Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-12
THB BNATION'SCAPPTAL.
The Smalls-ElliOt Election Case
Comes Up in the House.
LaTd Appropriations Confined.
WAsHISeros, Feb. IL.
Senate.

an students at Hampton, Va. against III,
continuance of the ration system TO Indians
as an encouragement TO itieness, and recon
mending their equivalent in farming imple
ments and stock
He spoke of the suggestion As being ~is.
and judicious, and said that it was doubl,
remarkable from the fact that the memoria
was in the handwriting Of one of the stadeutI
ant was signed in their own handwriting. b,
all but three of the 1870, and vas their owi
unprompfed idea.
Mr.. Sherman, acting under instructions Of
the committee under foreign relations
moved an executive session. and at l2 25 the
Senate proceeded TO executive business.
The doors were =, opened at 3.l5. AfteI
the transaction of the routine morning busi.
ness the presiding officer announced the
Union Pacific funding bill as unfinished bus.
mess. Hale said that Frye, who had charge
Of the bill, was called away by death in his
family and m Dved that the bill be laid aside,
which motion WAS agreed TO.
The naval appropriation bill was then
taken. The amendment reported by the
committee on appropriations for installing
or increasing the electric light plants on
monitors, cruisers and other vessels. appro-
priating about Sos, 900, was agreed to. An
item of 800, 900, to be Immediately ayaila-
Bile, was ins, rted on motion of Hale for the
construction of a building for use at the
naval torpedo station and war college on
Goat Island, Newport, X. |. An item OF
800 900 was inserted on motion of Hale for
the purchase of land and building thereon
adjacent to the naval academ. at Annapolis.
Other amendments IF merely a formal
characts was agreed to.
.. 49, -k.s. ,tt..
on appr- priations for the construction of two
steel cruisers or gunboats, 800 to 1900 tons
displacement to cost in the aggregate not
more than 500 900, exclusive Of armament /;
one steel craiser, about 20O0 tons at cost Of
not more than S.00,O00 and one ram for
harbor defences, was agreed to without dis
cussion. This is in addition to the provis-
ions of the bill ss il came from the House.
Chandler moved to strike out the paragraph
for the construction of one armored steel
steel cruising monitor the words ''of the
type and to be constructed according to plans
and specifications furnished the navy depart
ment by Hon. John r. Thomas of Illinois to
be approved by the Secretary of the Navy"
The bill contained provision that Thomas
"a lawyer not a designer of ships should
furnish the next Secretary of the Navy with
one ship, and the pneumatic gun company
should furnish him with another.
Cullom opposed the amendment and read
several letters from high naval officers en-
dorsing and commendlng Mr.. Thomas plans
and specifications.
After further discussion between Chandler
and Cullom the Senate. without dispOsing of
the amendment adjourned at 5 30
House.
The House insisted on it's amendments to
the direct tax bill and a conference was
ordered
After some tlibustering the House was
called upon to decide what business it would
proceed TO transact
The House determined yeas 1871. nay 80,
to consider the Smalls- elliott conte sted cleo
ton case.
Twenty-four Democrats voted with the
Republicans in the affirmative.
Crisp toek the door for the presentation of
the case. lie cited several instances of
fraudulent voting in various precincts by
friends of Smalis. He referred TO the con
viction OF Smails for accepting bribe, while
the State auditor contended that conviction
injured him with colored people.
Dslzell of Pennsy lvania questioned the
relevancy of this statement
Crisp proposed to show that among the
colored people of that district were some
good men who rebelled against being die
tated to and required 10 vote for a man who
had been convicted of high crime. Testi-
mony was quoted by Crisp TO show
that colored democrats had been ostracised,
intimidated and overawed by the colored re-
publicans and contestant $ nails had taken a
leading part in this action. The day was
past when the colored people would go up in
a body. 1t was seDseess mockery TO re-
cord the vote as they were told bv people
no lived away from them. They rea lied
the improperly of being represented by the
Smalls, and also realized that they were en-
titled to better repre- sentative.
Rowell of Illinois, said that the gentleman
from Georgia, Crisp spent much of his
time in proving that Smalis had been
guilty of bribery, while members of the
State legislature, who should be for the pur
pose of justifying tine vote, kept a man ont
of the seat to which he was elected, He de
clared that the laws of South Carolina had
been formed for the express purpose of dis
franchising the republican voters
of that State There has been systematic
effort to DENY TO the colored voters the right
TO re gister and chrrge registration certii
Gates The governor of South Carolina re.
Gently announced the paramount political
question in South Carolina 10 be the main
tenance of Anglo-Saxon control.
Pending further debate the matter wen,
over until tomorrow.
The speaker appointed Caswell, Seney and
Oates conferees on the direct tax bill
The House at 5 10 adjourned