Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1879-04-30


of the United States, followed by
their Representatives upon the
floor of this House, was that after
their States had passed the several
acts OF secession they had no right
upon the floor Of the Senate OF
House and conld give no vote.
But we are now all united.
Every State has its Representa-.
tives; and / hope they come here to
represent their people. believe
that all desire to perform their
whole duty TO the people aud to the
country at large. And certainly
i'll my experience in Congress, and
| wish the people could have enjoy.
eel the same opportunity to observe,
the Southern men have shown far
more disposition to manifest their
thorough reconstruction than Nor.
thern Republicans have shown will.
ingness for harmony between the
sections. And the reason is simple.
AS the Republican party gained
power through the excitement of
war, it breads dissolution upon the
return IF permanent peace. In my
Judgment, the thorough paciiication
of this country and the retirement
of the Republican party from pow
er will be, and must be, contempt.
raneous events. If the people de.
sire to bury sectional animosities
they must put down the party
which lives upon them. If they
hope to turn the attention of law.
makers to other subjects than the
wornout issues of the war, the peO
ple of the North must send to the
rear the politicians who are seeking
to tear open the wounds of the late
struggle. Under Republican rule
the war was brought to u success
ful end; but reconciliation they are
unable aud unwilling to promote.
The speech of my colleague from
Ohio is signal proof OF this fact.
In inSinuation and open charge it
was only one of the many red flags
held out to provoke sectional con
troversy and stir up luminosity.
| would ask my colleague from
the State of Ohio, who constituted
him the guardian of the southern
men on this fioort Who gave him
the right to read them lectures, as
if they were his subordinates ant
not his equals upon this floor
Does the gentleman assume &c
speak for the people of the North
He ought TO have remembered III,
fact that his party is no longer it
the majority. He ought to have
rccollrcted that between its South
crn pulley and its financial manage
mcnt Rcpublicanisn has been shoIl
of many hundred thousands OF il
followers. And when he insist
that Southern men shall bc guidct
by Republican ideas as the price o
the good opinion of the Republican
leaders. | would ask him what arr
they to f0llowi Shall they adop
the geullrnan's teachings mt thu
present time, or may they no
/, adopt his practices of the past
! when so many laws were enacted
upon appropriation bills by him AM
his partly
And | want to say to the gentle
n men on the other side who talk n
!, if they held this country in slim
: and carried the Government aronn
/ in their breeches pocket wan
them to know and to realize tha
in the last Presidential electio
they were in minority of over on
million of the white voters of thl
country, and in a minority of owe
.. two hundred and fifty thousand {
u its whole voting population. If W
look at the figures of the last gel
: eral election, want them to kno
I and TO realize the fact, for the fis
), ures show it, that they are i'll
v most overwhelming minority,
Z | may use the expression, and the
, no longer represent the people
!, this country, North or SOut|
u They have n President in power.
il true, but we all know how b
ID was put there. We all know he r
III ceived neither majority of Il
e votes OF the people, nor did he r
sc ceiyc q legal majority of the ele
d toral votes. We are here, sir, {
u this side representing the peopl
Is and in the other House we repr
Is sent the people as well. If the
Is had been fair play we would hf
ID all the departments of the Cover
u ment. Representing as we do Il
u. majority of the people of this cou
Is try, we propose to exercise oil q
OF powers OF Legislation az men ful
vi sensible of the responsibility res
vi ing nnnn us. The people ha