The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-04-26
Rock Island. Illinois. SATURDAY., April 90. 1879

repeal as an effort to render the fruits of
war useless to the country, and Of no avail
10 its further prosperity.
Mr.. Hooker said that q stranger who
had been present during the debate would
have supposed that instead of its being
simple proposition to keep away troops
from the polls, it was a question as to
whether or not the Southern people were
liable to be indicted for murder, arson and
other crimes. He had seen for FIVE years
after the war closed negroes marched to
the polls by republican leaders bearing
drawn swords, and that had never been
regarded by the republicans as an invasion
of the rights of the people and of freedom
Of the ballot box. This outcry of free ball
lot for the negro was therefore all pre-
tense. In the last two elections in Missls-
sippi there vas not L single man who
had not been absolutely tree to cast
his vote as he chose. He re-
ferred to Mr.. Garfeld's speech i'll
which that gentleman said to members
from the South you have been allowed to
return to power in the two Houses" What
wonderful aud gracious language coming
from Republican. Had the Democrats
come into power by permission OF the Re-
publican party? Thank God! they had
come here by the omnipotent power OF the
people, who were shaking the Republican
party from the stronghold Of power it had
SO long abused.
Mr.. Price inquired whether the Repub
lican party did not have tgo-thirds ma
/ jority in both houses, when the people of
the South had been relieved of their po-
litical disabilities?
Mr.. Hooker gave the Republican party
credit for doing its duty, but it had car
rled out the terms of surrender in the
spirit and temper in which the surrender
had been made it would have passed that
law long before it had
Mr.. Price-Bat we did voluntarily opeu
the door and allow you gentlemen to come
in.
| Mr.. Hooker-T0 a certain extent you did
but then you had solid South in the in.
terests of the Republican party. You
never objected to solid South as long
as the soiidity was in favor of the Republi,
can party. He said that it was only after
ten years submission TO radical rule, which
had imposed heavy debts upon the South.
position to IT, Massachusetts would moi
-
had endured for ten long years. But now,
thank Goo! Democracy was in power; moi
by the clemency of the Republican party
but by the omnipotent power of the peo
pie, and it intended to sweep from the
statute books, whatever measures impedeC
fair election and prevented free ballot
There was no concealment about it
He had read the protests Of the inhabitants
of Wyandotte against the coloVed immigra
tioD, aud remarked it was only at a safe
distance the Republicans were friends O
the negroes; they wished to use them only
as voting sheep; their interestin the negrt
was simulated.
Mr.. Haskell denied that Kansas was
hostile to the influx of the negroes, bu
they did not consider it wise to have thous
ands of destitute people cast on one point
Fridays session here commenced, ant
Messrs. Reed, Price, Sparks, McCook ant
others continued the debate. The latter sai
he believed the solid South at the mex
Presidential election would be confronte
with solid North as firm for rights as
! had been before in memorable period c
history.
Mr.. Kiefer referred 70 the great cor
cession the Republican party had made
but he calmly and.delib, rately avowed the
would oppose the yielding of any cardins
. principles, and should the final arbiter b
1 appealed to Oh the bloody theatre of wal
I be hoped the stars and stripes would eve
I be the emblem of liberty and protection
/ Mr.. Springer said it was not for th
President TO question the forms of legisl;
+ ture, as the House had the constitutions
g right to make its own rules II he vetoe
e the bill he must fud better reason tha
: that two subjects were embraced in tt
!, bill He quoted the English parliamel
II as precedent for the right of the H0u
Y to make the army supplies contingent {
e certain legislation.
e Mr.. Ewing accused the Republicans
5. seizing this bill to inaugurate President
" campaign, founded on sectional hate, E
u which they richly deserved TO be expellt
d from power. As Union soldier he su
ID rendered and denounced the legislatit
te which it proposed to repeal as plagl
spot on our body polite He sarcastical
i referred to Dir. Garfeld's propositic
rs to accept two propositions whie
he had denounced as revolutionar
l. He declared the action of the Repu
OF licans had forced the Democrats
at engralt this legislation Of appropriate
Or bills. He declared the RECONSTRUCTED
10 policy had organized hell in the Sou
n and produced race conflicts in Texa
Georgia, Virginia and North Carolin
lie where the troops were withdrawn, the
to was no race disturbance. Such talk b
ID come from States where Federal arr
were longest kept and where the electi
= machinery was most thoroughly organize
ts In those States, the Republicans had ke
NO up the hateful, impracticable and me
or strous organization of a party by col
n where the threat of black domination b
been constantly held over the white, a
ut where under carpet-bag direction tht
re had been the rule of profigacy and corru
ID ton. (Applause on the Democratic sid
pit Must the negro suffrage be on that accor
ID abolished? Not atall. but the color Ii
ID must be abolished.
ng The committee then rose and the Hol
oil adjourned.
sm
its ILLINOIS.