The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-21
TIE BIG SPEECH oF THE SMALLs-
ELLIOTT CONTEST.
Hemphiu, ofSouth Carolina Hits the Re
pub1icans Eard, and they Get Wild-Al-
most Riot on the Floor.
Especial to News and Courier.1

of the election of Harrison and Morton.
The other was Congressman Hemphill's
effective speech in behalf of his col
league, Col. Elliott. Mr.. Hemphill
was down to speak from half-past II to
Z 1o'chck, but at that time there was
muah confusion in the hall, owing to
tbe Preparations for the electoral count.
I5was therefore agreed that the debate
on the Smai,s case should be postponed
until after the count was concluded and
the. Senate had retired to its own
chamber. ItI was nearly 8 o'clock
when Mr.. Hemphill was recognized by
Acting Speaker McCreary and COM
menced his speech. He had but thirty
minutes allowed him, but so interest
ing were his remarks that twice the
House extended his lime.
Mr.. Hemphilrs remarks were devoid
sof parsisanship or personal prejudice,
but they sofully exposed the hypocrisy
of the Republican party in dealing
with the coIored race that the hall rang
with applause repeatedly as he poured
the cold and undisputed facts into the
unwilling ears of his Republican
I friends.
The galleries were crowded and there
was full attendance of members in
their seats. They swung their chairs
around and gave strict attention to the
young South Caroinian. His principal
argument was to show that the election
laws of South Carolina are framed to
give the white people the same right
that the Northern people claim for the
cofored man.
He SAID he had never seen the Re
publicans so delighted as. when they
had the privilege of abusing great
section Of the country. AS to the regis
{ tration law Of South Carolina he desired
tosay that it had been put on the
statute books by Republicans and was
fair and just. law. In one district,
where 32,Ce0 colored men were claimed
by the Republican party, only twenty
twowere refused registration, and not
one of them appealed from the decision
of theregistrar.
All this gabble and talk about the
unfair registry law of South Carolina
was the merest twaddie, and was in
tended results different from
those involved IN the case. He denied
Z that the election laws of South Caro-
alina were intended (as had been as
serted) to cheat Republicans out of
theirrights. He did not say that they
were framed for the purpose of putting
Republicans into power. The peopie
Of South Carolina believed that the
white man was as good as the 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 whites rights, too, and
they did not intend that he should
have them. [Applause.l
Is: TEARING A. PASSION TO TATTERs.
Some gentlemen worked themselves
into great passion in talking about
the suppression Of votes in the South
ern States. The gentlemen from Hi
nois mason and Rowel) had delivered
philhpics 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 depriving the negroes OF
their right 20 vote. The speech made
by the gentleman from Illinois (RowelD
and the great passion he had worked
himself into. was proof that heidi 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.
. Referring to the charge that part Of
theyote in the South had been sup
rFessed, he said that in 1884 California
] hsa cast 5s.S per cent of her vote,
Saaabama So, Connecticut ia and
zoe 81 per cent. Maine, the home
|s eak kgreatest living statesman in the
~ lo5n of many men, cast 69.l per cent,
thennessee 1876 per cent.
lie Southern States had cast 12.2
cent more votes in proportion to
sulation thap-ag equal number Of
-. ~ tha North. Down in Florida
g too;k 2s,26s men to elect member to
Snis House but in Massachusetts,, the
lend in which the breezes of heaven
aid not begin to compare in freedom
with the freedom of her inhabitants,
it took only 20, ,44o men to send a Rep
resentative to Congress.
Glow many does it take in South
Carolina?' eueried Mr.. Milliken, of
Maine, amid Republican applause.
CARoLINA'S HAPPY FAMILY.
II will answer that" responded Mr..
Hemphill. I do not say we cast so
many votes in South Caroline, for we
have about come tot that happy state,
among white and. black alike, that
when the people get a good Democrat
in they let him stay in and make no
opposition to him." Applause and
laughter.l
s'In Rhode Island, continued Mr..
Hemphill, it took $3.50 votes to elect
a Representative FROM the 1st district,
while it took 1850 votes to elect a
Representative from the I'd district.
According to Republican logic, there
was suppFession ofvotes somewhere
about here. If the people Of the South
were doing the same thing, the gentle