Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-07-01
More Specializing Over the Federal
Ele ction Bill.

Debate on the Federal election bill was
resumed, ard Herber, of Alabama was
accorded the floor. There was one chapter
in the political history of the country. he
said 40 full of bitter memories that ever,
American citizen would gladly forget it il
he could. II was the era Of reconstruction
1t WAS necessary to look into that chapter
and learn some Of the lessons 1t bad taught
The passions Of the war had been still
fresh and the people Of the North had been
driven TO approve of the reconstruction leg
islation by just such speeches A. were made
| here in advocacy Of this bill The result
hal been that all the reronstructive
governments, except that OF Virginia,
had passed under negro domination
Taxes have been increased and every dol
lar of the increase is spent or stolen. The
color line had been the inevitable result of
[ the reconstruction avs and the manner of
their standardization. The negro had been
| taught to distrust southern white men during
the reconstruction period. The Southern
States had been represented by republican,
but nov they were represented by demo
Gratis, hence the neoessitv for a national
election law. In the South the era of
peace and prosperity had come. The ne
gro was learning that it was not for his u
terest TO array himself soiidiy against tn,
white msn for the white man was doing
every thing in his power to teach the negro
this lesson.
| This bill would have the effect of array
| ing race agsinss rare again in the South
| ifouk Of Tennessee said that his advocacy
Of the national election las did not grow
ous of any supposed emergency, or neces
sity. Notwithstanding the variety of reasons
nov that the power Of government should
be asserted. It had been his conviction
since his earliest reading of the conssitu
t1on, that it ~ss a parsdox. inconsistent
with the harmony Of the national govern.
ment to leave to the States the control %
the elect m Of national officers. The M
tious election ls~ could in no possible way
promote his political fortune. and in hi.
district was an absolutely fair election
The democrats Of this country dA
not want dishones. election
The false counting or .tuffing of ballot
boxes in the Second Tennessee District
would confne the perpetrators within the
walls of the penitentiary.
Strangers listening to this debate might
think the object of this measure was 10
arrest the whole Democratic party Bal
1
dishorest elections so long il would break
their hearts to have to stop them. IL was
said that this bill would revive the race
prejudice He undertook to say ths. no
race prejudice WAS involved in this bill II
VAS not race Prejudice the Democrats ~err
combating; il vas political prejudice
| The objection was not that the colored man
was black, but that be voted the Republican
| ticket.
! Coleman of Loaisi ana, announced him
self republican both from conviction ant
| principle, ss southern man by birth. edu-
cation and association. Elected 70 III.
House ss republican, he vas opposed to
The enactment of the federal election Lao
at this time, notwithstanding the fact that
the promoters of this measure aimed To Sc
care the great iesiieratnnl of a FREE taIlo,
and fair count. yet he did not think thI,
was proper time to make this politics
experiment He would heartily support a
national eiecsssn bill. if he thought
it, enactment would secure an hon
es; ballot, but the suppo.i;ion ths-
the passage of such . measure A. this
would have this effect, Wa based on
false impressions, and on an ignorance of
the tr1e state of affairs in some portions of
the South. Why should memories Of the
reeonssruesion period be stirred up. This
i Was not following the sdvice of that wo--
/ asrfal statesman, Abraham Lincoln. He
opposed any legisiation. calculated to create
trouble srd friction between the races. He
did not vish to stimulate any trouble, hs,
he was ~ certain that trouble and hloot-
shed would folsov the enactment Of iexis-
issiou. Ard that isv would fail in its pur-
pose ~ he vas tflas would vote against /;
In this House.
He wanted peacs progress asf prosperity
He wanted to see the eontinued and III
creased industrial deveIopusns in the
South A federal election lav would be
an expensive poli.ieaI biunder. Pablis
money could be used to greater advantage
IN paying honest claims of the people oi
the Seath. in reimbursins the aeposiiors ir
!. the freedom saving and trust company, II
constructing levees on the Mississippi
river, and in educating children Of ID
; South, hisck ss veil as white He wante.
TO see the solidisy Of the South brokea