The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-02

New Jersey, Connecticut and Indiana against
him.
But these colored Republicans were not al
lowed so to vote. On the contrary. by fraud. by
violence by murder by assassination by bull
whips and shotguns. Write leaguers and Ku-
klux clans by agencies Of the most unscrupu-
lous and diabolical character, by horrible bar
barities, such as were practiced at Coushatta
and Hamburg, in the murder of the Chishoms.
in the massacre at Dunville. and in the assassin
aticn of Prent Matthews in Copiah county. MIS-
sissippi, system of terror was inaugurated
and practied for the last ten years pre-
ceding the election, by reason or when,
at the last election, the colored Republicans of
the South were wholly deprived Of all practical
benefit of their right of suffrage, and the forty
votes which ought to have represented them and
been cast in the Electoral College as Republican
votes were wrested from them, not only in
violation Of their right but in violation of the
right of every voter in the United States, and
cast as Democratic votes, whereby to elect
Democratic President. and install Democratic
administration.
II have no disposition or desire whatever to
keep alive any sectional hatred or prejudice, or
bitterness. 1t is not, therefore, for any such pur
pose that l allude to this matter. / am sure
but speak the sentiments of Republicans every
where when say that the Republican party
cares nothing whatever how people may vote in
the South any other place, SO long as they
vote, as American citizens ought everywhere to
vote, according to their own free will and choice
l.
Republicans everywhere, and of all fair-minded
Democrats as WE'LL when / say that it is not
only an outrage upon individual right and public
right. but a fatal stab at free institutions
when American citizens are deprived of the right
to exercise their suffrage they may see tit to,
no matter by what means the deprivation of that
right may be accomplished. ] might if it were
necessary, cite unquestioned statistics to show
that for the purpose of making solid South, in
the interest Of The Democratic party, more men
hav heon
years, throughout the seeding States, than
were killed and wounded at Gettysburg.
But have no desire whatever to array such
matters when it is not necessary for my purpose
to do So 1t is sufficient to say here that these
general statements are not denied by the Demo
Gratis of the South. On the contrary. they
admit their truth; they have admitted it in pub
lie debate in Congress; they have admitted it in
their newspapers they have admitted it by their
public declaration in almost every relation to
public life their sole excuse or extenuation
being their absurd claim that they are engaged
in a great struggle between the races, and that
In no other way can the white people of the South
overcome and control the colored people of that
section. I do not wish to recount any of the
bloody deeds of violence by which this result in
the South has been accomplished, but by way OF
illustration of their methods l will call attention
to one of the ways not so revolving but equally
pernicious, so far as results are concerned, in
which they deprive the coored men of the South
of their right of suffrage. / call attention to
Chatham county, Georgia. This Is the county
in which is Situated the city of Savannah. The
county has population of about fifty thousand
people There are about twelve thousand voters
in the county; of these seven thousand col
ored men, and practically every one of them, if
allowed 10 do so, would vote the Republican
ticket Of the remaining five thousand voters
quite number are Republicans. Suffice it to
say that upon full vote and fair count the
county would be overwhelmingly Republican
To overcome this Republican majority and
procure Democratic control of the county and
the congressional district to which the county
belongs, the Legislature of Georgia enacted that
certain desi grated commissioners should have
the right to abolish all the existing election pre-
cncts of the county and establish in their stead
such others as they might deem necessary. The
commissioners so authorized did abolish all the
election precincts of the county. and in their
stead established one voting place in the City
Hall, in the city of Savannah, to which one
place all the voters of that county are compelled
to 60 and deposit their ballots if they vote at ALL
From that election precinct to the outside limits
of the county is about twenty five miles Every
one can vote who goes without any interference,
as understand provided he can manage to get
to the bailot-box. But aGmathematical calculation
will demonstrate to any that not more than
about four or five thousand people at the utmost
could possibly vote from o'clock in the morn
ing until o'clock in the evening, no matter how
rapidly they might endeavor to present them
selves at the ballot box. The result is, what
was intended that the white Democratic popua
ton of the city of Savannah punctually present
themselves at the polls at their opening, and
consume the day in depositing their ballots
thereby excluding the colored Republicans prac-
ticallv from all participation whatever in the
election. and thus stripping them of their most
sacred right. The people of the South do not
pretend TO deny this. claim that it is right
equitable or just upon any other plea whatever
than that it is necessary to resort to such
methods to overcome and control the colored
population. Nobody pretends to defend any
such outrages except only the Democratic party
in the North. and no Democrat of the North
does it with such unqualified zeal as does Judge
Hoadly, who claims to be in some special sense
the friend and champion of the colored man.
who is thus outraged. The Republican party
of Ohio has condemned this wrong upon the
colored man; the Democratic party Of Ohio
defends it, and answers with sneering allusion
to the bloody shirt every word of condemnation
of such brutal crime.
''In order that there may be absolute friend
ship between the people of the North and the
people of the South, it is not asked by the
Republican party that the people of the South
should vote the Republican ticket All we ask
of them is that they will accord to every citizen
that right to which he is entitled under the Con
sttution and the laws; that they will accord to
the colored man of the South the same rights
that they themselves enjoy, of voting as they
please, and having their votes honestly counted.
If by argument and persuasion they can induce
the colored man to vote the Democratic ticket
all we'll and good; we have no cause of complaint
and would not make any. But until these rights
are accorded to all. it must not be expected that
we shall either hold our peace or cease to seek
remedy for such wrong.
II do not believe the party that comes into
power by such methods long retain it, or
that a party that is put out of power by such
methods can be long kept out"
Judge Foraker then took up the case of Lieu
tenant Mullen, which he discussed at some
length, denouncing his pardon by the President
as an outrage He then spoke of the business
depression, and said:
Men say, why should not the country be as
prosperous under President Cleveland as it was
under General Garfield They say he is good
man, an honest man, that he desires to give the
people good, clean administration. and that he
has so far conducted himself to the satisfaction