Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1890-08-02

Mr.. McCOMAS. i will yield FOR a
moment only.
Mr.. TILLMAN. I understood the
gentleman to say just now, perhaps
on the authority of some other per
son, that in the State OF South Caro-
lima supervisors of election are sent
from one county to another, or
from one precinct TO another.
Mr.. MCCOMAS. have been so in
formed
Mr.. TILLMAN / beg him to give
his authority for that assertion.
Let him point out the law, for l new
er heard of any such thing.
Mr.. MCCOMAS. will endeavor to
look into il.
Mr.. ROWELL. l will state the
fact that in the Seventh District of
South Carolina. at the last Congress
siOnal election the precinct inspec-
tors of one precinct came from an
I other Congressional district and
held the precinct election.
Mr. TILLMAN. BY what authori-
| ty; where is the law?
Mr.. ROWEEL. They did il and
they were Democrats, every one.
MIR. TILLMAN. Where is the
law?
Mr.. McCOMAS, 1t seems to have
been a fact.
Mr.. TILLMAN. Vourhed perhaps
by p-rjnred testimony am serrs
the gentleman6annot point out the
law.
MIR. McCOMAS. All the Democrats
OF South Carolina are not like my
distinguished friend. When an cleo
ton is to be carried all of them do
not enquire: "Where is the law?"'
bat the only search TO find out where
they can get the results. A,,plause
on the Republican side
Mr.. TILLMAN. | do not like to
hear my State slandered, and the ex-
istence of laws alleged TO be of force
there that are not of force and never
have been of force, and never will be
OF force. with our consent.
Mr.. MCCOMAS. / will say to the
gentleman from South Carolina Mr..
TILLMANl that / have read that
eight ballot-boA" law, and read the
testimony In the case OF Smalls VS..
Elliot, in the last Congress. think
that some of the men who have as
sembled in the State Legislature of
South Carolina have so foully SLAM
dered his state by such an act and
calling il law that all his eloquence
cannot wipe it out
Mr.. TILLMAN. Sir the eight bal
lot-box law which you criticise so Sc
verely was the election law of South
Carolina from shortly after the Rev
olutiOnary war down to the civil war
and we merely re-enacted il since the
Democrats recovered control of the
State.
Mr.. MCCOMAS. So much more the
shame and pity it. So much more
the reason that for twenty-five
years there has been no progress
from the patriarchal, patrician.
plantation government, in the direc-
ton OF the inter- sts of the rights of
all the people
Mr.. TILLMAN. Sir. that law was
simply "A practical educational Qunli-
hcation OF suffrage and nothing
more. Besides, our Eslersil Flee
lions are held separately and apart
from State elections, SO that we have
but one Federal box ON off year, and
but two Federal boxes n Presidenl
tial year. Hence, there is no excuse
for this bill as far as South Carolina
is concerned.
Mr.. McC0MAS. | am glad to see
that many of the good citizens of
South Carolina are FESTIVE under
such "a law, among them a distin-
guished gentleman, bearing the same
name as the gentleman from South
Carolina | am glad TO rec that
they are in upheaval and uprising
against the Oligarchy that has so
long controlled and perpetuated
some of the worst laws on the
statute-book and minority rule
in that State.
Mr.. TILLMAN. If that he true.
why do you seek to bind our decent
white people together by chains, or
rather, why do you propose to pin
us together with bayonets, as i'm this
bill?
Mr.. MCCOMAS. / say that there is
no bayonet in this bill. 1t upholds
simply the power and dignity of the
courts, trial by jury, the majesty OF
the law, and the Constitution of the
country.
Mr.. TILLMAN. You simply pro-
pose to put the judiciary above the
legislative authority of the Govern
ment, which is IN violation of every
principle OF civil and constitutional
liberty that prevails wherever the
English language is spoken. Zap
plause on the Democratic side.l
Mr.. McCOMAS. ! can not yield
| for a speech; but in answer To NV
friend will say when Legislative
power takes from the people the in
herent power of local control and
self-government, it is time TO invoke
some power under the Constitution
of the country that may stand be-
! tween the macninations OF PARTISAN
legislators, aud of a partisan and
violent oligarchy and the rights of a
the control of the elections OF Judges
of the probate court, the men who
care for the estates of the people,
the interests of the widows and
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