The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-04-15

to the right of minorities to filibuster by
Withholding their votes, and criticised
the action of his own party associates in
having at various times resorted to that
method. He was glad to cooperate
with the Senator from Virginia (da-
hone), and he believed the movement
originated by that gentleman would be
the dawning of new day for the South.
The solid South would be broken and
American politics ceese 10 be seetional
and become national. He welcomed
the Senator as the ayant courier of the
men who would follow and break down
sectionalism and procure equal rights
and privileges to all men.
MIR. Sherman went on to argue that
the proposition to elect d few Senate
officers was entirely too narrow a basis
for revolutionary movement. If, as
had been stated on the other side, tie
election of Riddleberger was to affect
politics In Virginia and help to break up
the Bourbon Democracy, then so much
the better. That would be additional
justification for the position taken by
Republican Senators. He informed the
other side that the Republicans of the
Senate would cover Mr.. Malone with
their shield, and protect him with their
strong arm. If the Democrats attacked
him, they attacked the Republicans. If
the election of Riddleberger would
strengthen the Republican party, then
the Republican Senators were justified
in electing him. There was not Dem
L
erned by a political motive like
that. To call it corrupt" or eds
honorable" was to use term totally
unworthy. "We," said he, "buy no
man. We barter with no man. We
have made promises to no man. There
has been no promise made, no hope or
expectation of reward held out-noth-
ing that is corrupt. Our motives for
entering into the movement are as pa
tent as day, as light as the sun, and can
be proclaimed from every housetop, and
every stump. We give our hand to the
Senator from Virginia because we be-
lieve we will thus advance the public in
terests, and break down bitter spirit in
the South which has prevailed since the
war. We believe, while extending our
help and aid to those meh iii expressing
their opinion (even if we do not agree
with that opinion), while aiding them in
defending themselves against the ostra-
cism of great and powerful sectional
party, that we are doing good to our
country. And we propose to carry out
that policy. In carrying out that policy
we do more good to the South than we
DO to ourselves"
Mr.. Sherman asserted it to be fact
that all movements looking to repudia
ton had cotf1e from Democratic Govern
ments. He recalled the time when two
Democrats had proposed to repudiate
the debt of Ohio (when it was $25, 000,-
000). The good sense of the men OF
both parties had frowned down that
proposition. One Of its authors (Mc-
Nulty) had been driven to Washington,
where he was elected Clerk of Demo
cratic House of Representatives, and th,
other (Boyington) had been driven into
exile, and from that time to this there
had never been any threat of repudia
ton in Ohio. The proposition, q couple
of years ago, to pay by an increased issue
of legal tender notes the interest on the
national debt was of Democratic origin
The outcry against Riddleberger, as be-
ing tainted with reputation. could not
come with good grace from the Demo-
cratic party, which had been the au
thor and promoter of every proposal
Of reputation ever made in the
United States. Reverting TO the
right of the majority to prevail, he de-
clared that if the majority should yield
that right, there would be an end to ali
legislation or business i'll the Senate
Every party going out Of power should
yield gracefully to the inevitable. The
matter should not have occupied twenty
four hours. When the majority had
plainly intimated its desire to change
certain officers, the minority should have
yielded to that desire. He appealed to
the Senators on the Democratic side to
allow the majority to proceed with the
ordinary course of business. They might
denounce the Republicans for their con
nection with the Senator from Virginia
(Mahone). The Republicans could take
care Of that. They might denounce
them for voting for Riddleberger. They
could take care of that. But when they
said they would not let the majority 20
on with public business, except as they
should dictate, they put that majority in
a position which they could not surren-
der without endangering the Govern
ment. The majority must rule, OF there
was in the country nothing but Mex
lean republic.