The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-02-21
COKE'SSPEECH.
Defending the People of Texas and
the South Against SANDER
and Calumny.
Close of His Argument on theWash-
ington County Outrage Cases
and Resolutions.
FlFTIETH CONGRESS.
SENATE.

WASHlNGION1 couEudIJ Ao' hleoh oOhho
preliminary business, Mr.. Palmer, in ac-
cordsnce with previous notice, offered
concurrent resolutions returning the
thanks of congress to the governor and
people of the state of Michigan for the
statue of Lewis Cass, "whose name is so
conspiouously connected with the develop
ment of the northwest territory and with
the eminent services to his state and coun-
try, both at home and abroad" accepting
the same in the name of the nation, and
assigning it place in the old hall of rep
resentatives.
Senator Hale gave notice that as soon
as Senator Coke concluded his remarks on
the Texas election resolutions he would
call up the census bill for action.
Senator Sherman gave notice he would
tomorrow, after routine morning bust
ness, move to proceed to the consideration
and disposition of the conference report
on the direct tax bill.
Senator Frye asked the presiding officer
what was the position of the Union Pacific
funding bill?
Presiding officer-'Tt is ON the calen-
dar."
The senate then resumed consideration
of the Texas outrages resolution, and
Senator Coke began his fourth days argu-
ment against it. He declared he had no
excuse, or palliation, or justification for
the raidinR of the ballot boxes in Wash
ing ton county. But he did not condemn
more strongly or regret it more sincerely
than did the people of that county. There
were similar transactions all over the
United States. He did not say that the
ballot boxes were raided in every section,
but he did say bribery bold and unblush-
. ing did prevail In every section of the
country, except in the south, where they
did not have any money to buy votes
with, and yet he heard of no COMPRESSION
al investigation into the bribery in the
last election. Seventy indictments he wa'
q told had been found in Indiana for brib
ery, nine-tenths of those indicated being
republicans; but no senator had risen ant
, asked for an investigation there. Who
=, he asked would charge the good people
Indiana on that account? Who woult
y charge the people of the great state o
Z. New York, where millions were paid ou
=, in brides in the last presidential election
q Rhode Island, where current newspape
10 report said bribery prevailed to
l. great extent in the last election. VIII
10 would charge the people of any of thos
d states with completely in any of thos
It crimes? And why should the people o
g Texas and of the whole south be held re
is sponsible for single abuse in one singl
d county? There were no "White Gaps" i
| nv Of hrihnru
y ported from the south. In the sout
IN there was more muscle than money, an
u there was no bribery there, while
the north there was more none
than muscle, and there was n
violence there. 1t was force in the soutl
it was fraud and bribery in the mort
IN But bribery was exceptional in the mort
and force was exceptional in the soutl
OF the two crimes, bribery was the mo-
~ dangerous and most difficult to provid
es against, The raiding of ballot box
10 which depended on brute force coul
be provided against, but the corruptio
81 of men with money could not be provide
u against. If the south was to be inquire
re into on account of few ballot boxes b
n ing raided why should not other section
10 be inquired into on account of briber
~ almost open, in the recent electionY
I'd to the hanging of three negroes at Bre
rn ham, Senator Coke declared it
he have been the work of an
a responsible mob, and that {
al attemptto fasten on the people the T
to sponsibllity for it on the testimony
in three miscreants was an injustice to 81
". senators who signed the report. AS
n the murder of Joe Hoffman, he stated
ga was his belief the shot which killed hi
ia. was not fred at him, but at Holt who 8
st near him and was an active and aggre
av sive democrat and who had been in
- number of personal difficulties, in viii
ma men we're killed. As to the race questic
all it could not be regulated by statute.
in Those who established this governmer