Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-21
FIVE HOURS TALK
BY Senator SpOOner in Strong
Support of the Federal
Elections Bill.
GLOWING EULOGY OF HOAR.
Domiciliary Visits Thought to be
Needed in the South.
SENATOR INGALLS, TAKES A HAND
And Roundly Denounces the Constitution
of Mississippi
GLOWING EULOGY OF HOAR.
SENATOR INGALLS, TAKES A HAND
AS A VERY WICKED DOCUMENT

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2O.-The elections
bill was further discussed in the Senate to-
day. Senator Spoouer opening with long
speech in support of the measure. A stranger
IN the gallery. he said, listening to the de-
bate, without knowledge of the history of
the country, would be impressed with the
:dea that all the love of liberty and devo-
tion to the Constitution and freedom from
partisanship were to be found on the other
side of the chamber.
Gentlemen opposing this bill denounced
it as clearly unconstitutional, and spoke of
their devotion to the Constitution. He
begged them to remember that devotion to
the Constitution was not confined to the
Democratic side. This debate had been
characterized by something of rudenesS.
Defense of Hoar.
Almost every Senator on the other side
mad made harsh and bitter reference to the
Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Hoar).
That Senator needed no defense, and, if this
were otherwise, he was abunGantly able to
take care of himself But he hoped that
the Senator would not think him officious
in saying that he had heard the attacks
with regret and indignation. When Massa-
chusetts counted her jewels, none would be
found richer and brighter than the name
and fame of the Senator in charge OF the
bill. He was the peer of any man who had
ever spoken for Massachusetts, in this
chamber.
Mr. Spoouer then proceeded to defend
Johu I. Davenport from the attacks made
l. ii
contention with documentary evidence) that
the Federal elections law, instead o; being
offensive to the Democrats of the North, had
been put into operation at their request in
many instances.
Quoting Some Southern Testimony.
A good deal had been said (Mr. Spooner
remarked) in connection with what was
called "domicilary visits" but nothing had
been said of the domiciliary visits of night
riders at the South, or OF the shooting of
men and the whipping of women. The
South, he thought, was where the bill was
in special need.
In proof of this he read extracts from
speech made by Mr.. Chrsman in the late
Constitutional Convention of Mississippi,
declaring that since 1875 there had not been
fair election in that State; that, in plain
words, they (the white people, had been
stufing ballot boxes, committing perjury,
and carrying the election by fraud and viz
Ieuce until the whole machinery of elections
was about to rot down. He also read the
qualifications for voters contained in the
new Constitution of Mississippi.
Mr. Spooner pronounced an eloquent and
glowing eulogy on the black race for its
fidelity to the whites of the South through
out the war and inquired whether it was
asking too much to demand that such peo-
pie as that should have justice.
Replying to Stewards Argument.
Referring to Mr.. Stewards speech of yes
terday, and to his remark that the election,
law could not be enforced in the South, be-
cause public opinion would not support it,
Mr.. Spooner remarked: ITO that COM
plexion have we come at last? Have we
fallen en- condition in our country that
called Tor preservation by law of the purity
Of the ballot at the North, but that we must
stop at Mason and Dixon's lineI because
public opinion in the South is in favor of
dishonest and fraudulent and violent sup
press!on of the suffrage? L cannot believe it.
Mr.. Spooner spoke for over FIVE hours, and
his speech was listened to with marked at
reutiOu aud interest on both sides of the
chamber.
Mr.. ingalls, affirmed it as his understand
ing and belize, and as the conviction of the
great mass of the people of the North that
the Constitutional Convention of Mlssis-
sppi had been assembled for the avowed
purpose of disfranchising a majority of Its
citizens who were also citizens of the United
States. II had been assembled for the ex-
press purpose of nullifying and defeating
and overthrowing the amendments to the
Constitution of the United States, by agree
ing to which the State of Mississippi had
secured its readmission into the Union.
Denouncing the Mississippi Constitution.
Addressing his remarks to Southern Sem
ators Mr.. Ingalls said that these people had
retained representation in the House of
Representatives and in the Electoral College,
while they had suppressed the colOred vote.
Mr.. Edmunds asked Mr.. Ingalls, whether
the Mississippi Convention had been called
in accordance with the Constitution of
Mississippi, and whether the results of its
deliberations had been submitted to the
people.
Mr.. Ingalls, replied that he knew nothing
ahou. tue way OF its being called, hut he was
advised and ne believed that contrary to the
usual course pursued in such cases in free
communities, Its results were not submitted
to the people to be voted upon. 1t had
arranged, in some way, to have it declared
the organic law OF the State, without any
action GU the part of the voters. In no
other way could the adoption of such
mOnstrous, tyrannical and despotic device
ever nave been imposed upon a people
claiming TO be free.