The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-04-14

section deem Cnange ~ Vuo NaSlVAtsA
administration necessary, they can make
it without any relative chsnge In South
ern power or influence. Six Northern
States alone have agrester electoral vote
than all the solid South, and allthese
States save one have given Democratic
gnaiorities at different times within TIE
last few wears. Should these States for
the time being choose to take up the
Teins of the Democracy, all the South
united could not impress its distinctive
policy, if it had one, upon a Democratic
caucus.
But, Mr.. President, it is not true that
there is, as distinct organization with
distinctive policy, any "solid South" in
this Chamber or in the other. There is
no such element here as factor in legis
lation. You cannot point to any part OF
the legislation of this country which
represents the views or the purpose OF
Southern Senators as solid body. There
ia greater diversity of sentiment among
them upon every subject of national in
terest than there is in the representation
of any other section of the country. l
could give illustration after illustration.
NV friend from Indiana Mr.. VoorheesI
this IIay stands in closer atfiliation upon
the subject of the currency with the
Senator from Texas than he does with
anv Of his neighbors across the line OF
his own State. l could give measure
alter measure in which it will be shown
that the atfinities 'of political attiliation
and legislative cooperation are in no
ssnBe Of the term sectional in the body,
and that the Southern men exhibit a,
variety and q diversity and freedom
and an independence in neir views and
sentiments and actions which are shown
among Senators from no other section Of
the country. '... ....
This is one point, and one only, upon
which they are solid, on which they will
remain solid, aud neither Federal bayo.
nets nor Federal honors will dissolve
that solidity. They are solid in defense
of and for the protection of their own
civilization, their own society, their own
religion; against the rule of the inCom
petent, the serVile, the ignorant, and the
vicious.
will now submit proposition to the
Senators on the other side on this point;
am not going into the history of the
causes which led to solid South, bnt l
here challenge any Senator upon that
side, with two exceptions that l will not
name, to write fairly in his own language
the condition of the Southern people in
any State while under Carpet-bag gov
ernment; the character of its officials;
the nature of its administration and the
operation ofits laws; say | will consent
for any Senator upon that side of the
House, with but two exceptions, (who,
out of respect to them, will not nancy
to write the history of the Republican
government in the South, its nature, its
character, its influence upon the happi-
ness and prosperity of that people. l
will agree to accept his description of it
in his own language; and then will
submit the question to any tribunal in
the world, as to whether there is any.
where on earth people who ought not
to summon every energy, every man,
every woman every child interested in
the priceless and precious heritage OF
humanity, to throw off that government
and keep united and solid to prevent its
establishment.
said that would allow Senators or
any Northern man to write the history
of one of those governments, giving the
condition of it, and would leave him to
decide whether it would not Justify the
consolidation of all the social elements
to get rid of it. l will 60 further, sir,
and take it as they have already written
it. Here is what one of them said while
those governments were reveling in cor.
ruption and making the people of the
South walk with unsandaled feet in the
burning mari Of the hell which they had
there organized:
"FOr the last few years the infamy and
disgrace OF Southern State governments
have been constantly on the increase.
There have been corrupt electors and
corrupt elections. There have been cor
rupt legislators and corrupt legislation.
There have been double legislatures,
double Governors, double Representa-
tives in this House, and double Senators
year by year in many States. There
have been bad men in these States, who
have bought power by wholesale bri.
berry, and have enriched themselves at |
the expense Of the people by peculation |
Oh open handed robbery. Corruption |
and anarchy have occupied and possess
ed the unfortunate States"
This opinion of the honorable Senator |
from Maine, Mr., Hale, who was then |
a member of the other House, which |
does honor to his head as we'll as to his |
heart, is the opinion of "the solid South;n |
and if he were there instead of here he |
would be part ofthat solid South, ar.
rayed under the determination that
anarchy and corruption shall never
again occupy and rob those unfortunate
States"
find that some extracts from other
speeches of Senators upon the opposite
side that l had collected have in some
way been disturbed and mislaid. l
shall ask permission to incorporate them
in my remarks unless l can get them
here before l conclude what have to
say upon the subject,
Among these is the description of the
government of Louisiana under Republi
can rule by the present Governor of
Ohio, Hon. Charles Foster, and also a
gentleman from New Jersey, who has re.
Gently been nominated by the President
for distinguished foreign mission and
who by his nigh and shining qualities
will adorn any position to which this
Government can assign him. They roth
describe that government in language
stronger and more earnest than thst
which / hav just quoted.
General Grant also, in one of his mes
sages depicting the PROSTATE condition
Of the Southern people, said he sympa
thized with them in their PROSTATE con-
dition, subjectas as they had been to bur.
dens Of taxation without any adequate
return. .tu.r.l
You sent your committees of investi.
CATION down there, and while they would
hunt up everything that could assail the
character and stab the sensibilities Of the
Southern people and pour it out here,
they could not help stumbling over the
corruption, and the atrocity, and the alb.
horent infamies Of the State govern.
ments which they were upholding.
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