The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-06
HON. E. G. WALTHALL.
+: His Great Speech in the Senate.
The Senator's Solution of 1.-THE
Race Problem in Politics."
An Effort Remarkable for Its Logic
and Eloquence.
The True Story Of the Municipal
Election at jackson.
Why the Federal Government Cannot
and Should Not Interfere in
Matter of Purely State
Concern.

Ihe following is the iull text OF the
speech OF the Hon. Il. G, Walthall, of
Mississippi, in the Senate Of the United
States, August 81, 1888, on the resolutions
reported by the committee on the judiciary
expressing condemnation of certain United
States officials who assisted in suppress
ing the vote OF colored citizens of Jackson,
Miss, at the recent municipal election.
Mr. Walthall said:
Mr. President-It seems now 10 have be-
come prominent feature in the system OF
Republican party tactics to bring before the
Senate OF the United States from time 10
time the internal affairs of the southern
States for discussion. On such occasions
there Is usually fierce arraignment of the
southern people for alleged oilenses clearly
outside the sphere of Federal legislation;
and they are sometimes bitterly assailed for
the existence of conditions in their minds
which, II all their assailants say were con
ceded, cannot be amcliorated by the eNer-
else of any Federal power. These attacks
IRE unaccompanied by the suggestion OF any
practical plan of remedy or redress, and
hitherto they have borne no fruit but Grim
ination and recrimination, and have had no
effect but TO delay the era of goodwill
among q reunited people, which happily
has come In spite OF them. But still the
attacks are periodically renewed, and are al
ways most expected when some important
Ing. " f
Sometimes the pretexts for them have
been in the shape of propositions TO lin
yestigato" alleged wrongs in the south by
committees OF the Senate, sometimes 10
confer upon Federal JUICE duties akin to
the functions Of mere coroner, and some
times 10 prescribe peculiar regulations for
Federal elections In some southern States
which are not TO apply 10 elections In any
other quarters Of the Union. But In what
ever form these pretexts have appeared, the
sole purpose apparently has been TO gain Tor
the dominant party here some advantage In
political campaign by the dissemination
among the people OF bitter sectional speeches
delivered on this floor, or OF partisan reports
which never served. II indeed they were In.
tended ~ the basis OF any legislation by
COngscss or any action by the Senate. Sig
niGcant illustrations Of this are furnished
by what has transpircd in this body In the
past in relation 20 the State which has hon
ored me with seat ON this iloOr aud be-
speak the indulgence Of the Senate while
review some Uf the measures which from
time to time have been adopted or discussed
here rs 90 that State, seemingly with no end
in view but the supposed benefit which
would inurc 10 one Of the great political
parties Of the country.
In the month u March, 1870, when II was
apparent the Republicans were 10 be- hard
pressed in the presidential election then APP
preaching tho Senate passed a resolution
providing for the appointment Of commit
Tee to investigate the election In Mississippi
Of the year before. The committee, composed
Of three Republicans and two Democrats,
,,s.rs lirppffN a r4npFt A thg Senate h.Iurts
the end Of the session.
This involved the prolonged absence from
their posts OF duty here when important
public business was being considered. Of
prominent members Of the body, but II In
surcd the publication Of the reports In time
for the fall campaign.
This committee commenced their lahors In
April and concluded them In time 10 submit
in August their yuluminous report. which,
with the testimony taken. much Of Il wholly
Irrelevant fills two volumes Of about 900
PAGES each. Even before the report was
ready Il was ordered that II be printed and
thus no delay could occur In sending It out
g. be scattered broadcast over the northern
States
The majority Of the committee reported,
among other things. that negro voters were
oycrnwcl by organizations Of armed men, aud
election ouirag,s were pcrpCtutcd IN twenty.
Democratic victory In the State was
due 90 the outrngcs ~ pcrpctratcd.'
aud the legislature 81 Mississippi wa mot
n LEGAL body. aud that Is acts are not entitled
o. recognition by the political department
of the government Of the United statcs,'
etc.
The report concludes with three recon-
mcndniions, one In these words
, state. In anarchy, or wherein the afIalrs are
controlled BY bodies 81 armed men, should - dc.
MED representation Ia ,ongnr&
Now, sir, Il any consequence was attached
a. this report, even by the political friends
al the majority Of the committee, except for
the campaign uses u might serve, aud n the
Investigation was really ordered that IL
might he seen whether the power whose
existence in Congress was implied In the
resolution ordering 10, should be- 20 exercised
that the c1lorrd people w Mississippi might
p have The equal protection ~ the laws, how
could Congress, or at least the Senate on IT,
uart. do less than put forth that power 10
secure those people the free enjoyment Of
tbcir constitutional rirht,2 II might have
been supposed that promptly ON the
coming in u this report, which had
cost 10 much u time and money, aud lay.
inc aside less important duties, the RCpuh-
lean senate 81 the United States, who sent
out this strong committee in inquire into
thc alleged wr0ngs aud report ~ the Senate
before a. adjournment what legislation Wls
necessary In The premises, would have been
eager a. recognize the lhborious aud pro.
tmcicl Cndcayur 81 the majority oi the
committee a. meet Republican expectations
by prompt and stringent legislation 10 right
tie wrongs complained u IN Mississippi
Tho domestic affairs oi the State had been
laid bare for the committees closest inspcc.
ton and scrutiny. There bad been ample
opr1rtuuity for the fullest investigation,
and the report was most elaborate. but no
action whatever was taken or proposed IN
the senate There has been n general or.
rlFnmont u the white people u Mis.is.
gippi la discussing the resolution providing
Tor the committee this had gone 10 the
country the report followed ~ soon a. Il
could be put IN print both did their work
' in the presidential election, and those who
oct on foot the movement ostpnslbly a. A.
certain whether the constitutional rights II
the negroes In that State were secure seemed
entirely content
At the next session of Congress the report
Of the majority was read nt length and went
into the record, but the campaign was over
aud Mr. Hayes bad been indicted into Of.
fec, the partisan report had served its
Marty purpose and "a senator elected by the
Legislature, which the committee had rc.
ported was not n lcvnl body, was admitted by
n vote which lacked but one Of being unnni.
nous and nn question was ever aftcrwarl,
raised upon the merits Of his claim as affected
by the fraud and force 30 which the election
oi the legislature which elected him was
CHARGED IN the report 30 be entirely due
AndAcver from that day has that yolumin
Gus report cut any ngurc here aud none else
where, except a. a pretcxt Tor slandorous dc
nuncations " southern people Ia stumI
speeches and partisan newspapers
But IN 1854 another presidential election
occurred In which the Republicans forrsav