The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-07-16
CAPT.WlLLIAMS' SPEECH
I'm support Of tho National Election Law
Necessity of AN Honest Ballot.

In support Of tho National Election Law
Necessity of AN Honest Ballot.
In the debate in the House on the Fed
eral election bill, Capt. Williams, of the
DAYTON (Ohio) district, made short
speech, which received especi Il attention
from the fact that the speaker and his
family are closely identified with the
south. Following are extracts:
Il approach tnis question with the
frank admission that L look at II with the
eyes of soldier of the Union army, anx-
ious to secure what L believe TO be the
legitimate results of the late war. not
with the desire to humiiiate the proud
people of the South. My father was born
in Virginia, my mother was born and
reared TO womanhood in the shadow of
the Natural Bridge, my wife was born IN
Texas, and my children were born IN
Tennessee. therefore, by the ties of
ancestral blood and domestic affection
am bound to the people of the South in
bond of sympathy that would prevent
me from doing them an Intentional in
justice. | honor ther bravery, admire
but dep,ore the determined struggle their
states men have made for tho last twenty
five years TO regain In the halls of Con-
gress what they lost on the te1d of.bat-
tie. But as an American citizen / be-
lieve that the time has come when, in
elections for President and members of
Congress, the elector, white or black,
shall be protected by the strong arm of
the National Government in securing
free ballot and in having an honest count.
L will not here discuss whether the nation
was wise In giving negroes the right or
suffrage, but IN the swirl of the battles
fierce flame the shacAle that made them
slaves were melted. and Art. ID of the
Constitution placed in their hands the
ballot and clothed them in the sacred
mantle of American citizenship, and l
believe il TO be our dut' to protect them
in exercising the right to vote for the
candidate of their choice without ques-
ton and without restraint.
Besides, there is nothing in the meas
ure under discussion that will prevent
the State Government and the people of
the South from throwing around a free
ballot such restrictions as wise states
manship would suggest as best for the
local self-government of the South. But
we do insist that in electlng members of
Congress the colored m ans ballot shall
express his sentiments. A member or
Congress elected from the South legis-
lates not for his Sc tion but for the nation;
and if he holds his seat by fraud and
violence the outrage is not local but
South Carolina. Gentlemen object to
the bill because its provisions have
tendency TO cen rAlize the Government of
the people in the hands of the United
States officials. / admit that such Is the
fact. / believe in strong National Gov
eminent One of the lessons of the late
war taught the people of the South was
that this Union is not n rope of sand, held
together at the will of the States, but
that il is an adamantine chain, held to-
gether by the voice and vote of the citi-
zens of nation. by people who are
determined, if it Is necessary, to preserve
one country and one flag, to wipe out
every vestige of State rights and relegate
the doctrine of State sovereignty to the
traditions of the past.
The Republican party is bold, pro-
gresslve party; 1t takes no step backward;
its march is always forward. We believe
that taxation and representation 60 hand
in hand; that taxation without representa-
tion Is the creed of tyrants and the
gospel of absolute monarchy.
We belie,e in a strong Government,
one able to protect its citizens from wrong
and oppression in a foreign land, aud also
in the humble cabin of the negro of the
South. We believe in II law that Is so
far reaching that the most powerful and
prOudeSt citizen Is not ABOVE It's lnHu-
ence, aud that the poorest feeblest citi-
zen in the nation can safely rest beneath
its protecting power. Therefore, in an
swer TO the inquiry of the gentleman
from North Carolina MIR. skinner as to
what l would consider a stronger bill, l
answer, national election law, plain,
explicit, and we'll guarded, with heavy
penalties for violation incorporated
therein, for tho eection of President
Vice President, ana members of Con-
gress.
The loyal people of the nation de-
mand that the certitica tes held by mem
bers of Congress shall be untainted by
fraud and violence, and be an honest ex-
pre- ssion of the majority of the voters of
each Congressional district. They have
waited patiently for the evidence of hon
est elections in the South, their hearts
have grown sick and tired of the continu-
Gus tale of fraud and violence that meets
each succeeding Congress on the thresh-
old of the Capitol, and l state 1T as my
deliberate judgment that unless we have
an honest ballot and an honest count the
day is not far distant when a Federal
election law, and not an extension of the
supervisory system already the statute
book, will be enacted and enforced"