The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-13
NEGROES AT THE POLLS.
FRANCHISE RESTRI TIOSs STIR UP
THE SENATE.

Democrats Spring the Ruling Out of
Negro Labor by Oregon's Republican
Legislature enator Butler Char ed
With Discharging Negroes for Vot-
ing the Republican Ticket, and the
Fur Flies.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12-In the Senate to-
day the resolution offered yesterday by Mr..
Dolph, instructing the committee. on privi-
leges and elections to inquire and report
whether the right to vote at any election
for presidential electors, members of con-
gress or state legislators or officers. is
denied to any male citizen Of
any state, or is abridged, except
for participation in the war between the
states or other, was taken up; and Mr..
DCiph stated the reasons which had induced
aim to offer it. As the census Of the United
States had just been taken, and the number
of inhabitants ascertai ned, it became the
duty Of congress to reapportion the repre-
sentatlon TO the several states Some OF the
senators on his side of the chamber and
some of the leading newspapers of the
country had suggs sted that an inquiry
ought to be made whether or not
the right Of representation based On
reason Of denial or abridgment of the
suffrage to citizens of the United States
over 81 years of age. What he desired the
committee on privileges and elections to
give special attention TO was, whe her some
states had not provided in their constitu-
tloEs or laws such voting qualifications as
were not permitted by section 2 of the four
teentF. amendment to the constitution,
with out an abridgment of the representa-
tleT..
MISsISSIPPIS NEW CONSTITUTION.
He claimed that the constitution recently
adopted in Mississippi did impose such
qualifications, and that therefore the repre-
sentation of that state should be abridged.
He had some Of the sections of the consutu-
tion of Mississippi read at the clerks desk,
showing that the payment of all taxes with a
uniform p II tax of S2.) and ability to read
and explain the state constitution are
requisites for the exercise of the electiv We
franchise. He did not deny the
power of state to make such provisions
and to require such qualifications; Ut he
asserted that il they were made, and if, by
them. citizens Of the United States had
their right of suffrage denied or abridged,
the rep esentation OF such state ought to be
diminished in like proportion. The
state of Mississippi he said, was
not the only state that imposed
restrictions on the right OF suffrage. The
state of Wyoming disfranchised persons
going into the state who are unable to read
the constitution of the United States The
states of Massachusetts, and Connecticut, he
uuderS ood, imposed like conditions. II it
were true, he said, that abridgement of the
right to vote was not permitted by the con-
stltution of the United States without
a reduction of representation 10 congress,
thea it was the duty of congress to ascer-
tain what states required qua lhcatlonS
other than those permitted by the constitu-
tlon.
TILLMAN's INAUGURAL READ.
He sent to the clerks desk and had read
the recent inaugural address of Gov. Till
man Of South Carolina, which he said was
an official declaration that the great mass
OF the colored men of the south were not fit
TO exercise the elective franchise, and that
the white people were in control of the
government and proposed to IN intain con-
troll at all hazards. These two propositions
taken together showed clearly, he said, that
the colored people of the south would not
be permitted to vote so long as they voted
the republican ticket or where their voting
would secure republican control.
Mr.. Vest moved an amendment instruct
ing the committee to inquire further
whether by any state legislation any citi-
Eens Of the United States were denied the
right to work on any public improvements
by reason OF their color.
NEGROES RULED OUT IN OREGON.
While the senator from Oregon expended
his logic and eloquence on the wrongs of the
colored people OF the south ne (Mr. Vest)
simply desired with equal handed justice)
10 commend to HIM the legislation of the
republican legislature of Oregon, which
deprived the negro citizens of that
slate of the right to labor
on works of public Improvement. Mr..
Vest read a clause from the recent statute
OF the Oregon legislature authorizing the
building of a bridge and providing that
none but white labor should be employed on
the work. 1t might be said (Alr. Vest re-
marked) that the provision was intended to
exclude Chinese labor; but the language of
the statute was white labor" and it ex-
cluded Mongolian, Indian and negro. Not
one OF the 5000 negro soldiers who fought
10 tne union army could draw dollar for
MS labor on the bridge authorized by the
legislative assembly of Oregon.
NEVER DONE BY THE SOUTH.
Whatever might be said of the democratic
states Of the union, not one of them had
ever denied to the negro the right to earn
m nIS bread and that of his family by his own
honest labor. Not one democratic state
Had ever perpetrated such an outrage.
Mr Dolpl replied to Mr.. Vest, aud the
discussion drifted into a question of the
treatment of Cinnamon on the Pacific
coast
Further allusion to Mr. Tlilman's inau-
kural message brought out declaration
rom Mr.. Butler that he was perfectly will
tug TO stand by that message, and that it
was conclusive proof to his mind that there
neIe no people on this continent who were
uaiL SO anx Gus to settle e race difficulties
S were the people of the south.
CHARGE OF INTIMIDATION.
Ar. Dolph said that he was informed by a
aeuator on his side of the chamber that the
senator himself had threatened the colored
men IN his employment that he would dis
GInarge them if they should vote the repuo-
Acan tic ct.
Mr.. Butler-Whoever made that state
1hieAt 'sguilty of a deliberate and willful
hood. '''''' A'0 I'LL"
MF. Hoar-Supposs that / read within
S"eAty-four hours testimony Of the senator
I'm I'm nth Carolina before q committee of
s,os -9 Loly or of the other house. in which ne
IaVeI That he had told the colored people on
r. pantatlon that he should dismiss thsm
I'm his employment II they voted che
y, Ctlcan ticketl | made the statement
,as !Se' 10 the senator from Oregon. Laugh
0h the de nocratic side,l
bCrLER STANDS HIS GROUND.
~ butlpr-Then the remark that
Nae No,Is applies, Of course, 20 the senator from