The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-17
SOUTHERN ELECTION FRAUDS
Senator Sherman Furnishes Another
Supply of Republican Doctrine.
lie Responds to Governor Hoadly, and Shows
How the Southern Coored Vote Is Sup
pressed by Intimidation and Murder.
SENATOR SHERMAN.
A Response to Governor Hoadly-How Votes
Are Suppressed in the South

A Response to Governor Hoadly-How Votes
Are Suppressed in the South
MAssILLoN, o., Sept. Ex-senator John
Sherman addressed a Republican meeting here
tonight In the course of his speech the Senator
said:
/ wish to call your attention to a controversy
that has been conducted at long range between
Governor Hoadly and myself and to answer a
speech he made recently at gainesville.
In my speech at Nit Gilead said the war was
over and the animosities of the war should be
buried that / would not hold the rebels respon
sible for what they did in the war, but that we
could not surrender what was won by our sol
diers in the war. Among the results OF the war
claimed were the liberty and equal civil and
political rights Of all citizens. including the rlght
TO vote without discrimination as to race, color,
or condition. / charged that the Democratic
party of the South had, by fraud
and violence deprived the the SIX sor4h miiio on
their civil and political rights. and had prevent
ed those entitled by the Constitution and laws to
vote from exercising that right wherever their
vote, if cast, would affect the result of the cleo
ton. | said that by this organized crime the
election OF Cleveland was made possible, and
that this condition of affairs would never be ac-
quiesced in until every citizen could cast his
legal vote and have it counted. Governor Hoad-
ly, at Hamilton, undertook to answer my speech,
bat he neither denied the charge | made nor
but said I was waving the bloody shirt, that
was preaching the doctrine Of hate and aliena-
ton, and that Judge Foraker and refused to
accept the results of the war.
Now, to wave the bloody shirt, is considered
by such new Democrats as Governor Hoadly as
mortal offense. The precise definition Of what
is waving the bloody shirt is not yet settled
upon, but any eulogy of the achievements of the
Union army, any statement of the blessing won
by the civil war, and, especially, any reference
IN he lima rob pAff o
to be offensive To good Democrat, especially if
he is convert. While have life trust /
will have the courage to denounce the rebellion
and extol the Union cause, and, therefore. to
this charge of waving the bloody shirt make no
defense but will continue to wave it as long as
1t is bloody, but with charity enough to forgive
al the rebels did in the war; excepting only those
who conspired in secret to bring on the war.
AS to the other charges, replied at Lebanon
shat Governor Hoadlv had evaded the issue, that
was not complaining of the results of the war,
but insisting upon their observance. that the
Constitutional amendments, the chief results of
the war, granted to the freedmen certain rights,
chief of which was the right to vOte that the
parole OF the confederate soldiers given to Gen.
Grant required of them, as obligation of
duty and honor. to obey these conditions of
peace; and that the Democratic party of the
South by crimes unnumbered had deprived these
freedmen of the right to vote and Of all political
bower: that the events of which | complained
occurred since the war and were part and par
eel Of the organized party policy of the Demo
cratic party and never had been and never would
be .condoned until redressed. l said | would
keep this issue before Governor Hoadly as a
candidate for Governor of Ohio until he either
disputed or defended this enormty. and espe-
cialy so as he had been with me in political
faith and action in the constitutional guarant tees
Of liberty ard equality to the freedmen.
And, now, have before me his answer, such
rs it is
He says that I "seek to revive and enlist feel
ing which the war engendered, the spirit of
Rnlmostv to the South, to renew the battle
fever, and to remind the parents and relatives
Of the men who died on the field, or in hospitals,
Or in Southern prisons. of their sufferings in
0rder that he may reap the reward in emou-
ment and salary"
Ideny it. He is the first who in this debate
has referred to these cruel incidents of the war;
What claim is that many of these men who
were rebels with their party associates, deprive
millions of citizens of the United Statss, more
Justly entitled to the consideration of free
people than they are, of the dearest rights of
human nature.
Does Governor Hoadly deny thisl He does
not, hut states a fact which adds enormously to
the offense. He says that though the Repub-
lican party has been in power for many years, it
was unable, under the limitations of the Consti-
tuition, to prevent the atrocities | have charged.
General Grant attempted this. and exercised to
the utmost the powers he possessed over the
army and navy to protect the freedmen of the
South; but it was manifest that the force of the
army at his command was insufficient. and pub
lie sentiment would not allow the employment
Of military force in sucn numbers neces-
sary to protect the freedmen of the South. Does
it lessen the crime that it remains unpunshed2
What the Republican party did was within the
line of duty and the law 1t could not furnish
an effective remedy without an open renewal of
the war; from which men of all parties shrank
But is the crime committed in the name
Of the Democratic party the less because
1t without remedy2 That party was
composed in the South of white men
who had been rebel soldiers, or who sympathized
with them. though in minority of the legal
voters in several or the Southern States. and was
30 strong that, aided by secret armed organiza-
lions called Ku Klux Klans and the like. they
were able by terror and violence to overawe the
majority of the voters largely composed of freed
men. Appeals were made to Congress for the
enforcement of the Constitutional amendments
In the month of March, 1871. General Grant
President of the United States, sent message
30 Congress calling its attention to the condition
sf affairs in the Southern States. which, he said
rendered life and property insecure, and the
sarrying of the mails and the collection of the
sevenue dangerous. He also stated that the
power to correct these evils was beyond the con-
troll of the State authorities, and that the power
Of the executive of the United States, act
ing within the limits of existing laws
was insufficient. Thereupon Congress
passed an act to enforce the provisions of the
fourteenth amendment and also appointed
Joint SelecC cOmmlttee OF the TWO Houses TO eX-
anime into the affairs of the late insurrectonafS>
States This examination is contained in thir-
teen volumes and the report of the committee
by Mr., Poland was made in February, 1872
upon the testimony of great mutitudes of wit
nesses including many of the highest officers of
the army and persons in civil lfe The evidence
was conclusive that in the States south of Vir-
ginia anarchy prevailed, that secret armed bands
committed murder and every crime known in
the decalogue with view to deprive the freed
Gnpn of vii and 1plif rirhf NO
were powerless when juries would not convict
npon the clearest testimony. Every effort was
made to enforce the law, but failed through the
organized resistance of the Democratic party
This continued until 1875 when what is
called the Mississippi plan was put into success
full execution by the Democratic party in that
State with the avowed purpose of DISTINGUISHING
the mass of the Republicans of that State At that
time General Ames, a man of unbemished char
acter and honor, was Governor of the State by
10 of tha ioriIv of the nennle