Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-06-27
National Election Bill Before the
House.

Lodge OF Massachusetts began the de-
bate upon the national election bill. lie
ssid it had boon charged that the bill was
sectional. Observing the heat of certain
persons and newspapers and their vehem-
| ence, he was led 10 remember that sus
picion always came to guilty minds The
acts it was proposed to extend had been
called into existence by the gigantic frauds
in the city of New York prior to u $40 II.
That certainly was not \ sectional origin ia
the sense of the charge now made. The
legislation enacted to meet the frauds in
New York hal been of enormous value Il"
the cause of honest electous. In his owe
State there had been complaint of the reg
istration system. and accusations hal been
made that the lists were not right. If thcy
were not right, the bill would remedy tie
wrong.
Tiemphil of South Csrolirs, followed.
beginning with an argument to demonstrate
the unconstitutional nature of the bill. anil
that Congiess had no poxer to Interfere
with elections. He read from legislative
declarations in the past by the Safes OF
New York, Ohio, and Ne~ Jersey axain-t
Coggre, siunal inscription of the right 10
conduct elections. lie declared this was
not q natinpsl bill. it was sectional
Rowell Of Illinois. spoke in favor of the
bill, be sad whenever you found g-es,
hoJy of men absent from the polls election
day you might eet down, that they were .
away b, tlelf own consent but ths; soul--
thing improper had been done then, or st
some preceding time. to keep them away.
Oates Of Alsbama-'t deny your sta,
msn', and know of my own knowledge il Is
not true
Rowei 'epiled he did not care to handy
words as to the gentleman's knowledge, bu,
undertooS to say it vas = universal exper
| eHee and observation on prejudiced men
lie knew how necessary it vas to De y ihpt
conclusion because only upon that denial
could there be accounted for the almost
universal absence from the polls OF black
men in miny Southern States. Hal black
men voted 10 South Carolina at The las,
! presiientiil election a siori;y Of $4,000
| sculi bern cast for republican electors
and there would have been solid
republican delegation in this r0ngress
yet the total vote was but 76 365, less than
/ | | ,0H0 10 a congressional district, and the
total republican and scattering vote was
only 10, iGn, coo ST which was cast in one
! district Raweil then proceeded 10 refe,
! 10 similar strain to other Southerr States.
| Al.usion to Arkansas brought Peel to t1,.
/ front with the statement ;ha' in his district
| the elections were fair. There WAS no
charge to the contrary, although his vote
/ aggre ystei but ) COG.
| Lewis Of Mississippi, declared that no
/ man on earth ever intimsted anything M
/ fair in the elections in his district.
RowelI replied that he did no, know any
| thing about the gentleman's district but be
did know what had been proven true in
this and other Congresses.
Wheeler of Alabama, denied any ground
for questioning Alabama elections.
! Crisp OF Georgia said the vote WAS lgh,
/ in of years in his State and there vas bu;
a small re epublican vote because there is NJ
organized republican, party in that state.
RovelI replied that the fact was proof
/ of the acknowledgements of the republican
negroes sni should have stricken the cor
science OF the white people in the south
who had made it impossible to maintain the
organized republican party in Georgis.
Crisp wanted to know hc~ they made il
possible The gentleman produced M
facts. Ros- ell replied that he knew if he
found certain condition OF sffsira unnst
ursl aud improper, there must n, reasof
for it.
Crisp asked why 40 per cent. Of Tho
vote of Maine ard Massachusetts, wat
silent.
Rowell replied that i. vas not in tn,
presidential year.
CRISP asserted that II was, and niquestes
the gentleman to account for it.
| Howell said be hal the highest respec
sna essern for his colleague from Georgia
AMI could only say ths; be wished he ba,
come her. with 2o.0oo votes instead o.
SEQ.
Ro~eil declared that in some districts o
the South armed bodies Of men went frou
poll to pod and destroyed ballot boxes. |;
oshars hs1es were stuff ed and the true bal
lots sh;osn away; and in others miiitsrI
companies we're organized to ire cznnol
morning snd night ITO let the darkeys knoy
there is going 10 be fair elec,ioa" Th
cabins of the negroes we're fred into, an
IL that ~as NOT successful and the neRrce
turned out. military ofscers made the poll
piscs for target practice
Oates OF Alabama, asked for ahs name
of the dist,icfe- sJF
RexeIl raDed three in Hissirsissa, an,
on ia Arkansas
This brsushi McRae to bis feat si;h
!, strong dsliial a. TO iss truth 40 applied {
/ Arkansas.
Soon R;weli and Breckinridse v.re talk
irz At the sane time. the latte: vi,,oro1sl
declaring that Kove.Is ssstescznts ahout hi