Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-07
House.

After the transaction of some routine busi-
ness the House resumed consideration of
the contested Alabama election case, Nc
Duffee VS.. Davidson. After brief argu-
ments by Mr.. Lyman of low, and Mr.. John
ston of indiana, in favor of the claims of the
contestant, MIR. O'Ferrall of Virginia took
the floor in support of the majority report.
He ridiculed the claims of the Republican
party that the negro vote of the south was
invariably cast for the nominees of that
party, and said that this had been true when
the negroes were under the domination of
carpet baggers who convinced them that if
the democratic party came into power, they
would be relegated to slavery The negroes
had learned that the emancipation was not
the action of the republican party but a war
measure. They had learned that there were
as many democrats as republicans in the
union army; that brave democrats like
Hancock, Thomas and Rosecrans had been
general officers in the army. The democratic
administration stamped as false the charges
of the republican leaders in the south that
that the democrats would deprive the negroes
of their rights and liberty, but the republican
party had determined not to lose its grasp
upon the colored man. 1t sought to hold
them through churches and
ana SOcletIeS whenever tle DTOtheT sHONeu
a disposition to vote the democratic ticket
he was threatened with expulsion from the
church as a punishment by the society. If
he wished to vote the democratic ticket he
had TO resort to deception. If it were not
for this system of intimidation and bull doz-
ing by their preachers and leaders, the re-
publican party would not have enough col
ored voters in the South to furnish pail bear
ers at the approaching funeral of that party
in 1855 (Applause and laughter on the
democratic side.) All the leaders the col
ored people had at the South. white or col
ored. were Office seekers; that was why they
we're republicans. They over-awed the col
ored people If freedom meant the liberty
of thought, action and opinion the coiored
men of the South were as abject slaves to
preachers as they had been the day when
Lincoln with hesitating hand signed the
emancipation proclamation. If freedom meant
the full rights of citzenships, then the col
ored men of the South by the domination of
the members of their race had been deprived
of the sweets of freedom. 1t was time that
the democratic party should take stand
and sustain, support and uphold the
colored men in their right to
vote as they pleased. applause. }
There was colored man in the employ of
House, whose house has been burned be-
cause he voted the democratic ticket and
this was done by members of his own race,
At the South the republican leaders had no
use for the colored man unless he could use
him. This was illustrated by the dream of
the old negro that he went to the place where
the wicked go. In describing his dream he
said that he saw heaps of folks he knew
there there were loads of dead republican
leaders there and every fellow was holding
a rigger up between him and the fire.
daughter
/ Mr.. Boutelle, of Maine, asked if the gen
tleman pretended to say that Lincoln hesitat-
ed when signing the emancipation proclama-
ton. Said he, II tell the gentleman that he
was unfortunately situated to know the his
tory of his country at that time
Mr.. O'Ferrall said, such language as
that coming from that gentleman, who never
/ loses an opportunity to use it. is not the Ian
yuare of brave man. have always been
! taurht that it was cowardly TO kick and cuh
a fallen foe. i, They are towards only that dc
| il. not brave men," Applause on the demo
cratic side).
| Mr.. Boutelle-Allow me to say
1 Mr.. O'Farrall--I do not yield. You car
take Your own time
Mr.. Boutelle-I will take my own time
Mr.. o'Ferrall-And will take my time
after you.
Mr.. BoutelIe-That is the bravery to which
you allude. (Applause on the republican
side.
Mr.. O'Ferrall-Well, sir, it is the righ
kind of bravery; you may bet your bottom
dollar on that.