Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-04

thor of the declaration of independence lived and died; where Washington and Lee were born, the former to eXemplify love for d nation, and the latter love for a state-it is well, I say that on the historic soil of the old dominion state this new, novel and portentious issue in the cause of popular government should be fought and settled. Perhaps no state of inferior rank would have at tempted this master stroke of ingenuity, to establish the supremacy of a minority, nor would l directly or even by innuendo disparage this minority. If it were pos sible for me to believe in the supremacy of any minority it would be in the illus trious descendants of the pioneers after a civil liberty who have for centuries made the banks of the James, the Rap pahanock, the Shenandoah and the Po- tomac sacred to home, to Christianity, to liberty and to civilization. A secret ballot is the palladium of civil liberty. It gives to suffrage at once it's glory and its power Around 1t gathers the force and security of society. Before it opens the grand prospective of our elective sys- tenn
 The Walton law of Virginia is the first legislative attempt to invade and over throw 1t. Let it be the last.
 MT. Gibson, (rep. of Tennessee), threw a little excitement into the debate, which had been progressing even more prosily than that upon the average election case. He addressed himself to the re- marks by MT. Mccall in his speech upon the Yost-Tucker contest, what the re- publicans of the south now need is to be treated upon robust principles. They have been coddled to the point of de- struction." He hurled back the insinua- tion contained in the sheer. and con- tumely of the word "coddled" The re- cent election, MT Gibson said, showed a greater gain of republican votes in southern states than in any other sec- ton of the country-41 per cent on the average. And the republicans had abso- lutely nothing to sustain them aside from the devotion to principle. He did not know what the gentleman (Mr. McCalD had meant by the words robust princi- ples.' Probably, judging from his re- cord, he meant to notify southern repub- ncans that if one of them came to the house with contest for a seat he would be incontinentiy kicked out. And yet the truth is. passionately declared MT Gibson, that if any man comes here from that section with an adverse ma Jorlty Of thousand, it is absolutely true that if there had been fair election and an honest count his majority would be at least a thousand"
 Cries of "Oh, mo- from MT. Livingston (dem. Ga.); MT. Meredith (dem. Va), and others.
 T repeat that it is absolutely true" shouted MT. Gibson.
 T deny it." said MT. Meredith, "and the gentleman knows it is false.'
 "Of course you deny it." MT. Gibson fairly yelled amidst laughter and ap- plause; tits part of your platform"
 MT Gibson explained that he was not speaking from any interest in the colored vote, for his district comprised but 1900 colored voters, and he came here with majority of over 1S,000.
 Mr Merndtfh.-Co6 ha1r, tho m ioritu Qaughter).
 Mr. Gibson asserted, amid applause, that wherever the white people are in a majority in the south, the republicans were in the majority and that 1t was only by the operation of peculiar election laws in black communities that the democrats were able to secure VI ories.
 If those voters were permitted to cast their ballots as the constitution intended they should be, and the ballots honestly cease. Republicans of the south. he said in conclusion, merely asked for justice.
 MT. Mccall said that what he meant by the remark which had given offense was illustrated by what was desired to be done in this case-to unseat democrat and thereby coddle republican, al- though it would not ask to seat him. The law in the case was constitutional and he thought the house should respect and be bounded by the decision of the supreme court of that state on that mat ter. To do otherwise would. in his opin- ion, be subversive of a republican form of . government in Virginia and be revolu- tionary in character.
 The house refused 127 to 21 to order a vote by yeas and nays on the question and the resolution confirming Mr. Swan sons right to his seat was agreed to by viva voce vote.
 At 4:9O p. m. the house adjourned until tomorrow.
 
 PENSIONS TO BRIDGE BURNERS.
 Washington, Feb. 3.-The house com mittee on invalid pensions today reported favorably the bill pensionng a SIP per month the surviving members and widows of members of the organization known during the late war as the East