Omaha daily bee., 1890-12-13
ENATORS INDULGE IN SLURS.
A Lively Debate Over Resolution Be-
tween Butler and Hoar.
THE FORMER CALLS THE LATTER A LIAR.
The Entire Afternoon Consum cd by
the House in the Discussion OF
Measures on the Private
Calendar.

WASHINGTON, Dec l2,-In the senate today
number OF uuimportant bills were ported
from committees aud placed on tho calendar,
after which Mr. Plumbs resolution, fixing
the hour for daily meetings, was taken up.
IL was agreed to after being amended by
| striking out the clause for evening sessions,
and making it take effect after tomorrow.
The resolution offered yesterday by Mr.,
Dolph, instructng the committee on priv.
ilcges and elections to inquire and report
whether the right to vote at any election
for presidential electors, members of congress,
legislatures or officers is denied to any male
citizen of any state or is abridged except for
participation in the rebellion or other crime,
was taken up. Mr.. Dolph said he particu-
larly wanted the committee TO give attention
to whether some states had not provided IN
their constitutions or laws such voting quali-
fcations as were not permitted by
| the fourteenth amendment to the
constitution without an aDrid cement
OF congressional representation. He said
the constitution recently adopted in Mis-
slssippi did Impose such qualifications and
the representation of that state should DO
abridged. He sent TO the clerks desk and
had read the recent inaugural message OF
Governor Tillman of South Carolina which,
he said, was an official declaration that the
great mass OF the colored men of the south
that the white people of the south were in
control OF the state governments and pro-
posed to maintain control at all hazards.
The propositions showed clearly, Mr.. Dolph
said, that the colored people of the south
would not be permitted to vote as long as
they voted the republican ticket or where
their voting would secure repu blican control.
Mr.. Vest moved an amendment in
structing the committee to inquire fur
ther, whether by any state legislation
any citizen of the United States was denied
the right to work on public improvement by
reason of their color He read a clause from
a recent statute of the Oregon republican
legislature authorizing the building of bridges
and providing that none but white laborers
should be employed on the works. IL might
be, Mr.. Vest said that the provision was in.
tended to exclude Chinese labor, but the lam
guage of the statute excluded Mongolian, In
dian and negro. Democratic states had never
denied the negro the right to earn his bread
by his honest labor
Mr.. Dolph replied, and in the further dis
cussion au ausion to Tillman,s message
brought out a declaration from Mr. Butler
that he was perfectly willing to stand by thar
message.
Butler himself had threatened the colored
men in his employ that he would discharge
them if they voted the republican ticket
Mr.. Butler replied that whoever made that
statement was guilty OF a deli berate and will
full falsehood.
Mr. Hoar arose and said he had made tho
statement, having read within twenty-four
hours in public document the testimony OF
the senatoc from South Carolina before q
committee, in which he said he had told the
colored people on his plantation that he
should dismiss them IL they voted the repub-
lican ticket.
Mr.. Butler-Then the remark 1 made ap.
plies of course to the senator from Massa-
chusetts.
Mr.. Hoar replied that he was not to be de-
tered from saying what he had to say either
by the manner or the behavior of Mr.. Butler.
The resolution then went over until tomor.
row.
The house bill for public building no
Davenport, Ia, was reported favorably and
placed on the calendar.
The elections bill was then taken up and
Messrs. Bloodgett and Walthall spoke in OPP
position to it.
Mr.. Hoar then referred to the incident of
the morning and had read the testimony in
question, which was from minority report
made to the house in 1875. In it Mr.. Butler
is reported as saying that he gave tickets to
colored men and told them they had right
to vote the republican ticket If they pleased;
that they were free men, but if they exer-
cised that right and imposed taxes upon HIM
that would destroy his property and pros
poets he should throw himself back on some
rights he had and see that they left his
plantation. He intended to inform himself
how they voted
The question was asked: with view to
turning them off If they voted the republican
ticketp
Mr.. Butler-Not for voting the republican
ticket, if they had an honest ticket, but for
voting for those thieves and rob-
bers. Mr.. Butler said this testimony
was garbled. He had never seen
| the report before, but said now that he had
never at any time attempted to influence a
single negro on his plantation in the exercise
Of franchise.
Messrs. Hoar and Butler then expressed
| the greatest respect for each other and the
matter was dropped.
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas took the floor ON
| the election bill, and the senate adjourned.