The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-09-26
Reeds Latest Act OF TYRANNY.

The protracted fight which the Democrat
ic members of Congress made against seat
ing Langston, the colored Republican, as a
member fran the fourth district of Virginia,
ended on Tuesday by the Republicans giving
the colored man the place.
The facts in this case are these. Lsngston
had made himself obnoxious to Malone and
his followers, who determined to beat him in
nomination. When the convention met Ma
hone had control and nominated r. w. Ar
mold, white Republican. Langston's friends
seeing he would be beaten, retired from the
hall, organized another convention and NOM
mated him as an independent Republican
candidate. The result was that Venable, the
Democratic candidate, received 1920 votes !;
Arnold, 3,207, and Langston 1867. Ven
able's majority over Langston was 642.
Langston contested Venable's seat and
Speaker Reed and his associates, anxious to
please the colored voters of Virginia and
particularly those of the North, determined
that Venable should be unseaied and the de-
feated colored man put in his place. The
Democrats in Congress resisted the outrage
in every possible way until Tuesday, when,
counting a quorum as usual, the Republicans
passed resolution declaring Langston en-
titled to the place.
This act was an outrage upon the people
of Virginia and indeed of the entire country.
Heretofore, except in reconstruction times,
the people of congressional district have
been permitted to elect their own representa-
tive, but things have changed and Reed and
his fellow conspirators at Washington decide
who shall represent any particular district.
AS fragrant as was this outrage, the Re-
publican majority at the same time commit
ed another gross indecency by seating Thomas
Miller, a colored man, in place of Col. Will
liam Elliott, from the seventh congressional
district of South Carolina. No opportunity
whatever was afforded Col. Elliott to make
his defence before the House, but he was
thrown out in the most unjust and tyrannical
manner.
Republican members, heretofore consider
ed fairminded, sat silently by and permitted
these outrages to be perpetrated.
Ours is no longer representative govern
ment. A set of desperate men, determined
to hold on 10 the offices and supported and
sustained by the monopolists of the country,
who are enriched by the high tariff, do not
hesitate to resort to any means, however I'M
lawful or unfair, to accomplish their purpos-
es 1t is government by brute force and
nothing else.
Every patriotic citizen, Republican as well
as Democrat, should set the seal of his con-
domination upon such high-handed proceed
ings by helping to elect Democratic Con.
gress in November Col. Stump will be
elected in this district, beyond doubt, but
every man who values the free institutions
which are our country's boast, should aid in
giving him such majority as will show that
the people of Hartford, at least, do not favor
such foul abuse of power.
The Philadelphia Times, speaking of this
intense display of partisanshir, says:
In all the history of the United States Con-
gress there has been no such fragrant abuse
of party power as this. If the Democrats
had ever attempted anything approaching it
the whole country would have risen against
them. As it is, the Republican organs take
pains to conceal or disguise the revolutionary
course of the party now in power. But the
country surely will find it out and express it's
judgment with emphasis.