The Red Cloud chief., 1884-05-23
Report Of the Senate Committee.

The Senate Committee on Privileges
and Elections, in relation 10 to the Co.
piah branch of the Investigations which
that Committee has been making, has
submitted + report which bears the
Signatures of the five Republican men,
beers.
The report says the Committee en-
tered upon its task with almost mex
pressible r~epugnance. Nothing could
be more justly odious than to use such
Investigations and disclosures as parti-
san Instruments unless it be to commit.
profit by, OF screen crimes which are
investigated. But the rights invaded
were rights declared by the National
Constitution and which the National
Congress WAS bound to secur by ap-
propriate legislation against infringe
ment or violation by any State. Ii the
powers already conferred upon Con-
gress by the Constitution Were not am
pie for their protection, it would be-
come a duty to propose granting
further powers that the blessings of
liberty and the right to vote without
distinction OF race OF color might not
fail through the neglect OF any State in
io outN. picpoSlAiOl Iildbt tilC pIo-
lection of the right to vote secured
by the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments to the Constitution is of
concern to the whole people needed no
argument.
The report points out the number of
members of the House and Electors
given by former slave States by the col
Ored population, and quotes the prOvis-
ion of the Constitution relating to the
reduction of the basis of representation
when the rights of suffrage are
abridged, and declares it TO be the duty
of Congress and not a matter of discre-
ton to take action in the premises
whenever the conditions warrant it. and
adds: 1T is to be hoped that the re-
turning conscience of Mississippi, or
such laws rs Congress may enact, may
prevent such a cOnd ton of things from
becoming permanent in that State as
shall compel Congress to enter upon a
discussion whether her representatives
in Congress must be diminished. The
Committee 4 moi doubt that the
methods which determined the election
of county officers in Copiah in 1888 will
be in full operation so far as they may
be needed in determining the vote of
Mississippi for Presidential Electors and
members of Congress in 1884"
The Committee then review the tcSti-
mony of alleged outrages in Copiah
County. From the facts presented
them they conclude that a conspiracy
organized by representative young
Democrats, with the ~cOuntenance of
that party in COpiah, was entered into
10 drive their opponents from the polls.
To that end = mob vas gathered. sys-
tematic Outrage> perpetrated ending in
murder, one of the victims being a
wealthy and generally respected white
RACES were going on the Democratic
State and county officers remained pas
sive. and thus allowed the election to
be turned into mockery.
In conclusion the report says the
Committee had not the time to 20 into
the investigation Of the security of con-
stitutional rights in Mississippi. 1t can
only refer to the evidence of witnesses
who think Copiah a favorable specimen
of the counties of that State. to docu-
mentary matter brought to its aiten-
ton, to the evidence taken by the Sen
ate Committee in 1876, to the testimony
in election cases in the House of Repre-
sentatives, to numerous declarations in
the Democratic press, and to crimes
well known and UNPUBLISHED. such as
the murder of Chisholm, of Dixon: of
Foo;e, United States Collector Of In
ternal Revenue, and three others in
YaZoo. whose biood-stained hands Co
piah is SO eager to grasp. No legisla-
ton dealing with Mississippi alone
should be enacted without an investIga-
ton which should cover all parts OF the
State. Before such an investigation y
National election would have taken
place, at which the temper and respect
for law of the peop'e of Mississippi will
undoubtedly be made fully manifest.
II the Constitution has not power
enough in its arsenal for the protection
of all the rights it confers n recognizes.
the people. on being satisfied of the
fact. will confer others. Each house of
Congress is imperatively required by
its duty to refuse seats TO persons whose
election is directly or indirectly due to
crime, either of violence or fraud.
The Committee recommends the pub
Gcation. for the use of the American
aeoplc, of the testimony taken. They
surther recommend the passage of sen.
ate bill No. l., which is designed t o
furnish Il remedy for some of the evil
disclosed. They further recommended
shat after the lex election in Missis-
sippi. unless the same shall be unques-
:ionably fair and free. there shall be q
sull investigation of the condition of
things in that State with a view to de-
termining the question whether Repub-
lican Government exist there and
whether it is entitled to its existing rep
resentat,on or has forfeited it in whole
or in part by reason of denial or in
fringement or the right to vote of any
Of its people. The question of future
legislation the Committee reserves for
further consideration.