The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-03-06
THE TELLER COMMITTEE.

Southern Frauds and Outrages - Political
Rights Denied Negroes in South Carolina
and Louisiana - Fraud and Triclzery the
Rule in One, and Bloody Murder in the
Other.
The report of the Teller Committee made to
the United States Senate, reviews the testimony
of 81 witnesses in Louisiana and 107 in South
Carolina. It states that frauds in South Caro-
lima by the use of tissue ballots extended to
every county in that State but one, and that
between thirty and forty murders were COM
mitted in Louisiana. The committee, in draw
ing their conclusions, say:
There appears to be widespread determine
ton in these States to restrict freedom of speech
as to political questions, upon the claim that
discussion of the relations of labor to capital,
EMPLOYERS to employees, and other kindred sub
jects is calculated to array the coIored people
against the white, and thus endanger the safety
of the people, This determination is not au-
thorized by State enactments, but Democrats
who attend political meetings, not only of their
own party but also of the opposition, are in
the habit of refusing to allow speakers to dis
cuss the questions in their various forms. Any
reference to the condition of the colored people
before the war, and the cause that led to the
war; are condemned as of an incendiary char
acter. twill be readily seen thatif it is allowed
to attendance at public meeting to determine
what is or what is not incendiary or infam-
matory material, and therefore objection
able and not to be permitted, there
will be an end of all political discussion, I'M
less speakers shall consent to discuss
questions in accordance with the views of the
majority that may be in attendance. Great
liberty must be allowed in the discussion of all
political questions, and it will never do TO per-
nit crowd of heated partisans at public
meeting to determine what is and what is not an
incendiary speech and what is not proper to be
said on such occasions. All the attacks which
have been made on colored people have been
attempted to be justified or excused on the
ground that colored people have made threats
against whites However false and destitute of
foundation these reports may have been, they
have been made the excuse for n1ostunheard-of
atrocity against these people. AS this pre-
tended fear of negro insurrection is made the
excuse for outrages on colored people, it may
not be amiss to say that the Democratic whites,
when lnterrogated on that point, all agreed that
the negro was peaceful and unrevengeful, and
that, with all the reports of uprisings of this
class of people to murder and outrage whites
there was no instance in American history,
within their knowledge, when this had been
done, and all admitted that it would require
great provocation to induce the colored people
to resort to violence against the whites. Re-
spect for authority, obedience to law, and at
tachment to persons and things are notable
characteristics of the colored race.
No prosecutions have been instituted by the
State of South Carolina against the yiolators of
her laws and no effort made to punish men
who have thus wantonly outraged her citizens,
and when United States courts have been re-
sorted to for the purpose of Furnishing out
RACES on the ballot the complainant has, in very
many instances, been arrested, clearly in viola
ton of law, by State authorities on charge of
perjury, and committed to jail unless he gave
bail. Citizens are threatened that, if they at
tempt to punish offenders in the United States
courts, witnesses will be punished in the State
courts, and thus the State not only declines to
punish these criminals, but refuses to allow it
to be done in the United States courts
The State Government is white government
No colored men are represented in it, and,
SO far, no man concerned with it has had the
honesty, courage, or humanity to attempt to
redress the outrages on these unfortunate
men of color The laws of South Carolina
and Louisiana are undoubtedly sufficient for
the protection of all their citizens, but there
has been lamentable failure to enforce them
This course must in the end be destruction of
government in these States. Thousands of
persons in those States, controlled by the polit-
zeal party profiting by these outrages, condemn
them, but they lack the independence and
courage to make themselves heard In opposition