The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-12-13
In the Senate.

WASHINGTON, Dec. IA number of I'M
important bills were reported from com
mittees and placed on the calendar, after
which Piumb's resolution. fixing the hour
for daily meetings taken up. 1t was
was agreed to after being amended by
out the clause for evening sessions
and making it take effect after tomorrow.
The reappointment bill based on a repre-
sentatiOn Of $50 members of the House of
Representative as originally proposed by
Frank, of Missouri, was favorably acted
on by the House committee on census and
it will be reported to the House today or
to- morrow.
The resolution offered yesterday by
Dolph, instructing the committee or priv
leges and elections to inquire and report
whether the right to vote at any election
for presidential electors. members of Con
gress, legislatures or officers, is denied to
any American citizen of any state or is
abridged except for participation in rebel
lion or other crime, was taken up. Dolph
said he particularly wanted the committee
10 give attention to the question whether
some states had not provided in their con
situations or laws such voting aualifica
lions as were not permitted by the four
teenth amendment to the constitution
without an Infringement of congressional
representation. He said the constitution
recently adopted in Mississippi did impose
such qualifications and the representation
of that state should be abridged. He sent tc
the clerks desk aud had read the recent
inaugural message of Governor Tillman
Of South Carolina, which, he said was an
official declaration that the great mass OF
colored men of the south We're not fit tt
exercise the elective franchise; that the
white people Of the south were in contro
of the state government and proposed tc
maintain control at all hazard These
propositions showed clearly, Dolph said
that the colored people of the south would
not be permitted to vote as long as they
voted the Republican ticket or where theil
voting would secure Republican control.
Vest moved an amendment instructing
the committee TO inquire furthe1
whether by any state legislation any citi
zen of the United States was denied tht
right to WORK on public improvements b.
reason of ms color. He read claus
| from recent statute Of the Oregon Re
pe0lican legislature, authorizing the build
of q bridge and providing that none Blu
white laborers should be employed on tn
work. 1t might be, Vest said, that tn
provision was intended toexclude Chimes,
! labor, but the language of the statute ex
cluded Mongolian, Indian and negro. Tn
Democratic states had never denied thu
negro the right to earn his bread by homes
! labor.
| Dolph replied, and in further discussion
in allusion TO Tillman's message brough
out the declaration from Butler that b
was perfectly willing to stand by thai mes
sage. Dolph said he was informed that tn
Senator (Butler) himself had threatene
colored men in his employ that he woul
discharge them if they voted the Repuh
lican ticket.
Butler replied that whoever made tia
statement was guilty Of a deliberate an
willful falsehood.
Roar arose and said he had made the state
ment, having read it within twenty-fou
hours in public document in the reply c
the Senator from South Carolina before
fcommittee i'll which he said he had toll
the colored people on his plantation that b
should discharge them if they voted tn
Republican ticket.
Butler then remarked: 81 made the re
plies Of course to the Senator from Mass
chusetts."
Hoar replied he was not to be deterre
from saying what he had TO say either b
the manner Of Butler. The resolution the
went over until tomorrow.
The election bill was then taken III
Blodgett and Waithall spoke in oppositio
To it.
Hoar then referred to the incident of I'll
morning again and had read the testimon
in question which was from minority r
port which was made TO the House in 1S7
In it Butler is represented as saying tn;
he gave tickets to his colored men and to-
them they had right to vote the Republ
can ticket if they pleased, that they we,
free men but if they exercised that rigi
and imposed taxes upon him that would d
stroy his property and prospects, he shoul
throw himself back on the same rights |
had and see that they left his plantation
| He intended to inform himself how the
voted The question was asked. with
view to turning them off. if they voted IL
Republican ticket.
4 Butler-Not for voting the Republics