Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-02-24
Col. Aiken's Speech.

Col. Aiken's Speech.
In the House of Representatives, on
Saturday last, tho apportioument bill being
under consideration, Congressman Aiken
spoke as follows:
,Aftor tho admirable speeches mado to.
day by tho gontlomen from Connecticut
(Mr. Hawley) and the gentleman from
Massachusetts, (Mr. Robinsou) had hoped
that this discussion might have been oon.
tinued upon that plauo Of craftsmanship
which they had inauguIated, and that par.
tisan prejudices would no more be heard 10
this debate. But my good friend from Ln.
diana, (hlr. Calkins,) whose attention
now invoke, has thought proper to present
somo very pertinent questions, which pro.
pose directly to answer
From the remarks Of my friend and of
some of those who preceded him on that
side of tho House, am impressed that if
there is any pharisaica righteousness on
Garth it is to be found in the Republican
party whenever questions pertaining to tho
South arc discussed by them. TO day they
seem to be soicitous whether or not large
proportion of the people of the South are
permitted to vote, and tho question is raised
by them whether it is not the duty of Con
gress to appoint q committee of inyestisa-
tion upon this subject.
t | psked my friend from Indiana (Mr.
Cakins) why is this litter day thought
with them? Why did they not desire to
investigate this subject when Republican
rasoaity aud extravaganza were running
riot over tho South aud mono but Republi-
Gun votes were cast? 1 hold in my hupd, sir,
Congressional Directory for 1874, of the
first session of the Fortysthird Congress,
and in turning to my own State fiod that
J. II. Raney received in the first district
1905 votes as q Republican, "being all
tho votes that were cast" as the Directory
states. From tho same source learn that
A. j. Ranser was elected US Rcputcan
from another DISTRICT, receiving 20, ,061 votes
against G,549 votes cast for w. Gurncy,
Independent Republican, not u single
Democratic vote being cast in the district
In the Third District which I havo tho
honor TO represent, II. B. Elliott, tho can
ddate for the Republican party, received
2l,627 votes, whilo only 1904 votes were
cnst for w. IL. McCaw, Democrat. One
year later find j.. Q. Carpenter, Republican,
was elected to fill on unexpired term, Eli.
ott having resigooa, and received 23,l85
votes, os is recorded in the DIRECTORY,
"thero being no organized opposition"
Why is it that this party Of great moral
ideas, which then controlled the executive
and legislative branches of our Government
did not think it incumbent upon them to
have Congressional inv estigation of this
one sided condition Of things?
But let US come little nearer to the
present time. In the Directory of 1876
find that at the election Of 1874 e. w. NJ.
mickey, Republican, received l6,742 votes
and @. w. Butz, Republican, at tho samo
time IA ,2O4 votes; no record to be found of
Democrat vote being cast 10 the district. Is it
not strange, Mr. Speaker, that this party,
whose representatives on this floor ure 80
clamorous for fair aud free elections, did not
consider it their duty to investigate at that
timo these anomalous elcctious?
But, sir, this same Republican party, today
80 just, 60 fair, SO moral, at that time SO
calIous, so insonsibo to the rights of South
ern voters, are now demanding that all
election districts shaIl be composed of, oon-
tiguous counties. Sir, allow inc to instance
but a sogle case Of Republican gerryman-
dering during their rovelry, extravaganza
ond prodigality in South Carolina. The
Third Congressional District was composed
Of, the counties of ,Abboville, Anderson,
Laureps, Ncwberry, Oconec, Pickeus aud
RichlaDd, and no portion Of Riohiand
County is within perhaps fifteen" miles of
any point of either Of the romaining ooun.
ties which constitute the district, Licking
ton County which hus a Democratic majority
Of about 900, Intervening between RoB-
land and Newbcrry
The gcntlcu'on (Mr. Calkius) must not
misunderstood nc as saying that it was tho
number of troops that overawed South
Carolina during tho ak years to which l
have alluded, ond during which time Ihaye
shown there were no Democratic votes cast.
We RETAINED from voting not because we
were afraid Of the military. force present,
but because wo protested against that usur-
patton Of power that authorized tho pros.
enoe of the military at the ballot box. We
believed then as now, that VIC were again
in the Union and had tho righ. to east a
FREQ Iullo}, which could not bo doie ia The
presence of tho suzeraipty Of the bayonet.
Sir, wo wcro subscrvcntly obodient to the!