Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-03-14
THE SOUTHERN QUESTION.
Senators Butler and sherman have a Warm
Discussion of the Problem.

WASHINGTON. March l3.-In the sem
ate to-day Mr.. Eustus referred to the
two statements made by Mr.. Hoar yes
terday in reference to the Southern
State OF Louisiana and In some OF the
other States. their laws made il
a penal ofTense punishable by imprIson-
ment in the penitentiary for white
man To associate on terms Of equality
with negroes. There never had been a
necessity for the State Of Louisiana
To enact such a prepOsterouS law.
The other statement by Mr.. Iloar was
to the effect that there was another law
in Louisiana which provided for the sale
Of any colored man found for certain
time out Of work. and that the former
master should have the preference In
the purchase. lie asked Mr.. lIoar
whether hc could find any such law on
the statute books of louisiana. lie
Mr.. Eustis) knew that the criticism
was directed against
THE DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATURE
Of Louisiana Of 1867. but he had never
heard a Republican Senator criticiSc the
infamous laws enacted In Louisiana by
Republican Legislatures. There was no
such law, however, as that towhich Mr.
Hoar had referred.
Mr. Sherman then took part in the
discussion. which soon became heated
political controversy. He traced the
course Of the reconstruction movement.
and said that at the close Of the war
it had not been contemplated. at
that time, TO arm the negro with
suffrage. But the laws passed by some
of the Southern States had been 81 un-
just to the colored people and SO unjust
To white Republicans I'm the South. that
the people of the North became con-
WINGED that the osicct in the South was
to overthrow the results Of the war and
To deprive the freedmen ofall the rights
OF citizenship. lie (Mr. Sherman had
some times thought that it might possi
bly, have been better not 10 have adopt
ed the fifteenth amendment comforting
suffrage ON the colorcd man. because
that right had been nullihcd and up
rooted.
Er. Butler suggested that the recon
structiOm measures and the adoption of
the 18th amendment were not 81 much
owing To ObjectiOnal legislation in some
of the Southern states as to tho conflict
between Andrew Johnsoltr' the Re-
publican Congress.
Mr.. Sherman replied that the Sclcc-
tiom of Andrew Johnson Southern
man and 4 Dcmocrat-for the Vice
Presidency. was another proof Of the
generous treatment which the North
has shown To the South But Mr.. John
son had deserted the Republican party
and turned his back upon ii when he
came into power; and Congress had tied
his hands and prevented him from carry
ing out his policy.
Mr.. Butlcr-Thcn / understand the
Senator from Ohio practically To admit
that the Southern people were not alon"
responsible, but Andrew johnson. his
President, was more responsible for the
enactment Of extreme measures against
the South?
Mr. Shcrman-l look upon Andrew
johnson aS southern man and 4 Dem
ocrat.
Mr.. Butlcr-lIc was your Republican
President and the people Of the south
had no other authority To look To after
they surrendered their armies except
the Executive.
Mr.. Shcrman-Thc Southern people
had the right TO look 10 Congress as the
governing power of the country.
After some further remarks. Mr..
Sherman said:
Let me say to the Senators OH the
other side In all seriousness that there l.
feeling in the North that injustice has
grown out of the Fifteenth amendment,
and that not only have the negroes Of
the South been
DEPRIVED OF THEIR VOTES,
but that the people Of the South now
enjoy larger political power than the
same number Of people Of the North.
II YOU have thirty odd members of the
House Of Representatives based upon
negro representation. now let the South
do as il ought to do. Let IL obey the
constitutional amendments. Let II give
the negro his vote and permit him To
vote aS he will. We are not here To
control him. We are not there to drive
him. And would not care If the whole
Of the negroes would vote the Demo
cratic ticket But this feeling Of mius-
tice does prevail in the NOrth-thc feel
ing that. while you are dcpriying the
colored people Of their votes, you ar"
exercising an undue power in the gov
crnment. And until that j. rcmedicd
either through the negro voting or
through the negro being excluded from
the basis Of rcprcSentatiOn-thcr never
will be- feeling OF content and equality
among the people Of the Northern
States.
Mr.. Butler replied to Mr.. Sherman.
He spoke of the exclusion Of cOlorcd
men in the Northern States from all pO-
litical Offices. and said that on the con-
trary there was no discrimination IN th"
laws Of South Carolina. Mississippi.
Louisiana or Georgia against man ON
account of his race. color or previous
condition Of scrvitudc. He appealed 10
Senators and he appealed to the people
Of the North to believe Southern men
when they said that they were far more
interested in an orderly. humane. hon
tcst settlement Of the question than the
people Of the North could possibly be-.
The senate then adjourned.
viii Retire from Politics.
ProyIDENCE. Il. l., March l3.-The Hon.
Thomas Davis, who is considered the patri-
arch Of Rhode Island Democracy. an
uounced Yesterday that, on account Of his