The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-04-04
CONGRESS TO ACT

Congress will take a. hand in Gov.
Tillman's seizure of the railroads and
telegraph lines. The morning papers
have the following:
WASHINGTON, April 3.-Gen. Grosvenor, Of
the House this afternoon :
Whereas, the following ,elegraphic mes.
sages appear in the public newspapers Of this
city, to-wit: .
NEW YORK, April FIRED J.. Loudet,e,
New York Recorder correspondent, Columbia,
S. c.: Where are your dispatches? Moth.
ing received up to this hour.
GEORGE W. TURNER.
WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH OFFICE.
1875 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, April Q.
George W. Turner :1Yonr telegram dated
tonight TO Londet,e, Columbia, S. c., is unde-
livered, the reason being given that it fails TO
meet the approval Of the military sergeant
in charge there. N. w. RAyNEs,
Manager Receiving aud Delivery Depart
ment.
DARLINGTON, S. c., April Q
To George W. Turner, New York: The
telegraph here is closed to all newspaper dis
patches. 1t is impossible at this hour to get
anything through. The matter was fled
hours ago. Ricbbourg says be cannot allow
it to go under his orders from Governor
Ti!lmau. August Kohn,
New York Recorder Correspondent.
And whereas, it is generally reported and
it is probably true that armed bodies Of men
purporting to act under some civil and mill
tary authority have taken possession by force
and violence of certain telegraph lines en-
gagged 10 Interstate commerce, and that such
forces nave with armed violence established
or assumed censorship of the daily and week
ly press of the country /; and prohibited traus-
mission of new dispatches to the newspapers
of the country, and with threats of violence
and bloo1shed have interfered with the 1nteE-
State commerce of the country, and have
wres'ed by force of arms the means and
facilities aud appliances of Interstate com
merce, and that certain armed forces, pretend
ing to act under orders of some autho rity
claiming to have and to exercise paramount
authority 10 a certain State or States over
such means of commerce, have seized with
force and violence certain railroad property,
cars, locomotives and other rolling stock, and
have assumed to demand and exercise the
right to dictate the terms upon which Inter-
State commerce upon such railroads may be
exercised aud carried on.
and whereas, it is currently asserted that
such acts and doings have operated to sus-
pend the business of the people, cut off COM
munication with all the people of the United
States, outside Of the districts so affected, and
to paralyze and destroy all Interstate com.
merce of certain kinds 10 certain portions of
the country /; therefore,
Resolved by the House of Representatives,
that the standing committee Of this House on
Interstate and foreign commerce be author
lied and required to make full and definite in
quiry as to what has been done in. the prem
ises, by whom and under what law or author
ity any such acts or doings have taken place,
and what, if any, condition of any such Sec
ton Of the country made such acts or doings
necessary, and whether the laws of the Uoited
States have been violated herein and by whom
and under what pretext and whether the peo-
Pile Of any such State have been terrorized by
such violence, threats. of bloodshed and the
presence of armed men in their midst; and
such committee is authorized to send for per-
sons and pa1eSs, employ q clerk and steno-
grapher c-dd Eake report in writing, with any
evid-nce taken by such committee, and to re-
port to this House without delay all the facts
relating to the said situation pertinent and
proper to be known under this inquiry.