Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-20
The NATIONAL CAPITAL.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
Mr.. TIIIm9n Ousted-SmRlIs Seated
-HaFls quin HOrr at His Tricks
Comparisons of GerFymAnders- -
The Senate and Ihe Tobacco Tax
Mr.. Beek's Amendment Carried
The star Route Cases.


sumed the consideration OF the South Caro-
lima contested election case OF smalls VS..
After speeches by Mr., Briggs, of New
Hampshire, in support of the claims Of the
contestant, and by MIR. Atherton, OF Ohio,
in favor OF the claims of the sitting mem
ber, Mr.. Horr. of Michigan, took his stand
in the space In front of the Speakers
desk, and with a small cane point
ed out to the House the boundary
lines of the Congressional districts of the
State OF South Carolina under the recent
re-districting. He also produced diagrams
of each district separately, and declared
that it was not gerrYmandering- was
downright villaiDy.
Mr.. Athertcn. of Ohio, inquired whether
that gerrYmandering was not as fair as the
gerrymandering of the Fourteenth District of
Ohio, which was to infict on Congress
another of the Horr family.
Mr. HOrr replied that when Congress was
inflicted with his brother he could take care
of himself.
Mr.. Horr, after ridiculing the gerryman-
dering, said that just as long as the people
OF the South attempted to destroy the bal
lot box by that kind of chicanery, so long
AS they strove by that means to prevent the
honest expression OF honest voters, lust so
long ,heir Represeni atives on this floor
would have to defend such methods, and
just so long they would make for the
North that political sentiment which would
keep 1t solid 10 support of that party, which
\ hat - Ill
He created a good deal OF merriment and
frequently elected the applause of his party
friends by his denuncistion of the South
Carolina plan of redislr,cting, and his time
was extended by unanimous consent.
Mr.. Egins, of South Carolina, desired to
reply to some of Mr.. Horr's remarks, but
Mr. Mackey, of South Carolina, objected.
Mr.. MOultOn, Of Illinois, aud Mr.. Simon
ton, Of Tennessee, submitted arguments in
support of the sitting member.
linen Mr.. Miller, OF Pennsylvania, yield
ing a portion of his time, the floor was
awarded to Mr.. Evins, who briefly replied
to MIR. Horr's speech, denying the right Of
men, who belonged to q party which had
gerrymandered every State in which
It had power, which had filed every
department of the government with
corruption, which had gloriied ex-senator
Dorsey, now famous on account of his con-
nection with the post route deal, which
levied blackmail on Office holders in order to
raise a corruption fund, to lecture the peo-
pie of South Carolina as to what was the
highest standard Of morality. South Caro-
lima did what was right, and was not re-
sponsible for its action to the Republican
party, but to the government Of the country.
Mr. Springer sent to the Clerks desk for
exhibition a small drawing of a district in
Illinois, which he declared bore a strong
resemblance to districts in South Carolina,
TO which the gentleman from Michigan (Mr.
Horn objected.
Mr. Robinson, of New York, said that
while the question of gerrymaudering was
under discussion, he desired to call atten-
tion to the shape Of the district which he
represented, and which was known as the
Dumbell district.
Mr., Tillmap, of South Carolina, spoke in
his own behalf, but addressed himself espe-
cially to the propriety Of the House decid-
ing on the election and returns of its mem
bers. H. thought that the great fault of
the Constitution lay In the provision which
allowed the House to judge of the cleo
ton of its members, because gentlemen
had party politics eternally exciting preiu-
dice and making them determine contrary
to law, evidence and justice There was
another cause why justice could not be
done, and that was on account of the new
propagandism which the Republican party
had been engaged In for twenty years to
effect universal fatherhood of God
and universal brotherhood of man." In
attempted to reverse the laws of God
Almighty, and had failed, and would con-
tinue to fail. That doctrine would lead to
the enfranchisement of Asiatic hordes, who
would overwhelm our very civilization. For
those and other reasons It was impossible
for the House to judge impartially Of cleo
tiOn cases, and be favored creating a court
to determine the facts in each case.
He then proceeded to reply to Mr.. Horr,
whom he characterized as having played the
butfoon. While that gentleman bad been
prancing like clown in a circus, and plead
ing against the wrong which had been done
to the negroes In the redistricting of
South Carolina, he (Mr. Tillman)
could not help remembering that there were
165 600 voters in Michigan who did not vote
the Republican ticket, and who were gerry
wandered out of any representation on this
floor. Unfortunately, since 1876 the people
of South Carolina had collected
little property, and be was
afraid, from the unceremonious manner
in which the choice of the people were
kicked out of this body, that there was
another ring forming to swoop down on
them and rob them Of what little substance
they had accumulated. If the Republicans
went on as they have been going on he was
satis6ed that the South would be recon-
structed, and reconstructed for the pur-
pose Of plunder. He saw that as far
as his case was concerned the Republicans
were impatient to finish their work, but that
would not disturb his equanimitV In the
least. He had discounted long ago the
worst they could do. He was satisfied that,
though Mr.. Shelley and himself were going
to be turned out, they would come back to
the next Congress, and they would come
back by negro votes. He would be a candi-
date again, unless his constituents wished
change. II any Republican stump orators
from Blaine down "a Republican, interrupt
ing, to Horr-)
Mr.. Tillman-Yes yes even the clown
from Michigan. Laughter. Let him
come down there, and | guarantee him the
him good eating and good drinking, IL he
drinks. l expect he is q prohibitionist,
though he does not look like It. | will
drive him to all the political meetings, aud
l will beat him on the stump, and do it by
Democratic negro orators.
In reply to aqUestion as to the object of
South Cardinals Legislature in putting all
the negroes into one Congressional district,
he said, amid laughter, that it was in order
b0db CulOI6u OCuuOCIdtn ualkub NC bSub 10
Congress.
Mr.. Tillman then proceeded to criticise
the methods of the Republican party to
keep itself in power. 1t ought to hang its
head in shame, and not get upon the house
tops and go around the streets praying with
puritan Jesuitism, like the Phsrisee Of old.
81 thank God | am better than other men,"
Any party who robbed the employees
of the government, as the Republican party
was doing now, ought never to say word
about the little gerrYmandering in South
Carolina. He,lhowever, gave the Republican
party the credit of having the courage to
sustain its opinions, and of standing up, to
man, for Smalls, and he contrasted the way
in which the Republicans stood by their
man with the manner in which he had been
treated by his own party, when contesting
his seat in the Forty fifth Congress.
His remarks were relished by both sides
of the House, and were listened to with an
interest not often exhibited during the pro-
gress of debate on an election case. His
description of the hopes and fears OF an
expectRnt contestant were very amusing,
and were greeted with laughter.
In conclusion he said: 81 earnestly COM
mend, in the last speech / will make to this
Congress, the adoption OF some plan
whereby election cases should be decided IN
some other tribunal than the House Oh Rep
Fok