St. Landry democrat., 1884-03-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondents.
FEBRUARY 10th, 1884

open doors before Senate committee.
The inquiry started in a fog of contra
dIctory testimony, and is likely to end
there. No new light has been thrown
on the subject. There was street fight
as everybody knows, and four negroes
were killed, but there was not "a parti
Gle Of evidence to show that the whites
precipitated the brOil; that it was
forced upon the blacks that there was
a conspiracy for terrOrizing them so
that they dared not exercise their po-
litical rights; or that there was any
thing else than a sudden outbreak of
passion, such as has happened in many
states both North and South. The
cause of the tragedy was political ex-
citement, for which Malone, those Sen
ators who bargained with him in 1881,
and the Administration which has since
supported him, are mainly responsible.
Malone has not shown himself in the
room, but it is understood he will be
summoned by the Democrats to testify
to tile use of the pistols at the polls in
Petersburg by himself and son. When
Senator Sherman permitted himself to
be used as sponsor for Malone and his
following he knew there was no real
justification for the allegations on
which he based his bloody shirt resolu-
tions-knew it as we'll as lie now knows
that the Senate condemns his financier-
ing by vote Of seven to forty two, but
at the bottom of all this stuff laid Mr..
Sherman's presidential hopes. His pro-
cedure was nothing more nor less than
carefully planned scheme Of his selfish
ambition. 1t was to proptiate the Re-
publican vote of the Sonth. The Uni
ted States Senate has, at various times,
uselessly expended public funds for the
Investigation of alleged outrages, bur
in this line of folly nothing has equalled
the inquiry now going on at the Capitol.
The result of which will prove that the
Government has no more call to NEEDLE
with the Danville riot than with the
murders and lynchings that happen in
Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and
other States.
Though Congress has not attended to
a large per cent of its legitimate busi-
ness during the week, it added 100000
more to its first appropriation of $500
600, for the flood sufferers; eulogized
the virtues of deceased members, and
wrangled lengthily over the admission
of new ones. The Mississippi contested
election case of Chalmers VS.. Manning
caused several days of general debate,
a number of long speeches, and resulted
in discharging the committee on cleo
tions, and leaving the seat vacant until
the case is decided on its merits. Dur
ing the discussion, Hon. Mr.. Wise Of
Virginia cited the recently contested
election of Garrison VS.. Mayo as par
allel case, saying that Mayo held his
seat by fraud and was the production
of fraud, yet, the virtuous gentlemen
on the other side of the House took him
to their bosoms as if he were odorous
with the ottar of roses. That though
the Governor of Virgininia pronounced
his election fraud and refused to sign
the certificate, since the beginning of
this Congress he has occupied seat on
the Republican side of the House, and
had been taken into fellowship as a pO-
litical brother. Turning to the Repub-
lican representatives he continued, you
who perpetrate such acts as these to
read moral lectures to the American
people! God save us from your prac-
tees and your teachings. You may, for
time, hold Virginia ia the embraces of
q foul and loathesome coalition, held
together by the use of federal patron
age and the cohesive power of public
plumber. In the name OF justice ] de-
mand for Virginia and her people that
the Democrats of this House shall not
in this case reverse the Judgment they
have rendered in that which COMES
from my own State.
The Democrats have been a little
slow in getting started in the presiden-
tial race, but they have left themselves
ample time for thorough campaign. |
A Joint caucus of Senators and Repre-
stldatives will be held "wednesday af-
ternoon TO select a Congressional cam
paign committee, and the National
committee willmeet here this. week to
determine the time and place for the
Presidential convention. There is
scarcely a doubt that this viii Ego