Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-26
MURRAY IF SOUTH CAROLINA Prefers Serious Charges Against
 State Officers. GR0SSEST IRREGULARITIES In the Manner of Holding Elections in that State, Claimed-i50, GOO Voters Dis
 franchised.
IRREGULARITIES

Washington, Feb. 25.-The house com mittee on elections of president, vice. president and members of congress to- day gave further hearing on the peti- tions presented to the house by MT. Mur- ray, of South Carolina, making certain charges of fraud regarding the elections in that state under the new constitution and requesting a Congressional investiga- tion of the matter
 MT. Wilson (dem. s. @ spoke on the legal aspects of the case, holding that congress had no right to investigate. The milk in the cocoanut he said, was that MT. Murray and his eo-contestants de- sired their testimony to be backed up by evidence collected by congress. This they would use in the contested elec- tion case of MT. Murray when brought before the house. He explained the re- quirements as to registration as being drawn in the interest of the illiterate. He did not approve the plan of investi- gation suggested by MT. Murray. Un- der it the house only would be considered and a report would be made to it. This would not be binding upon the house. The proper procedure would be to nave a joint committee investigate. Mir Mur- nay followed MT Wilson He was not asking the investigation for his own benefit, but for the citizens of South Carolina.
 He had made a successful contest be- fore the house heretofore, and his case for the next congress was already made up.
 If time were only given he would pre- sent to the house the petitions of 10000 citizens from all sections of the state praying for republican, form of govern naent, as was guaranteed them by the constitution.
 MT. Tucker (den., Va.) asked if the peo- pl- who had signed these memorials had been disfranchised.
 MT Murray replied that they had been and added that people who had passed examinations for school teachers had been treated in the sam= way, being classed with the illiterate.
 Under the present state of affairs thousands of negroes had been refused r@gistra ton. There was deep-seated conspiracy to deprive large portion Of the citizens of this state of the right to vote In his district alone over 10000 had been refused registration. The only remedy was to apply to congress for re lisf. The sufferers of the state thought it the duty of congress to investigate the matter and if in it's power to remedy 1t by legislation. No relief could be ob- tainsd in the courts. If congress would make the investigation 1t would satisfy all concerned and they would accept the result as final and binding. A question was asked as 10 Ine tax ing of the oath by the members of the constitutional convention and Murray re- quested MT. Smalls, ex-member of con- gross, and member of the convention to answer it. MT. Smalls said that when a portion of the delegates to the conven- tion had taken the oath Senator Tillman held that 1t was unnecessary and the roll call was suspended, and the matter referred to the judiciary. The commit tee reported that it was unnecessary to take the oath.
 Th., committee adjourned until tomor-