Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-05-03
I did not intend to trouble Florida much,

me SeuatOr IRON FlOrlua ueClareu tndt
that State above all others was perfectly
peaceable, perfectly free, every man had n
right to vote, and vote as he pleased, and
his vote was counted, just a he cast It,,
and when he was saying 1t, the cry came
here from the other House in the case OF
Bisbee VS.. Hull, Testimony cannot be
taken because murder stalks abroad and
witnesses dare not testify" take up the
reports of the courts. will take for In.
stance, Madison County. lind In Madi-
son County, at the last election, that the
county canvassers refused TO count votes
at two polling places, the inspectors col
luded with them, thus counting out Repub-
lican members or the Legislature and
counting in Democratic. Citizens OF this
county were arrested on precepts issued
by the United States court. The precepts
were put in the hands OF deputy marshals
They arrested their prisoners, they sum
moned their witnesses, and, with prisoners
and witnesses, took train OF cars TO 20
to the court. They had not gone more
than q mile before q body OF armed men,
men with masked faces-they did not dis
guise their Democracy-camei into the car,
stopped the train with pistols In their
hands, compelled the passengers TO keep
their seats, took the prisoners away from
the deputy marshals, then stampeded the
witnesses for the woods. That was after
the last election.
Again, 1t was shortly Afterwards ru
morcd that the porter of the sleepiDg-car
on that road knew some of these men who
appeared in mask, and almost every night
afterward that train was fired into As II
passed along its way, and the railroad Off
GERS seriously considered whether or not
they would he Obliged 10 stop running that
train through that county in order to save
the lives Of their employees and protect their
property.
Again, deputy marshal went down
there 20 arrest prisoners and summon
witnesses. They attacked him in a hotel
and pitched him over the balustrade. and
after choking him until they thought he
was dead, left him. He lived. but he came
near dying. That was after the election,
and he was arresting for election oienses.
Again, deputy marshal was there try
ing TO summon witnesses and arrest pris-
oners; a mob of armed men followed him
and his posse from place 10 place, and
finally drove them into the woods for safe
ty.
Mr.. Calvin the honorable Senator
allow me- hope the honorable gentle
man, while he Is narrating these facts as
OF his own knowledge. will be so kind ~
10 state the names Of the persons As well
as the place and time OF occurrence.
Mr.. Frye-If the distinguished Senator
from Florida will 90 up 20 the Attorney
Generals office aud take the reports OF
marshals and district attorneys, he will,
doubt not, find hundred times more than
| have stated here.
Mr.. Call.-Will the honorable Sena tor
pardon me for asking him another ques-
ton? should like 10 ask the honorable
Senator Il IL is not proper, where he Is
stating facts as OF his own knowledge,
which he has either derived by the eXamin-
alton OF the records or otherwise, that he
should state them with such particularly
in regard 10 names, time, and circumstance
as will enable them TO be either verified or
the contrary!
Mr.. Frye.-Mr. President, do not re-
gard it my duty. Every statement that
| make can be verified II the Senator will
90 TO the Attorney Generals Office for YER
ification, or II he will 90 TO the courts of
his own State and take the records there.
They will be found In one or the other.
should like 70 incorporate In my re-
marks a method they have In Florida of
electlng primary county officers. With
the permission OF the Senate | will do so
without reading it here.
Mr.. CALI desire TO hear II read.
think it Is due 10 me that IL should be
read.
Mr. Frye have no objection to read
ing It.
Mr.. Jones of Florida.-Will the Senator
permit me to make statement! He re-
ferred while ago 10 murder having
been committed in Madison County 10
connection with the Bisbee election.
will say to the Senator now that the mur-
der was one perpetrated by black man
on q white man.
Mr.. Frye.-That Is the first murder
ever heard OF In the South OF white man
by a black man. II always turns out the
other way in my reading.
| will omit this document from my
speech rather than take the trouble Of
reading II.
did not intend to say word about
Florida, but in looking for something else
my eye fell upon this bit of history at the
last November election In that wonderfully
peaceable state of Florida. should like TO
have the gentlemen hunt over Rhode
Island and Connecticut and Massachusetts
and New Hampshire aud Vermont and
Maine and find anything OF that kind
Peaceable more peaceable than In New
England.
Now, Mr.. President, for South Carolina.
South Carolina In 1870 had population OF
705, 900 in round numbers In 1850, 995, 900
The white population IN 1850 was 36l 900;
the colored population GOA, ,00O-almost
two colored men 10 one white man in the
State. In 1875 the registered white vote
was 1900, the colored 10, 900; total white
population in 1870, 2s9, 900, colored, 49,
900.
Mr.. Butier.-Did understand the hon.
orable Senator TO say that was the regis
tered vote OF South Carolinal
Mr.. Frye do not understand the Sem
ator.
Mr.. Butler.-The honorable Senator was
giving the registered vote OF South Caro-
lima.
Mr.. Frye.-The registered voters in 1875
only.
Mr.. Butler.-There is no registry law in
South Carolina. That Is specimen OF the
Senator's accuracy.
Mr.. Frye.-I will simply say in relation
to that that / sent to the Librarian
Of Congress and he informed me that
you had no registration law, but that In
1875 either by State enumeration or In
some other way you did ascertain tie ex-
act number Of men twenty-one years OF age,
colored and white, residing In South Car
olna, and have given the figures ofthose.
Mr.. Butler.-All have to say to that is
that know nothing about registration. l
only state as fact that there Is no provi-
sion for registering votes in South Carroll
na-hy law / mean.