The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-07
DAVIDSON WINS THE DAY
THE MINORITY REPORT LOST BY
A VOTE OF 1879 TO l44.

w ASHINGToN, March O.-1he House to-
day resumed consideration of the Alabama
contested election case of McDuiiie against
Davidson.
After brief arguments by MessrS. Lyman,
of Iowa, and Johnston, of Indiana, in favor
of the claims of the contestant, Mr.. OFFER
rail-, of Virginia, took the floor in support
of the majority report. He ridiculed
what he called the claims of the
Republican party that the negro
vote of the South was invariably cast for
the nominees of that party. That had been
true in years gone by, when the negroes of
the South had been under the domination
of carpet baggers, who had convinced them
that if the Democratic party came into
power they would be relegated to slavery.
NEGROES BETTER INFORMED.
The negroes had learned that their eman-
cipation was not the action of the Republi-
can party, but had been a war measure.
They had learned that there had been as
many Democrats as Republicans in the
Union army, and that brave Democrats
like Gen Hancock and Gen. Thomas and
Gen. Rosecrans had been general officers in
that army. In 1884 a man of destiny had
arisen, one who knew no section, but
took into his big national heart all
sections and extended the aegis of
his protection over North and South,
over white and colored without diScrimi-
nation. This man had been called to pre-
side over the country and make it union,
not only of lakes and lands. but of hearts
and hands. That year would be enshrined
in the history of the country as year when
the embers of civil strife had been extin-
guished around the national fireside, and the
union cemented by policy of equal rights
TO o11 ~ faAl aud
erly love.
STAMPED AS FALSE
The Democratic administration had
stamped false the charges made by the
Republican leaders in the South that the
Democrats would deprive the negroes of
their rights and liberty. But the Republi-
can party hanging on with characteristic
pertiDacity, had determined not to loose its
grasp upon the colOred men. 1t sought to
hold them through their churches and So
cieties, and when q brother showed a dispo-
sition to vote the Democratic ticket he
was threatened with expulsion from
his church and punishment by his society.
If he wished to vote the Democratic ticket
he had to resort to deception, but it was
deception in the interest of law and order
and free ballot If it were not for this
system of bulldozing by their preachers and
leaders the Republican party would not
have enough colored voters Ia the South to
furnish pall-bearers at the approaching
funeral of that party in 1883. [Applause
aud laughter on the Democratic sideI
AN ATTEMPT AT WIT.
Mr.. Allen, of Michigan, inquired whether
he should deduct from the remark that the
more a colored man knew down South the
less inclined he was to vote the Democratic
ticket.
FeMr. Ferrall replied that no such deduction
hn "a
knew the more inclined he was to vote the
Democratic ticket
Mr.. Allen suggested that the preachers
knew more than the laymen, and that they
advised their people to vote the Republican
ticket.
Mr.. O'Ferrall replied that the gentleman
did not understand the condition of affairs
down South. All the leaders the colored
people had there, white or colored, were
office seekers, and that was why they were
Republicans
LINCoLN's HEsITANCY
They overawed the colored people If free
dom meant liberty of thought of action,
and of opinion, the colOred men Of the
South were as abject slaves to the preachers
as they had been the day when Lincoln,
with hesitating hand, signed the emancipa-
tion proclamation. II freedom meant full
rights of citizenship, then the colored men
of the South by the domination of members
of their race, had been deprived of tire
sweets of freedom. II was time that
the Democratic party should take
a stand and sustain and support
and uphold the colored men in their right
to vote as they pleased. [Applause.1 There
was a colored man in the employ of the
House whose house had been burned down
by men Of his own race because he voted
the Democratic ticket in Virginia.
Mr.. Kerr, of Iowa, inquired where the
gentleman learned that Mr. Lincoln signed
the emancipation proclamation with hesi-
tation.
LEARNED 1T FROM HISTORY.
Mr.. O'Ferrall replied that he learned it
from history. There was painting on the
walls of the capitol, the propriety of hang
ing which had been questioned by some.
He was glad it was here 10 perpetuate a his
torical event and scene. He referred to the
painting of the signing of the emancipation
proclamation by that good man whose
tragic death had beed a terrible calamity
to the whole country. The deep thought
that there rested upon his features, the
anxiety upon his brow, the disbeyelled hair
told that fire was burning with fervent
glow within his brain, while the pen in his
hand was hesitatng to sign the immortal
name of Lincoln.
Mr. Boutele, Of Maine-Does the gentle
man pretend TO say that Lincoln as por-
trayed at that crucial period of his career,
when engaged in performing the grandest
duty, was hesitatingi ! tell the gentleman
that he was unfortunately situated to know
the history of his country at that time.
AKNoCK DOWN BLOW.
Mr.. O'Ferrall-Such languag as that.
coming from that gentleman who never
loses an opportunity TO use it, is not the
language Of a brave man. have always
been taught that it was cowardly to kick
and cuff a fallen foe. They are towards
only that do it, not brave men. [Applause
on the Democratic side
Mr. Boutele-Allow me to say
Mr.. O'Ferrall-I do not yield. You can
take your own time.
Mr. Boutelle-I will take my own time
Mr.. O'Ferrall-And | will take my time
after you.
Mr. Boutelle--That is the bravery to
which you allude. [Applause on the Re
publican side.
Mr.. O'Ferrall-Well, sir, it is the right
kind of bravery; you may bet your bottom
dollar on that.
vIRGINIA'S MAJORITY.
Mr.. Houk, Of Tennessee, twitted Mr..
O'Ferrall upon the fact that notwithstand-
ing his assertion that Southern negroes
voted the Democratic ticket, the Democratic
majority in Virginia had dwindled until it
had almost ceased TO exist, and of the Vir-
ginia delegation in the House, a majority