Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-21

Ahe democrats Indignant-SOme
very Plain Talk from Southern
SehatOrs-Mr. Burnside Grows
OhOIerlc-The Duty on Cotton Ties
"A strong Plea for the Consumers
Ahe First. Last and all the Time
GARFIELD Mans Reward-The Bal
umore POstmastershiP.
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 20.-Mr.
Frye, OF Maine, made in the Senate to-day
one OF the most vindictive speeches against
the South and the Democratic party ever
delivered. 1t is understood generally that
ne was put forward as the representative of
the administration, and that ne reflected
the views OF Garfield and his advisers.
his has caused considerable talk
among the Democratic Senators. They
say IL such are the opinions of
the administration, it deserves no support
from the Democratic party in voting for the
confirmation of Robertson as Collector at
New York. On the contrary, the feeling is
the other way and in favor of supporting
Mr.. Conkling In that fight. Unless the
speech OF Mr.. Frye is disavowed as having
no significance from an administration
standpoint, the Democrats will. as a body,
support Mr.. Conkling in his fight, which
would insure a victory for him.
COTTON TIE MAKERS HEARD.
A delegation of iron and steel manufac-
turers were granted hearing this afternoon
by Secretary Window. The principal ques-
tion under discussion related to the rate of
duty imposed on imported cotton ties. The
manufacturers claim that they can
not compete with the foreign makers
unless the Treasury Department gives
what they contend is the spirit
OF the law, namely, that all hoop iron
shall be subject to a duty of Il cents per
pound and be admitted as manufactured
iron at q cent. per pound merely because
a rivet is put through one end of the lap.
Inc rlvet, it was contended, by all present,
was OF no use whatever, and did not increase
the value of the tie.
DR.. l.. Ronlett, of New Orleans, argued
the case in behalf of the consumers. He
said that ii the department should reopen
the cotton tie question at this time ii would
6s a great hardship to importers in the
South, because they have been acting
under the departments last ruling,
aud are involved in numerous
contracts based thereon. In any event, i'm
porters should be given at least six months
notice OF any change, in order that they
may have an opportunity to get off their
contract. He said the decision would affe ct
four millions OF people in the South Secre-
tarY Window said he would give the sub
ject his attention.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
The Vice President laid before the Senate
the unfinished business, being the resolution
for the election of Senate officers
MIR. Dawes, alluding to a statement made
by him some days ago as to the persecution
of Massachusetts, man in Mississippi, said
that the story OF that gentleman was to-day
printed in the Massachusetts, papers. That
story corroborated his statement in every
particular except as to the locality The
Incidents had happened in the parish of
Caldwell, in Louisiana, and not in Missis-
sippi, as he had stated. The gentleman's
name was Charles Heath. He (Mr. Dawes)
asked that the gentleman's statement, as
published in the papers, should be printed
in he Record
Mr.. Jonas demanded the reading of the
article, and it was read by the Clerk. 1t
relates to prosecutions, to which Heath
states he was subjected in Louisiana because
he was Yankee" and gives accounts of
various murders committed there, to show
the condition of society liz that State.
Mr.. Jonas said that the Senator from Mas
sachusetts had transferred the scene of his
cock and-bull story from Mississippi to Lou
isiana. When it was contradicted in that
locality, it would probably be transferred
to Texas or Georgia. He heard
of these alleged prosecutions now
for the first time. There was nothing in
the article which showed that Heath had
been prosecuted on account of his political
opinions. He called attention to the fact
that the outrages alluded to had been com
mittted nine years ago. He would make
some remarks upon the subject when he
could get some information from the local
ity. He sent to the Clerks desk and had
read, for the purpose of showing that muir
ders and robberies were not confined to the
Southern States, an account Of the killing
of one of the Foster brothers in Massachu-
setts while committing burglary.
Mr.. Frye arose and said the Senator from
Pennsylvania Mr.. Cameron) had yesterday
exherted the Senators on the other side to
be "brave men," He (Mr. Frye had never
seen in all his life, he has never read In all
his life, Of braVer men than were to-day
on the other side of the chamber.
Here was the Senate in extra session,
with the Constitution over it, with its duties
before it. The Democratic party was clearly
in the wrong, knowing itself to be wrong,
knowing the Constitution to be against 1t.
The Republican party was Undertaking to
do the duty which the Constitution pre-
scribed, and instead of the Senators on
the other side putting themselves
on the defensive they stood up and carried
the war into Africa" )" day after day, and the
Republican Senators were obliged to put
themselves on the defensive. There was
bravery enough in the Senator from Georgia
(Mr. Brown when he rose in his place, and
with great dignity and with the Constitution
-, III off Aaxv
the Republicans upon their duties
under the Constitution. Confession was
sweet for the soul, and yet confession some
times required higher degree of bravery
than anything else, and it was a brave act
on the part of the Senator when he in open
Senate admitted that he had been a Repub-
lican in the State of Georgia. That his life
had been in peril. That he had then become
Democrat, and that from that day he had
enjoyed perfect safety.
Mr.. Brown said no such thing.
Mr.. FrYe-I understood the Senator to
say there was danger when he was Repub-
lican.
Mr. Brown replied that he had said that
though at the close of the war his life might
at one time have been in peril, that period
had ceased two years before he had re-
united with the Democracy. His return to
Democracy had nothing to do with his
safety.
Mr.. Frye, continuing, said it was brave
for the Senator to say that much. 1t was
brave in the Senator to make an attack
upon Massachusetts, when he bad said that
there were in that State 139, 900 paupers,
spendthrifts and drunksrds deprived by
the law of the right to vote, and that II
they were allowed to vote they would vote
the Democratic ticket. The Senator from
Florida Mr.. CalD needed courage to make
an attack on the industries of Massachu-
sets. The complaint was that
in Massachusetts, educational quail
fications were placed upon the ballot,
but Mr.. Frye asserted that where the South
raised one dollar for the education of
voters the North raised from eight to ten.
The Senator from Florida had been bold in
calling the laboring men Of Massachusetts
''serfs,n "serfs"-men to be bulldozed
and intimidated. II the working men of
Massachusetts, had been In Louisiana and the
Conservatives of that State had undertaken
to intfmidate and bulldoZe them there would
not have been to-day enough Conservatives
left to form a decent nucleus of party.
Mr.. FRYE, continuing his speech, referred
to the ''Shoe- String District" OF Mississippi,
and said that great frauds had been com
mftted there, and that elections in the South
were not free, not without fraud, and even
to-day not without violence. The Repub-
lIcans recognized in the coming fight In
Virginia the entering wedge to break
the solid South, and for that
reason alone were determined to stand by
1t, and give 1t their "amen and amen,"
hoping that sooner or later the South might
rise to the dignity of free States and