Los Angeles herald., 1890-06-27
FEDERAL ELECTIONS.
A Hot Partisan Debate in
the House.
The National Election Bill I'm
der Fire.
Southern Statesmen Fight Manfully
for Their Rights.
The Attempt to Render the White Voters
of the South Powerless Strenu-
ously Resisted.
Associated Press Dispatches. |

Associated Press Dispatches
WASHINGTON, June 26.-In the house
today bill passed granting fifteen days
leave to clerks in first and second-class
postoffices. The regular order being de-
manded, Lodge, of Massachusetts, be-
gan the debate upon the national cleo
ton bill.
Lodge made an eloquent speech in
warmly congratulated by the Republi-
cans.
Hemphill, of South Carolina, argued
that the bill was unconstitutional; it
was not national, but sectional. There
was no more iniquitous provision in the
bill than the one providing for the ap-
pointment of an unnumbered number OF
men absolutely under the direc-
ton of the supervisor. He ex-
amined in detail the provisions relating
to supervisors and said the whole bill
seemed framed against the voters and in
favor of the supervisor. A good deal
had been said about the new south;
but what the country really needed was
view suggested by the facts, and not by
preconceived prejudices; that does not
believe it has all the virtue and the rest
of the country none; that would not
think the Anglo-Saxon in the south al
ways in the wrong when he had any
trouble with the African. What was the
use of talking about free ballot in
Kansas, when the state had been so
gerrymandered that the 147 900 Demo
Gratis of Kansas had never been repre-
sented ON this floor?
Kelly. of Kansas, asked: "How do you
expect to get Democrat here when
there are not four Democratic counties
in the state ?"
Hemphill-It does not matter about
how many Democratic counties there
are, the Democrats never have been rep
resented here. If there were fair rep
resentation on this floor, the proportion
would be 1853 Democrats, 154 Republic
cans, five Prohibitionists and two Labor
men. When the Republicans of the
north have taken the beam out of their
own eyes and fixed the laws so that the
peoples wishes may be honestly eX-
pressed when they have practiced as
they have preached, the southern Demo-
Gratis will receive them with open arms.
Uuder this system which it is proposed
to revive, the people of the south have
been robbed some years ago by picked
Williams of the north, backed up by the
United States army. The south did not
want to be put in that position again.
"We," Mr.. Hemphill continued, know
we must either rule that country or leave
it. Now, for myself, before the people
of the United States and before God, in
Ill T
it. TApplause.] do not hesitate to say
that the colored man has as many rights
as | have, but he cannot have his rights
and mine too; and this law is intended
to put him again in control of the south
ern states; intended to awaken that
race prejudice which is fast dying out !;
intended to bring about again that con-
slant irritation and clash between the
two colors in the south, which will re-
tard its growth and be destructive OF
every principle of human government"
Hemphill was loudly applauded by
the Democrats as he sat down, and
nearly all of them pressed forward to
congratulate him.
Bingham reported the postoffice ap-
preparation BILL and the house nom
concurred in the senate amendments.
Consideration of the election bill was
resumed, and Rowell, of Illinois, adj
dressed the house in favor of it. He said
the number was not few Of those who
believed that six years ago Cleveland
was counted into the presiden-
tial chair by corrupt officials at
the polls in his own state, to say moth
ing of the suppression OF votes in all
parts of the south, and the number was
increasing ever day of those who be-
lieved it. If that belief honestly existed,
ought it not to be the wish of every repre-
sentative of the people to SO conduct the
elections as to make the charge impossi-
BILE of belief in the future? 1t was every
where in northern circles believed that
the black vote of the southern states
was suppressed and the fifteenth amend
ment nullified.
Oates, OF Alabama, Crisp, of Georgia,
Lewis, OF Mississippi, and others
took occasion at this point to
state that the elections in their
districts were perfectly fair. Rowell de-
clared that in some districts OF the
south, bodies of armed men went from
poll to poll and destroyed the ballot
boxes; in others the boxes were stuffed
and the true ballots thrown out; in
others military companies were
OTSdnlIcu W DIc CbIllOll IlOI
ing and night, "to let the
darkies know that there is going to be a
fair election; the cabins OF negroes
were fired into, and if that were not sue
cessful and the negroes turned out the
military officers made the polls target
for target practice.
Oates, of Alabama, asked for the
names of the districts, and Rowell
named three in Mississippi and one in
Arkansas.
This brought McRae to his feet with a
strong denial, and soon Rowell and
Breckenridge were talking at the same
time. When quiet was restored Rowell
finished his speech, and Lehlbach (Re-
publican) spoke against the bill. Such
law would bring about a conflict OF
authority and a deplorable state OF
affairs.
Tucker, of Virginia, spoke against the
bill and the house adjourned.
UNSIGNED NOTES.