protest against fraud and
against improper Federal officers Not a
gentleman on his side Of the house approved
of any fraud IN elections, while known per-
Jurers had been rewarded in the State of
Louisiana by the Republicans.
Mr.. Phillips opposed the amendment He
called attention to the fact that few years
ago thai there had been seven colored repre-
sentatves in the house and now there were
but three, and next year there would be none.
Whittier was tho country drifting? The
Democratic party, once a great historic party,
was now a resctioaary party, and was en-
deavoring to drag this country back to the
old States right doctrine. This was a con-
| certed party movement to strike down the
few safeguards winch the law had thrown
around the ballot-box.
Mr.. Hewitt IN. VI said that the opposi-
ton expressed by the gentleman on the other
side showed how impossible it was for them 10
understand the motives which governed the
Democratic party in their desire and fixed
determination to erase from the statute books
every provision which infringed upon the
personal liberty of citizens. Ali such pro-
visions had been placed upon the statute
books during or since the close of the war.
Once only had the attempt been made to
violate the principles upon which Jefferson,
Hamilton and Madison had placed free
government, and that obnoxious law had been
swept from the statute book so the Democrats
had planted themselves on the old strong
hold that there was no safety in centralizing
power-that the only security for liberty was
In the people themselves; if abuses occurred
they could be much more readily and effect
ually remedIed by the people than by cen
tralized power. When the gentleman from
Maine Mr.. Frye] a few days ago alluded to
corruption IN New York, he seems to have
overlooked the fact that Judges NJ Gum and
Barnard had been driven from the bench,
not by Federal power, but by the indignant
voice of the people OF New York. The gen.
tleman from Maine had said that these laws
must be repealed in order to enable the DEM
ocrats to carry New York in the next cleo
ton. Did not that gentleman know that the
election of 1876 had been an honest election
In the State of New York? and had not
Governor Tllden received majority in that
State of over thirty thousand? The Demo-
Gratis had carried that State with constantly
increased msJorltles ever since those laws
had been enacted, and would have continued
to do So to the end of time, but for the in
vention of Davenport, by which free citizens
were prevented from voting. Davenport,
following an example which had been set
him IN New Orleans, had, on the affidavts of
his own party, issued in one night warrants
which resulted In the arrest of four thousand
free citizens of New York.
Here Mr.. Hewitt's time expired, and
he asked leave TO print the remainder of his
remarks, but Mr.. Butler objected, saYin,;
that Davenport was a friend of his and he
didn't want him abused.
Nh. Hazleton said there had been three prop
oSitions presented to the house by the Dswo-
Gratis. The first one repealed the test oath.
He favored it because it opened the jury box
to the intelligence of the south The second
was to make the jury box of America a po-
lltical jury-box by providing that jurors
should be Of different political parties. That
proposition was not, and never would be ac-
ceptable to the American people. The third |
proposition was to destroy the imminent of
the balot-box. Who asked for repeal of
these laws? Not voice from the sentiment !
that had stood by the government sinc3 1865 !
asked for it. Did the demand come from !
Louisiana, whose regular diet for the last ten |
years had been fraud, intimidation, and |
blood? Did it come from Mississippi, whose |
escutcheon was just now blackened by the |
murder of Chisholm, Of that boy, and of that |
young girl, whose memory would outlast the !
memory of that Roman mother whose name |
she bore?
Mr.. Whitthorne said that his love OF sec |
ton or of party was his affection for a re- |
publican form of government, and as this |
supervisor law interfered with and usurped |
the night OF popular sovereignty, he was IN |
favor of its repeal.
Mr.. Davidson stated that the south did not |
desire the absolute control of the government, |
as had been stated by the gentleman on the |
other side, but it did desire that the laws !
passed in the heat of the late struggle should |
no longer prevail, and that the laws used as !
political machines should be repealed.
Mr.. DuDnell iargueds against the amend !
rnent as tending to break down the only safe |
guard the Federal government had thrown |
around the ballot-box.
Mr.. Haze said that the house might as well |
understand exactly how this matter stood |
The gentleman from Ohio ISouthardl, in
pressing this amendment, had thrown to the |
Republican side of toe house a gage Of battle;
the gentleman from New York Hewitt had |
taken the position this morning that the |
Democratic party stood here to-day and
would stand III favor of sweeping from the
statute books all that body of law which, he
said, interfered with the operation of State
governments and State laws in the matter of
elections. There was a plain and distinct
challenge. AS strong as the feeling was on
that SIDE of the house, equally strong was 1t
on the Republican side. These laws for the
protection of the ballot would not and should |
not be repealed IN an appropriation bill; this |
side of the. house would never consent
to the project being pushed forward |
and carried through to repeal. The gentle |
man might as well understand that now as
hereafter. a voice on the Democratic side |
You said that before. Mr.. Hale went on
to state the efforts which the Republican side
OF the house bad made during the last week
to have the legislative appropriation bill
passed, and showed how those efforts had
been antagonized by the Democratic side.
IN conclusion he said: We have done every
thing in our power to push this bill, and at
some state of the proceedings between now
and the final adjournment the other side of
the house must yield its position, for these
laws cannot and shall not be repealed. APP
plause on the Republican and derisive laugh
ter on the Democratic side.
Mr.. Southland replied to Mr.. Hale, and
closed the debate. He declared it to be the
sentiment of his side OF the house that these
laws which had been enacted for the pur-
pose OF ccrrupting the ballot-box and of Sc
curing the election of one party by bribery
and by force, should be and must be swept
from the statute book. Applause on the
Democratic side. Let it be, said he, dis
tinctly understood that on this side Of the
house and with the Democratic party rests
the responsibility, and that when it is ques-
ton OF pure ballos and personal liberty
the man who yields is sure of the condemna-
ton of a free and independent people. loud |
applause on the Democratic side.I This law
is simply for the purpose of perpetuating
a dynasty which has been condemned by the
public sentiment of tn country. 1t is another
outrage as well as a southern outrage. This
side Of the house is determined on this meas
ure; not as a question of dollars and cents,
but as question of absolute right, and for
the pure side of the ballot-box. We don't |
mean IN this free country that any man shall |
be arrested and imprisoned without due
complaint and affidavit, or without due pro-
cess OF law. We mean to protect the citizen
IN his personal right and to protect the bal
lot box in its freedom and its purity. If the