Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-08
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.

the resolution OF the Senate of the 18th
ult the report of the Secretary of State,
with accompanying papers ia relation to the
cspitulations of tie Ottoman Empire.
Ordered printed.
The pending business being the resolution
for the election of Senate officers, was then
taken up, and motion to go into executive
session, made by Mr. Pendleton. was, as
usual, voted down-yeas 20, nays 81.
Mr.. Vance addressed the Senate on the
denying that the debt had ever been repu-
dated, and asserting that one of the first
acts passed By the Legislature Of that State
after the war had been one providing for the
payment of its Indebtedness Under the force
of the reconstruction acts, for the first time
in the history of North Carolina she had
found herself compelled to repudiate any of
her obligations. That she had to do at the
dictation OF the loyal non. repudiating,
honest and virtuous Republican party of the
North. 1t was not the voluntary action of
the people of North Carolina. He proposed
to criticise and ridicule the acts of
the Republican Legislature during
the years 1868 and 1869, instancing
the fact, among others, that that
Legislature had purchased eight thousand
acres OF land for the site OF the peniten-
tiary. 1t had authorized the issue OF S22, i.
OOO,OOO OF bonds for the purpose Of CON
structing railroads, not one OF which had
been built, and had then passed an act re-
pudiating every dollar of the debts which
1t had contracted.
From the day that the citizens of North
Carolina had recovered control of the State,
instead Of trying to pay the debt created by
the carpet bag government and placed upon
them in fraudulent manner they had reso-
lutely turned their backs upon it. They never
would try to pay it. 1t was fraudulent and
vicious, and not debt in any sense of the
word. The Republican side, he said, coming
down to the question of election of officers,
had inquired why the Democrats would not
vote for Riddleberger? That was shifting
the issue. The question was how could
the gentlemen on the other side support
him? He was a rebel, an unrepentant
rebel; Democrat, an unrepentant Demo
Graf; a Readjuster, an unrepentant Read
iuster. How could they forgive him? What
was the object for their supporting him?
He (Mr. vance, objected to voting for
any man who called himself Democrat
who had surname before the word Demo
crat. He objected to the manner in which
the Republican party had undertaken to
foist candidate upon the Senate because
it was in defiance of the whole plea OF po-
iitical salvation. Riddleberger had been
taken up in his sins, unrepentant
and unshaven, and had been translated
into the heaven OF Republicanism without
having tasted death. Laughter. The
Senator from Connecticut (Mr. Hawley)
had stated that this movement was going to
break up the ''solid South" It reminded
him of the story of the boy whose dog Tag
had died, and who "bet that the
angels would be scared when they
saw Tag trotting through the front
gate" The "eolid South" was to be
broken when Tag came trotting
through the front gate. Laugher Had
SO great an undertaking ever been inaugu-
rated by such small means? Did anybody
ever before hear the party announce the ex-
tremities to which it was reduced when 1t
announced that it relied for success on an
alliance with the Senator from Vir-
ginia and the election of Riddle
berger to the Office OF Sergeant-at-
Arms? Instead OF the movement being,
as was stated, an alliance to promote the
purity Of the ballot box, it was, he said, an
attempt once more to subject the people of
the "Solid South" who had been free long
enough to gather a little money, to the
dominion of carpet-bag rule, in order that
their little savings might be swept away.
Mr.. Kellogg followed on the subject OF
North Cardinals debt, asserting hat since
the State had been under the control of the
Democrats the debt had been scaled down
from twenty-six million to four million
dollars, reputation of twenty two million.
A long discussion ensued, the North Caro-
lima Senators answering Mr.. Kellogg's
charges and denying that the State had re-
pudiated any of its honest obligations.
Mr.. Ransom called attention to the fact
that North Carolina per cent. bonds were
quoted at S5, and appealing to Mr.. Sherman
obtained from him the admission that that
was fair price for per cent. State bond.
Mr.. Ransom then argued that, as North
Carolina bonds sold as high as any other
State bonds, it would not do to say her
name was discredited. He asserted that
the settlement of the State debt was salts
factory to the creditors, and that 1t was an
honest settlement.
Mr.. Rollins, referring to g remark made
by Mr.. VaUce about carpet-baggers, in
quired how long it was necessary for man
to live in the Southern States before he
would be recognized as anything but car
pet-bagger?
Mr.. Vance replied that If he came with
trunk twenty four hours would do, but If he
came with a carpet-bag and haunted around
the purlieus of the cities looking for col
ored man to cooperate with him in cheat
ing the people, twenty four hours would
not do.
Mr.. Rollins said that the gentlemen on
the other side were shocked at the idea that
for Readjuster in Virginia who was with
them on the question OF a free vote and an
honest count.
Mr.. Vance-What difference is there be-
tween counting man out of his vote and
out of his money?
Mr.. Rollins-You have tried both, and
ought to be able TO answer that question
Yourself Laughter.
Mr.. Vance, have not tried both. Ihave
not tried either, and the Senator knows
have not tried either. Ny State has not
tried either. The assertion was witty, but
it lacked truth.
a colloquial debate then followed, some.
what sharp at times, between Messrs. Vance,
Dawes, Rollins and Salisbury.
Mr. Call challenged any Republican Sena-
tor to produce evidence to prove that there
had been either intolerance, ostracism or
violence of any kind on account of political
opinions in any Southern State.
He then went into an exhaustive
history of the carpet-bag governments
dwelling at some length upon the corrup.
tions and infamy which he found had
characterized those governments He was
frequently interrupted by Mr.. Blair, who
asserted that the carpet bag governments
had assisted materially the prosperity of the
South. He denied that the right of suffrage
was restricted in the South, and criticised
with great earnestness the laws which in
Massachusetts did restrict that right. He
also charged that many voters in that State
had been deprived of free ballot by the
influence of money and by the influence OF
corporations. This brought Messrs. Dawes
and Hoar to their feet in emphatic denial
Of any such state of affairs.
A long discussion ensued, the Massachu
sets Senators maintaining that no man in
that State was deprived of his right of suf-
frage, except by his own choice, and Mr..
Call contending that the elections in the
southern States were fairer and freer than
those held in Massachusetts.
At the end Of this discussion, on motion
OF Mr: Burnside the Senate adjourned
until Monday-yeas za, nays 16, the mega
tive vote being cast by TIE Democrats.
PosTMAsTERs AT CHARLESTON AND RALEIGH.
The President to-day sent the following
nominations to the Senate: Postmaz+ers-
VIM. II. Taft at Charleston, s. c.; John r.
Nicholas a. Denton, Texas; John Nichols at
Raleigh, N. c., vice Holden, withdrawn.