The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-05-08
Read to the Southern Briga-
diers and Their Dough-
Faced Allies.
By the Hon. julius G. Burrows. of
Michigan, in the National
House of Represent
atives.

minority Of this House, overDorne by numbers,
been driven from its first intrenchment where it
made stand in the defense of peaceful bal
and defiant majority, and forced to do battle in
the defense of a pure ballot. Now, as then, we
present upon this side OF the chamber solid
front, confident of the strength of our position
and the justice of our cause, and confident,
also, that though defeated now we shall ulti-
mately be supported by that mighty reserve,
the majority of the American people, whose in
vlncible power no party can possibly with
stand.
1t will be remembered that upon the Army
Appropriation bill recently passed the Demo-
cratic majority of this House ventured to I'M
dertake the modification of but two sections of
existing law. Flushed with victory and en-
boldened by success, it will be observed that
upon this bill they have determined not only
upon the modification of four sections, but the
absolute repeal of fourteen more It is also a
noticeable fact that in both instances the main
force of the majority has been hurled against
the Election laws laws which have for their
purpose only the maintenance of the sanctity
of the ballot-box.
I have neither the time nor the disposition to
enter into general discussion of the character
of the provisions of those laws sought to be
repealed. Their nature und purpose are well
known to the House and to the country; but
cannot refrain from observing that if gentle
men on the other side Of the Chamber are
really anxious to preserve the peace and purity
of the ballot-box, why attempt to tear down
the only remaining national fortress reared
for the defense of either? Do you desire, gen
tlemen, an honest registration? These laws
provide for it. Do you want a pure ballot?
They promote it. Do you want a fair count?
They insure it. Do you desire true return?
They enjoin it, Do you want order and peace
81 Hoo n
repeaters and ballot-box suffers, thugs and
red-shirts punished? They secure it. And
there is nothing in these laws that is terror
to any man except him who has already COM
mitted or is now meditating some outrage upon
the ballot-box of the country.
You declare that you want a pure and peace
able election; and, while you have been I'M
spairing in your denunciation of all means en-
ployed by the Federal Government to insure it,
not one word of rebuke, not word of regret
even, has fallen from the lips of any man on
that side of the Chamber for the outrages per-
petrated at the polls in the South, especially in
Louisiana and in South Carolina, not six months
elections by system of frauds and ballot-box
stufing unparalleled in the history Of nations
in Louisiana by driving voters from the polls,
Selling ballot boxes through the instrumentality
of armed ruffians, destroying ballots, driving
men into exile and invoking that system of
murder and intimidation so long in vogue in
the South, and which has been so efficient in
crushing an entire race. Let me read word
from the report Of a Senate committee touch
ing the question of elections in Louisiana in
the fall of 1878 read from the report of the
Teller Committee:
"The examination Of the committee, it will
be seen, was confined to but seven of the fifty
two parishes of Louisiana. In these seven par
ishes the evidence shows there were murdered
for political purposes, during the campaign Of
1878, twenty three persons Besides these there
were fully as many others murdered, whose
names the committee were unable to ascertain,
whose cOrpses were seen, by witnesses who
testified before the committee, hanging on trees
or lying dead in the streets or fields. Dozens
more were wounded from shots fired at them
with murderous intent, some of whom were
present as witnesses before the committee ex-
hibiting their scars; others we're whipped, or
beaten, and mutilated wives were tied up by
the thumbs and whipped for refusing to tell
where their husbands were secreted; scores
of leaders in politics among the colored men
were driven from their homes, leaving their
crops in the field and their families unprovided
for In brief, a literal reign of terror ex-
listed, and in fact still exists, over a consider
able portion of louisiana as the result of the
policy adopted by the Democracy for perpetrat-
ing its rule in that State"
When [ read such a history and remember
and stamped out a party in blood, and made
free speech and free press, free homes, free
emigration, and free ballot impossible within
many portions of the Southern States, must
confess that | listen with Impotence to the hyp-
ocritical cant about peace, protection, and pur-
1ty at the polls This very hour while you are
protesting such jealous care for the rights of
American citizens, whole race is fleeing from
your presence as they would from a pestilence.
Not to escape Federal bayonets, but Southern
bludgeons; not to escape Federal bullets, but
Southern bowie knives; not to escape Federal
interference, but Southern intimidation: not to
escape Federal force but Southern fraud: not
to escape election laws, but enforced exile; not
to escape from Federal Marshals, but from
Southern murderers: not from honest registra-
ton, but from masked raiders; not from Super
visors of election laws, but from Southern shot
guns. In a word, fleeing from people and
country where their every right is cloven down
and their every wrong unredressed When
hear gentlemen on the other side of this Cham
Der denounce these outrages upon free bal
lot and free men In many portions of the South
ern States, it will be time for me to believe that
they are really sincere and solicitous for the
protection of the citizen and the purity of the
ballot-box. Pardon meif express my honestcon-
viction that with all your professions you want
neither peace nor purity at the polls. Your
chiefest desire is the election of Democratic
President in 1880. By what means you little
care. You want these laws repealed because
they stand in the way of the contamination of
such purpose, for you know full well, and the
country knows, that if they are permitted to
stand. and can be enforced, and every man in
this republic, North and South, is allowed to vote
as his conscience dictates, without injury or
fear of injury to life or property, you could no
more elect your President in 1880 than YOU are
honestly entitled to your majority in either
house of this Congress to-day.
But did not rise to address myself 80 much
to the character of the election laws and the
necessity for their continued existence as to the
method and means by which their repeal is
sought to be consummated. The country, Mr..
Chairman is to-day alarmed, and justly SO, not
for the safety of these laws, but for the securi-
| ty of the Government itself They are
alarmed at the oft-repeated declaration of the
Democratic majority in this Congress, that
they propose to wipe from the statute-books
all the. legislation of the last eighteen years,
which is regarded as offensive to the Demo,
cratic party, and to enter upon that work now
by starving the Government into submission.
This threatened revolution has overshadowed
all other questions and has become the main
issue of the hour. The question now is not
whether we shall have an army at ALL Il is
not question whether the navy may be used
| for hal h,,t1