The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-04-13
Speech OF Sanator Don Cameron be.
foro the q. 8. Senate, March 81, 1881.

: s'y~~~t. VI to"tf1SOI DOh CAhicfDt "
: forc the U. s. Senate, March 3i, 1881.
| THE SOLID. soyTH SURELY DowSED
Mr. President.-T venture to In
trude for moment upon the atten
ton of the Senate, and feel reasona-
bly, assured that If / do not add &c
the information Of this honorable
body, 1 viii not detract from the
good spirit which has heretofore
marked this debate. Since | find
that nay absence was the occasion Of
so much eloquence, | am not sorry
that felt sufficiently unwell to ask
the honorable Senator from South
Carolina Mr.. Butler) to take upon
himself the double duty OF endur-
ance for few days. | am back re-
, freshed and quite willing to extend
the courtesy which | have received
to any other member Of this goIy
Gho may be in need of it, and | can
safely promise that nobody on this
side OF the Senate will make speech
IS IN prose or poetry at the expense
OF the absent Senator. / cannot,
however, allow nay position, or that
of Senator'S acting with me, to be
misrepresented, although done in
/ the best humor. After repeated
votes had established their right, a
majority OF the members OF this
body decided to change Its officers.
Our opponents announced by their
acts as well as by their works that
they had decided that the minority
Of this body was determined to re-
tain the present officers. The issue
was too plain to be misunderstood.
We said that the majority had the
right TO decide that question. Our
opponents said that the MINORITY
had the right to deide it. | said it
seemed then to be a question of en-
durence, and | really do not see
what else it can pretend 10 be. The
general doctrine that the majority is
entitled to rule is not called in ques-
ton. The right Of the majority Of
the Senate TO elect its own officers
is not called in question. The mi
nority simply says TO the majority
We viii not allow you to exercise
your undoubted right, because we
Will resort to dilatoTy motions, to
long and eloquent speeches, and to
poetic quotations, until you are
weary OF the struggle and allow US
to have our own way" We cannot
afEoIt to abandon the right of the
majority to rule, because the minor
ity makes it q mere question Of en-
durance-how long we viii endure
dilatory motions and dilatory
speeches. We must endure them
just-as long rs the minority choose
to inhict them upon Us.
The contest in which we are en-
gagged is not simply TO secure officers
and employees Of party friends, as
the Senators on the other side pre-
tend, nor is it solely q struggle Of
the majority to maintain its right to /
control he organization ofthe body. |
There IS something higher than and |
above ali this, something Of great
importance, which has not escaped |
the attention OF our opponents here. |
1t is the coming political contest in |
Virginia The Senator from Nir-
ginia, who sits nearest me, has terri |
fed the cid Democratic regime Of
his state by his courageous bearing
on this floor. They seem to have |
entertained the hope that with their
malcdiction still ringing in his ears
that he would forget his own pur-
poses and save the Democracy by |
consorting with the enemies Of his
people. Disappointed in their ex-
pectation they appeal to the South
ern Senators here to cover him with |
opprobrium that his followers at |
home will not dare to share his for
tunes. The Republicans in this
body and elsewhere see clearly that |
the assaults made upon him here
are to punish him for his refusal to
obey the orders given him. He has
committed the objectionable sin Of
doing that which MS enemies only |
profess to DC. &C has made politi- |
cal slavery impossible in Virginia. |
He has championed the cause of
honest elections. Tie is about to
lead in the final struggle in the Old |
Dominion for obedience to law in |
elections. Hehas our sympathies
in this good work. We know his
good work in his state is giving to
all citizens, black and white. equal
rights before the law.
In the coming state election the
struggle will be 4 bitter one l be-
lieye right is going to prevail, for
law-abiding citizens of Virginia who /
were eonfedcrates viii go into that
great contest with the knowledge
that cur hearts arc with them. Our
colored friends in that state viii be
glad to see that we share their con-
hdence in these wcll-tried friends,
and they viii continue to give Gen. |
Malone the hearty support he has
already earned and received at their
hands. All Virginia wiz see that
the great North fratenizes with all
confederates in the South who are
known by their acts as well as by |
their words to be il favor of arrhon-
est ballot and fair cout. The cleo
ton of Col. Riddleberger to a re-
sponsible office in this body will be |
the best proof that can be given that |
for all true men who uphold the
laws the Republican party has con-
fidcnce, respect and cooperation.
We gibe ouryotes to that gentleman
as an earnest that we are not Sec
tional, and that we have no predju-
dice on account of old conflicts.
Whoever is right at the present |
time is our friend, and We are his.
This and this only is the bargain"
we have to offer to all our Southern |
friends who will come out from par
ty faction and grow on with the ma
tions growth. All that we ask is
shat they shall stand with US in ia
vor of securing to each lawful voter
the right to cast one free, unintimi- |
dated ballot and to have that hon