The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-02
SAVANNAH GA. THURSDAY, AUGUST 2 1888.

threat that the colored vote or any othe:
vote was TO lie interfered with, and it has
no such legitimate meaning.
M'GILL's CANDIDACY.
The minority quotes Mayor McGill as
saying to ex-Congressman Barksdale,
personal friend who advised that he with
draw from the contest, that he was deter
mined to ascertain the wishes of the white
people of the town, or majority of
them; that he would try to learn
that evening or the next morning,
and If a majority of the white voters did
not desire him to be a candidate he would
not be. The minority finds that Mayor
McGill's inquiries led him to believe that
he could be elected by the white vote alone.
SO instead of withdrawing, ne deter
mined to have the negroes with
Mayor McGilrs letter to Gen. William
Henry, proposing, in the interest of fair
and peaceable election, that the colored
voters voluntarily abstain from all par
ticipation in the election, and that not
single vote be polled by that class" is
quoted, which proposition was rejected by
the committee of one hundred, because it
was "impracticable, and contained stipula-
tions which no one was authorized to
make.'
SAMPLE INSTANCE.
'This conspiracy" tie minority says "of
Mayor McGill and Chief of Police Baldwin
to eliminate the negro vote and secure the
cooperation of the committee of 100 is sug-
gestive of the methods by which these south
ern outrages are manufactured for
political purposes" The, minority follows
at great length every detail of the occur
rences under Investigation. 1t declares
that Baldwin stands impeached as ut
terly unworthy Of credit. 1t finds ev-
idence against federal officials in
culpated by the majority as unim-
portant, untrustworthy and illegal.
''It is not shown, the minority says, that
any one of the federal officers incriminated
! by the committee, did single illegal act,
or aided or advised in the doing Of such"
1t argues that the bitterness aud strife en-
gendered by the prohibition contest, though
| lulled to slumber, were awakened
in the twinkling of an eye
by the cruel murder, as the people believed,
of young white man by negro bully, in
| the presence of a negro policeman, who,
instead of preserving the peace and pro-
tecting human life, aided and encouraged
| the murderer.
INCAPACITY OF THE AUTHORITIES.
"The city government was incapable of
protecting life and property. Appalled, and
stunned itself at the crime and its conse-
| quences, it stood still in helpless imbecility.
Then there was the inevitable
separation of the races and the inevitable
race antagonism. 1t was not within the
power of thoughtful and conserv-
ative men to act SO as to
secure absolute certainty against a race
conflict if. in the midst OF all this excite
ment and terror, the two races had been
brought together for the purpose of testing
whether the imbecile government under
which the tragedy had been committed
y.
rule, and this too, when there was purpose
Oh the part of any one to have
such a conflict. The intemperate
language of single drunken, reckless man
OF either race, or rude or angry contact
between any two, might have and probably
would have fired the slumbering magazine
and precipitatsd the conflict.
OBJECT OF THE MAJORITY
The minority, referring to the recon-
mondations of the ma ajoTity of the commit
tee, says their object appears to be to So
cure the removal of certain United State:
officials or employees, and that to carry on
an inquiry for such g purpose is grave
usurpation of power and a deliberate at
tempt on the part of the senate to dis
qualify that body from performing properly
a high constitutional function. The power OF
impeachment rests alone with the house and
the senate has jurisdiction of the judges
! Proceedings looking to the removal of g
| United States officer should be by impeach-
ment. Amy other action by the senate
would be clear usurpation of power, and
a grave error in disqualifying itself from 6
fair trial After copi0us citations
of parliamentary and constitutions
law to sustain this contention
the minority concludes with statemen,
that however vain MAY be all efforts tC
prevent usurpations of power and pre-
serve the constitutional divisions of power
still as long as an oath is required to sup
port the constitution, it is a duty to resist
all infractions of that document.
The report is signed By Senators Pugh
| Coke, Vest and George.