Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-01-24
And Ills BlOOdy-Shirt Resolutions-"H0n.
est John" Anxious to Have the
Danville Riot and
The Killing of Print Matthews, In COpiah
County, Miss, Investigated bya
Senatorial Commission.
The Farmers Demanding an Extension Of
the Benefits of the Signal Ser
vice to Them.
Rivers and acknowledging Of the Ma
tiOnal Board of Trade-The
Woman Suffragists.
BLOODY.sHIRT RESOLUTIONS

Introduced In the senate by Mr.. Sher-
MANA Fearful Array of Whereases.
WASHINGTON, January 23.-The follow
ing is the preamble and resolutions offered
in the Senate by Mr.. Sherman:
WHEREAS, Among the expressed OBJ
iects for which the constitution of the
United States was established were those to
establish Justice, and insure domestic tran
quillity; and whereas, the constitution
provides for the securing OF all citizens
equal civil rights and privileges and i'm
munities that belong to the condition of
citizenship, and that the right of citi-
zens of the United States to vote
should not be denied by the United States
or any State on account OF race, color or
previous condition OF servitude, and fur
ther provides that mo State shall deny
any person within its jurisdiction equal
protection OF the laws; and whereas,
among the privileges and immunities in
herent in citizenship are the right OF
peaceable assembly for the consideration
of questions of State and national concern,
and safely to discuss the same, and the
right to exercise the elective franchise in
every State, freely and without molestation
or intimidation; and whereas, general
election was to be and did occur in the
State of Virginia on the 9th day OF No
vember, 1888; and whereas, it is alleged
press that on or about the Both day of No
vember, 1883, at Danville, in said State, a
large number of peaceable citizens of the
United States and said State were vio-
lently assailed by an organized body of
men, who fired upon them, and several OF
them were killed by said armed men, con-
spring to affect and with the purpose OF
affecting the result OF said election about
to occur, by creating, by means OF such
NtafA ~
alarm on the part of peaceable citizens
throughout the State, which should induce
them to refrain voting, or vote differently
from their previous intentions at said cleo
ton; and whereas, it is alleged that all the
victims of said attack were OF one race and
one political party, and all the assail-
ants of another; and whereas, it is
alleged that the authorities of said State
of Virginia have not brought any
persons connected with said alleged
conspiracies, violence and homicIdes
before courts of Justice for examination
and trial, whereby the equal rights of citi-
zenship and equal protection OF the laws
have not been secured to all the people OF
said State; and whereas, an election was
TO he and did occur in the State of Missis-
sippi on the 9Th OF November, 1888; and
whereas, it is alleged and currently re-
ported by the public press that prior to said
election in the county of Copiah, State OF
Mississippi, there was an organized move
ment by the members of one party to pre-
vent the members of another party from
voting, and prevent a free and open dis
cussion and expression of political
opinions, that this purpose was carried
into execution by organized plans of ter
ror and violence, that the means used for
that purpose were by lawless organized
mobs moving by night and day, assaulting
and in some cases killing lawful voters
with the view, by terror and fear of yio-
lence, to deter others from voting; that
this violence, committed by one party
upon the members OF another party
with a view 10 deprive the latter of their
constitutional rights, extended throughout
the county OF Copiah and into portions OF
other counties in that State; that as a part
ofthis general plan and conspiracy ,one P.J.
Matthews, a peaceable, law-abidlng citi-
zen of COpiah county, was warned not to
vote, and upon voting on the day of the
election, was murdered at the place OF
election by person selected for that pur-
pose, with the approval, express or i'm
piled, of the officers of the election, and
that no effort was made to punish the
murderer; shat his killing was subse-
quently approved by public meeting in
said town, composed entirely of members
of one party, and by such public meeting
il was justified, approved and the follow
ing resolutions adopted: Here follows
the preamble and resolutions adopted by
the people OF Copiah county, Miss, i'm
mediately following the killing of Mat
thews, and published at the time, warn
ing the relatives of Matthews against in
turing the Democrats and expressing the
opinion that ii was necessary for the
Matthews family TO keep out
of politics, etc.l; and whereas,
it is alleged that the authorities OF the
State OF Mississippi utterly failed and
neglected to protect and preserve citizens
in the equal enjoyment OF civil and polit-
ical rights, but have, in some cases, con-
tributed to their overthrow, and failed to
punish or bring to trial the persons al
legged to be guilty of the conspiracies, vio-
lence and homicides stated in disregard OF
the equal rights OF citizenship and in the
equal protection of the law guaranteed to
all people oft State; therefore,
Rssoirsi, That the Committee on Priyi-
leges and Elections are hereby instructed
TO inquire into all the circumstances con-
nected with the said alleged events, and
into the constitutional rights and securi-
ties before named of the people of Nir-
ginia and Mississippi, and report, by bill
or otherwise, as soon as may be, and have
power to send for persons and papers, sit
during the sitting OF the Senate and en-
ploy n stenographer.