Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-12-26
Senators Indulge i'm SIurs,


yesterday a number of unimportant
bills were reported from committees
and placed on the calendar after
which Mr.. Plumb's resolution, fixiur
ing the hour for daily meetings, was
taken up. The resolution offered yes
terday by Mr. Dolph. instructing the
committee on privileges and elections
to inquire ard report whether the right
to vote at any election for presidentia.
electors, members of congress, legis-
latures or officers is denied TO any male
citizen of any state or is abridged ex-
cept for participation in the rebellion
or other crime was taken up. Mr.
Dolph said he particularly wanted the
committee to give attention to whether
some states had not provided in their
constitutions or laws such voting quail
fications as were not permitted by the
fourteenth amendment to the constitu-
ton without an abridgement of con-
gressional representation. He said the
constitution recently adopted in Mis-
sissippi did impose such qualifications
and the representation OF that state
should be abridged He sent to the
clerks desk and had read the recent
inaugural message OF Governor Till
man of South Carolina. which, he said,
was an official declaration that the great
mass of the colored men of ohe south
were not fit to exercise the elective
franchise; that the white people of the
south were in control of the state gov
ernments and proposed to maintain con-
troll at all hazards. The propositions
showed clearly, Mr.. Dolph said, that
the colored people of the south would
not be permitted to vote us long as
they voted the republican ticket OF
where their voting would secure repub-
lican control.
Mr., Vest moved an amendment in
structing the committee to inquire fur
Their, whether by any state legislation
any citizen of the United States was
denied the right to work on public i'm
provement by reason OF their color.
He read a clause from IL recent statute
of the Oregon republican legislature
authorizing the building of bridges and
providing that none but white laborers
should be employed on the works. II
miSh be, Mr.. Vest said, that the pro
vision was intended to exclude Chinese
labor, but the language of the statute
excluded Mongolian, Indian and negro.
Democratic states had never denied
the negro the right to earn his bread
by his honest labor.
Mr.. Dolph replied, and in the fur
Their discussion an allusion to Till
mans message brought out u declara
tion from Mr. Butler that he was per
fectly willing to stand by that message
Mr.. Dolph said he was informed
that Mr.. Butler himself had threatened
the colored men in his employ that h,
would discharge them if they voted
the republican ticket.
Mr.. Butler replied that whoever
made that statement was guilty of ;
deliberate and willful falsehood.
Mr.. Hoar arose and said he hat
made the statement having read with
in twenty-four hours in Il public docu
ment the testimony of the senator from
South Carolina before committee il
which he said he had told the coloreC
people on his plantation that he should
dismiss them if they voted the repub
lican ticket.
Mr.. Butler-Then the remark
made applies of course to the senator
from Massachusetts.
Mr. Hoar replied that he was not t,
be deferred from saying what he ha,
to say either by the manner or beha
vior OF Mr.. Butler.