Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-14
A RIOT IN CONGRESS
During the Discussion of the
Smalls-ElliOtt Contest.
RED.H0T SPEECHES MADE
From Hemphill, of South Carolina,
and Crisp, of Georgia,
AROUSE THE ANGRY PASSIONS
Of the Republicans, Especially Those From
Indiana.
nFrTamm C1anpn NV nanmn unmp
RED.HOT SPEECHES MADE
ROUSE THE ANGRY PASSIONS
Of the Republicans, Especially Those From
Indiana.
ELLIOTT SEATED BY A PARTY VOTE

The contest between Messrs. Elliott and
Smalls, the latter colored, for seat in Con-
gress as Representative from South Caro-
lima, was decided yesterday in favor of
Elliott. The discussion over the report of
the Committee on Contested Seats was ex-
tremely heated, and ended in a small-sized
riot, which the Sergeant-at-Arms had diff
Guilty in suppressing. Both Republican
and Democratic members claimed to be the
friends of the colored man, and the retorts
were warm and pointed.
WASHINGTON, February 13.-The Smalls-
Elliott contest was settled in favor of the
latter in the House to-day. When the
matter was taken up for consideration Mr.
Hemphill, OF South Carolina, took the floor
and said that all this gabble and talk
about the unfair registry laws of South
Carolina was the merest twaddle, and was
intended to affect results different from those
involved in this case. The people of South
Carolina believed that white man was as
good as a negro. They believed that the
negro should have all his rights, but they
did not believe that he should have all his
rights and the white mans rights too, and
they did not intend that he should have
them. Some gentlemen worked themselves
into great passion in talking about the
suppression of votes in Southern States.
The gentlemen from Illinois mason and
RowelD had delivered phillipics against
the Southern people, and had declared that
the people of South Carolina stood convicted
before the people of the United States of a
great crime in depriying the negroes Of their
right to vote.
PASSION NOT LOGIC.
The speech made by the gentleman from
Illinois Mr.. RowelD and the great passion
he had worked himself into was proof that
he did not have very much faith in the
strength of his case. He had resorted to the
old plan of abusing the plaintiff when he had
nothing in the shape of facts to present to the
jury.
Mr.. RoweIl said that he had not gone outside
of the record. and had confined his remarks to
the Seventh district of South Carolina. He
had merely discussed the facts of the case If
because the people of South Carolina did not
choose TO cast their ballots, gentlemen were
going to argue upon the census that there had
been suppression of the VOTE let them apply
the same rul to Massachusetts and Rhode
Island. All the people of the South asked was
fair treatment. If the colored men were so
dear to the people of the North land he was not
going TO express any undue affection for them)
why did not some of the Northern States elect
colored man to Congress and make living
example of his fitness to make laws for the peo-
pie of the United States.
RED-HoT DEBATE.
There was a number of States in the North
which would not have a glimmer of a chance
of being carried by the Republicans except for
the coiored race. The colored people had been
full-hedged citizens since 1865, and yet in the
Northern States, which had a colored vote
which could keep the Republican party in or
turn it out not single instance had there been
of man elected to Congress who had tinge
Can you name Northern State" broke in
Mr.. Hopkins of Illinois. where the colored |
vote is 20 per cent of the entire vote p
''0h,' replied Mr.. Hemphill, then II comes |
to this, that unless there are in a district |
enough negro votes to put in man of color, he |
never gets there. tApplause and laughter.l |
man, and if a colored man is as good as white |
man, why does not a white man occasionally |
vote for colored man." GLaughter.l
CARING FOR CoLoRED MEN.
Mr.. Hopkins-Do you know of a Northern |
State where a colored man aspires in that di- |
rection? Do you not know that the white men |
there take care Of the colored menY
''0h," cried Mr.. Hemphill, sarcasticaIly, 81 |
know that have never known a colored man |
in district in Northern State who had the /
assurance or presumption to suppose that they |
would elect him to Office even If he did aspire |
TO it" [Applause on Democratic side
This last remark of Mr.. Hemphill's aroused |
ston, Owen Rowell and others were on their
feet plying Mr.. Hemphill with questions, which |
neither be nor anybody else was able to hear,
on account of the great confusion in the
House, the mingling of voices and the persist
ent demand for the regular order"
Finally Mr.. Rowells voice was heard above
the rest declaring that in Illinois colored men
had been elected to the Legislature.
GROWING SARCASTIC.
1--WE elect them to the Legislature of South
Carolina" responded Mr.. Hemphill, $50 COM
monty that 1 would not think of mentioning it.
[Laughrer.l We elect them on the Republican
ticket and on the Democratic ticket. and the
first time WAS in the Legislature both my COL
leagues from my district and our Senator were
colOred."
Mr.. johnson, of Indiana, suggested that the
county should have elected another colored
man at the same time. [Laughterl
Il do not say" continued Mr.. Hemphi1l, |
that colored man in the North does not oc-
the South he gets into the Legislature all the
time; and know that since 1858 there has not
been Legislature in South Carolina that has
not contained colored men, both Democrats
and Republicans"
Continuing. Mr.. Hen phil said that he pro-
posed to show from hicago paper published |
in 1887, that colored man had not as many
rights in Chicago as in Mobile and New
Orleans.
This brought Mr.. Adams, of Illinois, 10 his
feet with a demand for specifications.
WICKED CHICAGO.
Mr.. Hemphill replied that he would specify,
and he quoted from the paper to show that in
Chicago colored boy could not get into
trade and could not learn to be mason or a
carpenter.
Mr.. Adams-Neither can any American boy.
''n that is So" exclaimed Mr.. Hemphiil.
Chicago is worse than l thought it was
[Laughter.l 1t is bad enough to treat a poor
darkey that way, but when you treat every
man that way, it is worse than thought.
[Daughter.l
Il agree with you" was Mr. Adams COM |
ment.
Continuing, to show the bad treatment of the
negro In the mol tn. Mr. Hemphill said that he |
had seen ii stated that in Marion Ill where |
some colored men had recently been employed |
served upon them that if they did not leave
own in ten days they would receive summary
punishment and notice had been served upon
heir employer that If they were not dis |
'harged his factory would be burned down. At
Fort Scott, in Kansas, colored children had
Deen turned out of the white schools.
LITTLE SOUTH CAROLINA.
This declaration aroused Mr. Funston. of
Kansas, who vehemently amid loud cries for
'rder, denied the assertion.
Mr.. Hemphill-l will not yield It not worth
While TO get excited.
From what do you read7" shouted Mr.. |
funston through the din