Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-28
LIES FOR REPUBLICAN USE
SHERMAN'S DANVILLE REPORT
GIVEN TO THE SENATE.

SHERMAN'S DANVILLE REPORT
GIVEN TO THE SENATE.
| The Most Useful Bits of Misrepresenta-
tiOn and Exaggeration Strung To.
gether fer Campaign Purposes-The
Disfranchisement of Virginia and
Louisiana the Evident Object of the
Great Old Fraud.
WASHINGTON, May 27.--The report of
| Mr.. Sherman's subcommittee upon the
/ Danville riot, prepared by Senator Lap
ham, was submitted to and approved by
| the majority of the Senate Committee on
Privileges and Elections to-day, and was
! thereupon laid before the Senate. 1t en-
bodies an exhaustive analysis of the tes-
timOny of the 200 witnesses, observations
and conclusions of the committee thereon
being distributed throughout the docu-
ment. The report says:
1t appears from the evidence that during
the control OF the affairs of the State by the
Democrats or Funder party a constitutional
amendment had been adopted in 1876 imposing
the payment OF capitatiOn tax of one dollar
as q prerequisite to the right to vote, and a
law had been en- scted establishing the whip
plng-pOst as punishment for minor Offenses,
persons subject by law to such punishment for
cert an Ohenses being disfranchised. The Re
adJuSter party having gained the ascendancy
amended the constitution. abolished the capi-
tation tax and whipping post, and for the first
time in the history Of thu State. since the
amendment of 1876 was adopted. suffrage at
the election in November, 1888, was to be free
from such restrictions.
BLAMING THE DEMOCRATS.
Accordingly the Democratic party. early in
the canvass of last year. renewed the efforts
which had before had been made to some ex-
tent to intensity and excite the race issue i'm
the contest. This was deemed necessary from
the fact that while voters in the State had
left their former political associations in such
| numbers as to enable them, with the aid of
the colored votes, to secure majority in the
| State and elect the officers OF their choice,
| without such division Of the white votes
success IN the State by the COalitiOnists would
| nave been impossible, as by the census of
1850 the cOlored voting population in Virginia
was only l2S257, while that of the whites
was 206,04S. While there was no
motive, therefore, on the mart
| OF the Coalition party to excite the race issue
which would inevitably have the effect to
anenate the support OF white voters, there
was every lnducement on the part of Demo-
Gratis TO raise and intensity that ISSUE with a
view of recovering the votes of those among
the white people who had been supporting the
Coalition party"
The committee here quotes extracts
from Democratic papers and circulars il
Illustrating the efforts which, it assumes,
were made to raise and intensity the race
issue.
WHITES AND BLACKS IN DANYILLE.
In Danville, the cOlOred voters Outnum-
bered the whites, and early in the canvass
the Democrats sought to raise and intensity
the race issue in that locality. Democratic
clubs were formed and resolutions were
passed IN two or three wards Withdrawing
support and patronage in business from CO.
alltl0nlsts, both white and cOlOred. A prop
ositlon was made that Democratic real estate
owners should refuse TO rent their property to
colored people or COalitiOnists.
The Danville circular is here quoted
and It's origin and purpose described.
FALSE PRESENTATION.
"The evidence. /" the report saws ..is entire
~ satisfactory, that with the exception OF the
statistics given in the opening paragraph Of
the circular, it is a false presentation OF the
state OF things at Danville. Yet SO vital was
1t deemed to the interests Of the Democratic
party that the statements bs sustained that
when It's correctness was challenged aflidayits
from Its slsners to its correctness were secured
ana puphshed. The evidence cOnclusiVelY
shows says the committee, 'that the Dan
vile circular, although prepared for circula-
ton elsewhere, was known in Danville soon
atter Its publication, and that it, with af1ida-
wits, were circulated in large numbers In the
southwest counties of the State prior to the
election, assurances having been received
thas il the statements in the circular
could be authenticated it would carry certain
counties. 1.-The committee relates the ex-
perlence OF Col. Sims and the events of the
riot Respecting the latter il finds no evil
dence that the negroes fred shot until after
the whites fired a general vOlley, aad that
very feW had weapons of any kind. The
negroes were OF all ages, and both sexes,
gathered uuquestionably from CURIOSITY The
whites, on the contrary. were generally armed
The fire bell was rung but not for fire.
THE WHITES PREPARED.
On the contrary, 1t was a secret signal for
the white military company. The whites
came rapidly from all directions and arms
distributed those had
the shops and stores.
The committee finds conclusive evidence
that violence was premeditated, and makes
copiOus extracts from the evidence Of several
witnesses in proof. Under the sub-heading,
"HoW Democrats made use of the occurrences
at Danville." the report saws that in almost
every part OF the State exaggerated reports
OF the massacre were circulated by kilograms
and printed circulars. The circulars and eX-
tracts from the testimony of many
WITNESSES are given showing the SYM
pathy which was aroused by the supposed
danger of the white people OF Danville
In view OF this created sentiment. what
the committee asks, was the conduct of af-
fairs in the city of Danville after the massacre,
and at the time kilograms and reports were
sent out? The ringleaders of the rioters
were placed guard. Every white Demo-
crat was armed. The negroes fled in terror
to their homes. The authority of the Read
juster Mayor was defed. and a white COM
pany was ordered out. The Mayor thought
that there were 5000 armed Democrats pa
riot. He did not see a colored man armed,
and expressed the belief that If one had ap-
peared on the streets he would have been rid
died with bullets.
The report concludes:
OBJECT OF THE DEMOCRATS.
The object of the Democrats in their efforts
to raise the race issue, to alarm the blacks
and to excite the whites was two fold. First
to intimidate cOlOred voters in localities
where they were strong, as in DanVille.
Second, but chiefly, to produce such a frenzy
of feeling in the State as would induce the
white electors to join with their own race and
escape the contumely and reproach to which
they would otherwise be subjected for frater-
nizng politically with 'niggers. The efforts
which were made to gloss over this terrible
outrage by the committee of forty needs only
a moments notice. 1t was done upon ex parte
atlidavits taken before magistrates. They
were wholly extra judicial, and no one in
CURED responsibility for his statement. The
real facts were no. called out. 1t was par
ii an effort to reen the perpetrators Of wrong
from punishment. The report OF the grand
jury is equally open to criticism. Three at
least Of Its members were on the committee Of
forty. The published report Of that commit
tee was before Them and used by them. There
were only seven members, and the foreman
was oue OF the committee of forty.
COPIAH's TRANsGREssoRs FRANK.
The transgressions of the law at Cepiah are
clothed at least with the merit Of a frank
avowal on the part Of those who were con-
cerned of the purposes they had in view.
Not so in reference to Danvil e. The guilty
authors and instigatOrs of violence resorted
to the murder OF four unOffending cOlOred
men and the wounding of many Others and
seek to cover up and conceal their deliberate
purposes, and to have it appear that they acted
only in self defense. The evidence Is entirely
satisfactory. Indeed tits overwhelming that
il was a consummation of a deliberate purpose
for which they had fully prepared. Hence the
effort to magnify and dstOrt the character Of
the collision, and to make it appear not only
that the blacks were the offenders. but also
that the whites were standing in their doors,
with guns IN their hand, to protect their
families against the insOence OF negro mob.
when in truth the white Democrats were n
mob In possession Of the town, and no negro
dared to make his appearance on the streets
The occurrence was one which caused re
joicing instead OF regret. as we have shown.
No one has been arrested, indicted, tried, or
punished for the crimes committed on the Sd
Of November.
REMEDY NECESSARY.
There should be found some remedy for
such state OF affairs as this investigation
discloses. The constitution of the United
States provides that when the right to
vote is denied or in any way
abridged in any state, the basis OF represen-
tation shall be reduced accordingly. While
these resorts to terrorism and violence are
kept up from year to year, and the party in
the ascendancy. instead OF providing laws to
prevent their recurrence or Furnishing the Of
tenders, enacts measures designed to throw
obstacles in the way Of free ballot and en-
joys the benefits politically which are the ne
nessary consequences, the States where it
occurs should be responsible for the results.
An individual would justly be adiudged
liable in reaping a similar advantage under
like circumstances and by like means. The
rule should equally apply to State for its
action or its failure TO act in order to redress
such grievances and punish such ofTenses.
The recommendations made in the
Copiah report are adopted as part of this
report. The report is signed by Senators