Wichita eagle., 1888-01-13
Senator Chandler Brings Up the
Bill Touching the Suppression
of COlOred Votes.
Mr.. Riddleberger Declares He Will Vote
For Iamar's Confirmation
Other Senate News.
Congressman Williams Reports a National
Bank Bill-Concerning the Ma
ti0nal Exhibition at Paris
- Miscellaneous.
SENATE.

bills authorizing the construction of
railroad bridge across the Missouri river
at some accessible point in St Charles
county, Mo-. below the city of st. Charles.
The bill was read and passed.
Mr. Dawes, from the committee on
Indian affairs, reported a bill authorizing
the appointment of a superintendent of
Indian schools.
The resolution offered by Mr.. Chandler
on Jan. TO- instructing the committee on
judiciary to inquire into the suppression
of votes of the colored citizens of Jack
son. Miss, at the recent municipal election
in that city, and into illegal participation
in snch suppression by the United States
district attorney, deputy collector of in
ternal revenue and deputy United States
marshal, was taken up and Mr.. Chandler
addressed the senate in explanation and
support of il. The colored citizens under
all the circumstances surrounding them
had met in convention, had resolved that
it would be unsafe for them to attempt to
vote and had consequently abstained from
voting and that none but white men
voted The officers engaged in the bust
ness were Mr.. Harris, the district attorney.
Mr. Wilson. the deputy collector of internal
revenue, and Mr.. Livingstone, deputy
mItted that the question, al
though effected only for the time being a
municipal election in the city of Jackson,
was of national Importance. The country
this year was to enter on a presidential
election which was to decide the complex
ion of the national house of representa-
tives: in that election at least 12,00O,0 00
nf
people would participate Among
those voters were probably 10000
of black men representing 6,00oW0 or
1900, 006 of their own race and it was an
important question whether those 900 LOG
black men were or not TO be allowed to
vote. 1t was question whether that mat
ter should be settled by a fair vote of all
who are voters under the constitution, or
be settled with 1.500,000 of those
voters DISTINGUISHED i'll pursuance of
that policy which had bee deliberately
adopted in the capital of the
state of Mississippi, which state was seek
ing TODAY to have an associate justice of
the supreme court. to aid in passing on the
validity of the constitutional amendments.
Mr. Riddleberger remarked that there
was no concealment of the fact that the
resolution was intended TO affect matters
that ought to be considered only in eXecu-
tive session, and gave notice that as for
himself, he would vote for the confirmation
of Mr.. Lamar
Mr. Walthall said he had not risen to of
fer any opposition to the proposed investi-
cation. On the contrary, he was anxious
that the resolution should be adopted by
the votes of those senators whose views on
the constitutional power of the senate diff
fered from his own. If the proposition
We're to Investigate a town election IN New
Hampshire, he should vigorously OPP
l.
est investigation of the occur
rances at Jackson, but he protested against
any prejudicement of the case. Instead of
mere anonymous communications he de-
sired that the motives, provocations,
grievances and surroundings of the people
Of that city, together with their actions.
should be laid bare before the country, and
that the verdict of the country should be
had upon them.
Mr.. Jones, of Arkansas, sent to the
Gle rks desk and had read a telegram sent
N January by Attorney General Garland
to District Attorney Harris, of Jackson, in
these words: Il notice in the papers that
you are mentioned personally as partici-
pating in political doings recently at
Jackson to suppress the colored vote of
that city. and 10 prevent colored people
from running for Office by violence and in
timidation Report fully to me at once
the whole, proceedings and your connec-
tion with it.
Mr.. George said that his first impulse
had been to let the resolution be adopted
without any debate or object Oh his part
He would vote for il except for one in
superable objection, and that was that it
embraced matters entirely outside of the
jurisdiction of the senate. Ii il had been
confined TO an inves. igation of the conduct
of the federal officials concerned. he would
have voted for it. For fourteen Years a
Republican municipal administration had
been on the city, without protest, without
any violent efforts To overthrow it, Up TO
Christmas eve there was no opposition to
the Republican mayoralty ticket the
election being set for the first Monday in
January, but on Christmas eve an occur
renee happened tthe murder of a quiet, re-
Specialize white man by Il colored man
which excited the passions and appre-
tensions of the white people. He
did not mean TO say that even
such brutal murder justified the
violation of the law, but only that it was
duce irregular and illegal actions
Mr.. Chandler called tie attention of the
senators from Mississippi to the 18th con-
stiuutlonal amendment, which declared
that 1.-The right of citizens of the United
States shall not be deferred or abridged
by the United States or any state on ac-
count of race color or previous condition
any election within any state, or right of
any man to vote was denied because he
was black. that was bearing on the oc-
curances at Jackson. He read from the
Brandon, Miss, Republic IA Democratic
paper" of January 5. an article describing
the riotoTS and disorierly conduct which
prevailed in Jackson immediately proceed
ing the last election. The resolution was
adopted. yeas %, nays "a. as a party vote
except that Mr.. Riddleberger voted with
the Democrats, while the two Mississippi
senators were excused from voting. Mr.
Hoar, from the committee on privileges
and elections, reported a resolution To pay
to Daniel B. Lucas, of West Virginia 81 200
in full for all expenses and salary as a
claimant of q seat in the senate Referred
MIR. Mitchell called up the bill introduced
by him on December 18th. ahrogating all
treaties heretofore made between the gov
eminent and the Chinese empire in 50 far
as any of them provide Tor. recognize
or permit the carriage OF Chinese
TO the United States aud ia SO far as they
or any of them inhabt the United States (
from absolutely prohibiting the coming O,
Chinese 10 the United States and repeating
all acts of congress ia SO far a. they or any
of them recognize or permit the coming Of
Chinese to the United States, and abso-
lutely prohibiting he coming OF Chinese +
to the United States. excepting only diplo- /
matte. consular aud other officials. and !
prohibiting the landing Of any Chinese I
therein, excepting only SlIch diplomatic /
aud other officials. Mr.. Mitchell addressed
the senate in support of the bill. Mr. p.
Stewart moved the reference of the bin of
his resolution to the committee on foreign
relations They We're 80 referred.