Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1890-07-12
THE PLANET.
SATURDAY, July II, 1890.
FEDERAL ELECTION LA W
HON. M. BR0SIUS
SPEECH.
IN FAvOROF HONEST ELECTION
THE ISSUES CLEARLY DEFINED
BOURBON RAUDANDTRICKERY
TO THE REAR.

TO THE REAR.
In the House of Representatives,
Saturday, June %, 1890, Hon VI.
BROSIUS of Pennsylvania delivered
the following speech in favor of the
Federal Election Bill, then pending
before that body:
Mr.. BROSIUS. Shall the citizens
of the United States, in the exercise
of their constitutional right to vote
for the election of Representatives in
Congress, be protected by national
law from fear, force, or fraud? This
question, like the prophets rod, :"
swallows all other national questions
A negative answer involves a propO-
sitiOn so revolving to justice and so
abhorrent to reason and right con-
duct, that it can not be adequately
characterized in parliamentary lam
guage. And the man who thus an
swers, in the light and knowledge of
to-day, with the Constitution be-
fore his eyes. and the sun of liberty
and equality full in his face, make
such an exposure of his intelligence
or his morals, or both, that he can
not hope long to receive the cOunte-
nance OF those who love Justice and
obey the law.
To give this question an affirma-
tive answer; TO give effect to the
guarantees of the Constitution; to
make political equality more than a
name; TO lift from the Republic the
reproach of making the elective fran
chise to a portion of our people ga
word of promise to the ear, broken
to the hope" is the purpose of this
bill. An object worthier the pursuit
OF free Government and an honest
people it would be difficult to sug-
gest.
THE BALLO T is SUPPRESSED.
That the freedom of the ballot is
subjected not only TO serious mens ce
but open assault in some sections oil
the Union, is not open to doubt.
That justice is denied to many citi-
zens, constitutional rights and priv
lleges hindered, obstructed, and in
many instances totally destroyed, is
an established fact of history. 1t is
the subject of common observation
and daily and hourly avowaI by
tongue and pen.
1t is the common boast of the most
distinguished and influential citizens
politicians, Journalists, and states
men-among the Democratic portion
OF the people of the South, that white
political supremacy must and shall
be maintained at any and all cost by
whatever means, fair or foul, that
may be necessary to that end. Dis
tinguished Northern Democrats not
imbued 80 deeply with antipathy to
the eonstitutionalg guar antics on this
subject have not only failed to disa-
vow the extreme ntterances of South
ern statesmen, but have distinctly
concurred in them
In the Forty second Congress in an
official report on the condition of the
South, Senator Bayard joined with
the minority of the committee in the
distinct avowal that Negro suffrage
would practically cease when the
Republican party should be de-
feated. These are the exact words
OF the report: But whenever
the Republican party shall go
down, as go down it will at
some time not long in the future,
that will be the end of the political
power of.the Negro among white men
onthis continent" Icite this to illus
trate the character of the threats
constantly made by men who allow
ed their hatred of the colored man to
70 To-
overriding the Constitution, and de-
priving their fellow-citizens of their
constitutional rights. In other
words, in contravention of right, in
desogation of our boosted principles
of political equality, in disregard OF
common justice and defiance of all
constitutional guarantees, whenever
and wherever the political ascenden-
cy OF white Democrats requires it, the
right of the colored citizen to a free
ballot shall be trampled under foot,
the law disObeyed, the Constitution
annulled, and the majesty and pow
er of the Republic defied.
Before the overwhelming cloud OI
witnesses who have borne reluctant
testimony to the facts which illus
trate thecondition have described
before the narrowing details of wrong
which blot the fair escutcheOn of our
country, the shameless deeds of wan
ton cruelty to drive humble and de-
fenseless citizens from their rights,
which furnish conformation strong
as proofs of holy writ, Island appall.
ed. shrink from recital of the
horrible story and gladly forego a
task so repuIsive. The instances
present a singular and interesting
variety of means, covering the entire
scale from savage cruelty to the
most ingenious and refined devices to
terrOrize, hoOdwink, and deceive fol
purposes of political spoliation.
DUTY OF REPUBLICANS.
In view, then, of existing politica
conditions in a portion of the Union
the protection of the ballot il