The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-06

| a
the committee on privileges and elections.
OF the election held in Mississippi in the pre-
ceding fall, and this time the State of Vir-
ginia was also included. The preamble in
general was somewhat in the form usually
employed when pretext is desired for look
ing into the domestic affairs of southern
State in connection with an election, but in
the case of Mississippi the special matter
recited was newspaper report that ut an
election in November, 1888, in Copiah
| county
There was an organized movement by members
oil one party 10 prevent members OF another party
from voting az that election, and 10 prevent free
ana open discussion and expression OF political
opinions; that this purpose was carried into exc
eution by organized plans of terror and VIC
lenCe, etc.
And that white man on election day was
murdered in pursuance of Il conspiracy by
the members of one party because he voted
with the other; that no effort was made to
punish the murderers, and that the killing
was approved by public meeting composed
OF members of one party.
The resolution providing for the investi-
CATION of these charges was introduced by
the Senator from Ohio (Mr. ShcrmanG and
he discussed it at some length. In reference
TO what he termed the allegations as TO
Mississippi he said:
still. II these allegations are true It would he
cOwlrdly shrinking from the gmyest public duty
todllow such eNcuts To deepen into pIcoedents
which would suhNert the foundations OF republican
institutions and convert our elections into organ
lied crimes donot say these allegations are trlc,
but they come to us with such apparent seeming
OF truth that we are bound To ascertain their truth
or falsehood by the most careful aud In partial
| inquiry.
And in referring TO the events in Copiah
| county said
But II these individual crimes Involve the
greater one OF an organized conspiracy OF party
or race, 10 deprive another party or race Of Cit
Zens, of the enjoyment of their uuQucStoucd
rights, accompanied with overt acts, with physical
power sufficient 10 accomplish their purpose, then
| II becomes n national question which must DC
dealt with by the national government
The truth or falsehood' of these charges
must be ascertaincd the senator said; there
must be no ''cowardly shrinking from the
| gravest public duty and il there was such
an organized conspiracy" as that referred
| 10, II must he dealt with by the national
government and 1t seemed desirable to
facilitate the investigation proposed, - that
| II the charges were true the strong arm Of
the United States government might in
some way be employed 20 redress the
| grievances complained Of. Accordingly, on
| the ith Of February, 1884, IL was resolved
that the investigating might be made by the
committee named, or any subcommittee
thereof, and
That said committee. or subcommittee shnll be
authorized b. proceed 10 aid States or either Of
them, and sit wherever II may De found necessary
for the purposes OF said investigation, etc
Promptly the subcommittee for Mssis.
! sippi was appointed, consisting Of three Re
| publicans aud two Democrats, and By party
| vote IL was
Resolved, Tint the committee proceed to New
Orleans, Ia, ior the purpose VI taking testimony.
And we are doubtless expected To believe,
II we can, that that point was selected as
aiIording the greatest facilities for acquiring
information as to the affairs Of Mississippi,
though 100 miles away from the alleged dis
| turbanccs.
| As believe, there was no shadow Of con-
! stitutiunul authority for this investigation,
wherever conducted, and no justification for
IL in the prcccdents Of the Senate.
The Mississippi election investigated In
1876 was Federal election. being for Con
grcssmcn rs well ~ State officers aud mem.
bcrs 81 the Legislature, and that fact was cm-
phatically set forth In the preamble to the
resolution which provided for the inycsti-
! CATION, and, ~ originally offered by MIR.
Morton, the preamble rccitcd that the
Legislature then chosen will have the election Of
n senator 10 represent that state In this body.
And Il was claimed that the Senate. being
| the sole judge Of the election returns aud
| qualifications Of H. own members, was COM
pctcnt 20 institute an inquiry into an clcc-
ton which involved the return Of senator.
But, sir, ! believe that the facts warrant
the belief that that claim was no more than
a ilimsy prcicXt Tor an investigation, intend.
cd 10 suhscryc n purely party purpose. for
| there WIS no such prvivNt for investigating
the election II ISIS, hut 10 was ordered by a
| Republican Senate just as the other was,
and presumably Tor the same reason. Tho
election OF ls,3 was IN no sense q Federal
election, and Il was not pretended that 10
was There were no members Of Congress
| elected and no senator Ia Ice elected hy the
Legislature chosen. II was o local election
for county officers and members II the Log.
islaturc. conducted under State laws, by
State officials and did not touch Federal
elections nc any point, nor did u furnish
| any -omhluncc Oi prciCNt for any Federal
| interference or investigation II was not
pretended that any Law IT the United states
was violated by the occurrences In tupinh,
and Il cannot be- disputed that whatever
| wrongs or crimes may have been committed
there, were violations of State Laws.
and that the penalty Tor the inimctiuns IT
these laws Is judicial punishment in the
state courts
! But passing over what seems most
| iudcirnsiblc invasion II the rights
aud powers Of sovereign state. LEI ~ see II
the real purpose in the mission 81 this COM
mittec wa ns Il pruirs-"l a. be-, a. inquire
into the condition Of ailuir IN Mississippi.
| II 10 was why was the investigation made
too uarruW aud too shallow to compass H.
ohiccp II light was wanted rs a. the real
state II thing, there why did the committee
! pass around the State a. conduct their iuyrs-
| iintuu in q city beyond its burlrr,' 10 reach
any wcll.iluudcd conclusion there should
| have been an investigation into the whole
social life II Mississippi, and yet no one ri
the committee vet his loot within the limits
81 the State. n they really wanted the Boz.
| formation in reliable form which they pro-.
ics-cd a. be- seeking Why did they not go IN
| the scene At the wrongs which they we're t0
investigate aud g,t the whole truth aud pub.
lish it 81 thC wurld'
This that committee WIS careful not a.
do. for industrUusy they avoided settling
foot on the soil of the very state whose NJ.
inin they prufcsscd 10 be- investigating aud
the presence of the very people of whose
conduct they claimed 10 be- seeking iuiofmn'
ton. II was not because 81 distance, NOT
from lack ui time, for, starting from the
| capitol, they went beyond the State.
for away from the fpDt whore th,
chief trouble existed, aud which iairmiuicd
men all over the country who wcrv looking
o. The result Of their Inquest for facts
thought might well have been made th,
scat ul their investigation.
hut. although tbe committee avoided
Mississippi the majority did not iuIl h. iil
their report with grave charge. aud sweeping
statements, aud thousand Of copies wcr,
sent 90 the country,
These charges were published and fopub
lishod, and were the means 0l causing great
numbers NJ people In the northern States q,
rrgnrl those VI their own race aud blood ir
the locality Ia which the report referred. "a.
a band " bluudstnincd muriorcr.
But, sir, beyond exciting pwiudiros and