Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-30
Senator Hoar For the Election Bill
and Senator Wolcott Against It.
NOTABLE SENATE SPEECHES.
Galleries Crowded With Teacher:
From the North.
HOUSE MEETS AND ADJOURNS
SENATE.

roll call showed the presence of only seventeen
Senators, and the sergeant-at-arms was directed
to request the attendance of absentees.
The Vice President remarked that Mr.. Ingalls,
was absent by leave OF the Senate and Mr..
Cockrell suggested that an. exception should be
made In his favor. 1t was II o'clock before
quorum (44) was secured and before the jour-
nal OF yesterday was read.
THE VISITING SCHOOL TEACHERS PRAYED FOR.
The galleries, however, were all the time
crowded with visitors, principally excursionists
from among the public school teachers of New
York and Philadelphia. Their presence was
recognized by the chaplain, who, in his prayer,
asked special blessing for the great army of
men and women gathered in our schools and col
leges and seminaries." During the long wait
there suddenly came from one of the galleries
general hand clapping, such as in theater
signifies impatience that the performance is
slow to begin. 1t was quietly rebuked by the
Vice President and there was no repetition of
such violation OF senatorial decorum.
SENATOR DUBOIS CREDENTIALS.
The Vice President laid before the Senate the
credentials Of Mr.. Frederick T. Dubois as
Senator from the state of Idaho for the term
beginning March 4, 1891. They were referred
to the committee on privileges and elections.
Mr.. Reagan gave notice CT two amendments
to Mr.. Aldrich's cloturc resolution.
MR.. HoAR QUOTES ApPHovINGLY A CHARLESTON
NEWSPAPER.
Then (the morning hour having expired) the
Senate resumed consideration Of the elections
bill, and Mr.. Hoar continued his speech (com-
menced yesterday in its advocacy. He quoted
from an article in the Charleston (S.C.) Ne,rs
and Courier. condemning the ''eight-box'' law
of that s-te and characterizing it as "a politi-
cal trick and subterfuge intended to get rid of
the constitutional rights Of a majority of the
citizens citizens OF South Carolina" Nothing (AIr.
hoar said) had ever been ut
tered in the Senate bv the most
extreme fanatic imparting one-tenth
part OF the severity of the statement of that
great leading democratic newspaper. the guide
of public sentiment in that state" He re-
minded southern Senators that they had
pledged not merely their official oaths, but
their honor as men, that they would give their
devotion to the constitutional amendments il
they were only let back into their old condition
IN the Union free from the consequences of re-
belhon. And now they were denouncing those
constitutional amendments as "a stupendous
crime and blunder."
cRIrICIsING THE MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION,
Mr.. HOar went on to criticise the new con-
stitution of the state of Mississippi and to
argue that under it there was no appeal in that
state from the action of election officers
He was interrupted by Mr.. George who in
formed him that the constitution of Mississippi
did provide for an appeal against alleged errors
| In registration. so that ii names were on the
| registry illegally or if names were excluded
| from the registry illegally the error might
be corrected. This was regarded however
| by Mr.. Hoar as only another step in the sub
terfuges" of the Mississippi constitution. 1t
was putting one democratic politician behind
| another" The people of the United States, he
said, were not blind to the objects of the Mis-
| sissippi constitutional convention. If they
| were their eyes would have been opened by
the declarations of Judge Calhoun. the presi-
| dent OF the convention, avowing the purpose
for which it was gathered, and who said that
If he were asked whether it was the purpose
| TO RESTRICT NEGRO SUFFRAGE
he would frankly answer, .Yes; that is what We
are here for"
Commenting upon remarks in Mr.. Pugh's
| speech, made some weeks ago. to the ignor-
| ance, barbarism and criminality of black
voters, Mr. Hoar said that the gift of suffrage
simply, of the white democracy of the south
ern states when their constitutions were
! revised. If the negro were ignorant, barbar.
Gus and criminal he should be denied the
| suffrage. The states had the full constitu-
tional right to deny it. All that the Constitu-
tion of the United States said was that if the
negro be found in all other respects fit for
| suffrage it should not be denied to him because
OF his race, color CT previous condition.
TREAT ALL ALIKE.
| Make rule (Mr. Hoar said) which, under
precisely the same circumstances and under
| precisely the came condition CT facts will deny
the suffrage to the white man, who has not got
what you think the proper qualifications. and
that Is all that has ever been required or de-
manded of you. If ignorance is a disqualifca-
ton III the negro is it not likewise disqualiti-
| cation in the white! II criminali.y
| Is a disqualification in the negro is the
| white criminal any better ruler of states. So
l m En rY1la hrn
lines as high or low as you please. The only
thing that the Constitution of the United States
| says to you is that if you find the negro in all
other respects tit to vote you shall not deprive
THE copIAH MASSACRE.
Mr.. Hoar recalled the Copiah massacre in
Mississippi, the murder of Fred Matthews, "a
kindly citizen and an excellent neighbor. in the
act of casting his ballot" and the burning of
his widows house. and said that within tie
present Christmas season, iii the time of peace
on earth and good will to men," that widows
| son, the republican postmaster, a young man
| of twenty-one, had been shot down in the
| streets Of CarroltOn, the home Of Senator
George.
.'uow LONG, Oh aoD?''
How long CMr. Hoar exclaimed). How
long, oh God, shall the blood Of these martyrs
| cry for vengeance from the ground? How long
shall the murder Of men because they are
| republicans he the only crime to which repub-
hcans are Indifferent? The Senator (referrine
to Mr.. WalthalD thinks that the era Of
these things is passing by in Mississippi.
Let US hope SO! Let US hope that when it's
| dark and bloody history is written it will be
recorded that there was at least one manly voice
in all her chivalry that uttered the indignation
| of an American freeman at the outrage on
Americanism and on freedom.
''ALIKN FORCE" IN DELAWARE.
Passing from that point Mr.. Hoar proceeded
to comment upon q phrase which had been
used by Mr.. Gray in one Of his speeches and
which had sounded to him Che said) very un-
| pleasantly. That wns that he (Mr. Gray did
not want any ''alien force" in Delaware.
The notion (Mr. Hoar said) that the govern
| ment Of the United States was alien and did not
represent the people Of the United States, a.
| the governments Of states represented the peo-
| pie Of such states, was entirely erroneous. The
| government Of the United States was over all
| the states. It was Of them, and in
separable from them. It was in its home, and
| was obeying the viii Of the people in the exer-
else of its constitutional power quite as much as
| any state government and q great deal more
than any petty local election officer. It was
THE SANE FAIIACY
that had appeared in the statement Of the
Senator from Alabama OR. Morgan) when he