The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-12-05


gress began at Washington on Monday. In
the Senate the galleries were crowded. After
prayer by the chaplain, Casey and Warren, the
new Senators from Wyoming, were sworn in
and took their seats. The Presidents mes
sage attracted but little attention, the Sena-
tors, probably, having been made aware, in
advance, of its contents. No general bust
ness was transacted.
The House had mournful and funereal APP
pearance. The defeated Republican con-
gressmen shook hands silently or at times ex-
changed condolences, and signing said, ait
might have BEEN" The Democrats, from
motives of pity, perhaps, forbore from ex-
pressions of exultation or INDUCED in them
quietly. 1t was noticeable that while admir-
ers of many of the Democratic members had
adorned their desks with flowers there was q
scarcity of floral tributes on the desks of
Republicans.
Precisely at noon Speaker Reed raped
with his gavel and the House came to order
What his thoughts were when in his own
mind he contrasted the present condition of
affairs with what existed few weeks ago,
can only be imagined. He gave no outward
sign Of his feelings, however. After prayer
Mr.. Clifton r. Breckenridge. of Arkansas,
who was unjustly deprived of his seat at the
previous session, came forward and was
sworn in, amid loud clapping of hands. Mr.
Breckenridge, it will be remembered, was
turned out, with no pretext of reason, and
the people. of his congressional district tri-
umphantly reelected him for the unexpired
portion of the old term and for the ensuing
term as well.
1t is evident that the Republican members
will adhere if they can to the programme
they laid down at the close of the last session,
which was to uphold the Mckinley tariff and
endeavor to push the Force Bill through the
Senate. Republican Senators held caucus,
on Monday afternoon, and decided to press
the Force Bill. They can only do this by
changing the rules of the Senate and intro
ducing gag-law similar to that which Speak
er Reed enforces in the House. It remains
to be seen how far they will be successful.
The temper and spirit of the American people
are, apparently, entirely misunderstood by
the dominant party in Congress, and the eff
fort to enact partisan legislation will strength
en- the feeling against the Republican leaders
and ensure the election of Democratic Pre-
sdent in 1892.
In accordance with the dictation of the
Republican caucus, on Tuesday Senator
Hoar called up his Force Bill. and his de-
mand was sustained by strict party vote.
It was evident that even those Senators who
had expressed their opposition to the iniquit-
GUS measure, have yielded to the party whip
and will vote with their colleagues to fasten
this measure upon the Southern States. The
Democratic Senators. feeling that they are
supported by the conservative sentiment of
the country, will contest every inch of the
ground.
On Wednesday Senator Turpie, of Indiana,
made strong speech against the bill. He
showed that the law was unjustly aimed at
the South alone, and that, although in Penn
sylvania, Ohio and Illinois there are about
100000 colored people, no colored man has
ever been elected to any State office. They
are not barred by any constitution or statute
but by 'the law of race and blood" The
supremacy OF the white race, he said, was
not peculiar to any portion of the United
States but Is as firmly established in Illinois
and Ohio as in Texas and Arkansas. He
added:
The kernel and purpose of the pending
bill was that the law of the land must be SUI
horned to set enmity between the white man
and the black man.
The effect on the colored constituency of
the South would be most unfortunate. The
negroes, stripped of all motive for further
self-exertion, would become perpetual pen
soners on the national treasury. Facile and
venal representatives would be ready for any
assault on the public Golfers; taxes would be
levied on the labor of the white men and wo-
men of the North for the support of the negro
constituencies, who, abandoning every
thought of self-improvement, would idly
wait for their annual dole. The South had
had q period of years rest 1t had made
great industrial progress and invited North
ern capital. This has been the result OF the
Reinstatement of the normal ascendancy Of
the white race. Should this bill become a
law the investor would find in many places
in the South not shares, dividends and in
come, but chilled furnaces, idle mills and
smoking ruins.