Year: 1875

papers Ia his possession show that there ntml
daton "a many counties and said AT least one democratic
newspaper there had called upon It's friends after tho
election 70 be true 10 their party and not recognize
those who had voted the republican ticket Al Coum-
bu- there were armed men, and where there hhd Deen


republican majority 10 previous years there were put
IL republican votes Ballot boxes were taken
possession Of by democrats in republican counties anl
stuffed by them. In YazOo the republican vote ia lotz
437 and the democratic All at the last elec-
tion there were but republican votes cast there who
there were Oh democratic votes and y was sara eas
these republican votes we're put in under compulson
IN order that 4 might be shown that republicans ooud
vote there.


Mr. BAYARD, (deml OF DEL said this resolution, so
far as he knew without precedentn the senate,
and he would like 10 nanire Of the Senator from In
diana tMr Morton under what clause OF the constitution
of the United States he found authority TO make inquiry
in case of this kind.


Mr. MORTON said he did not propose to 60 into con.
stitutiona argument upon this question He had only
TO say that had been decided heretofore as in the
Louisiana case. Besides the Enforcement act had been
violated IN Mississippi and the blow had fallen upon
the colored people, as i was intended TO,


Mr. BAYARD denied that the Louisiana case was simi-
lar to this That investigation was made under clause
OF the constitution which made the senate the solo
judge OF the claims for seats ia that body III law had
been violated in Mississippi the open, and
this was a government of laws Those courts were
open for Indictment OF offenders and for damages
against those who wronged others In those courts the
remedy be found IL could not be said that the
political party friends Of the Senator from Indiana In
Mississippi had full and equal chance before the
law either in the United States OF the State courts
The officers all over the State from the
Governor down to the constable, were OF
the Senator's party, and II thcy could
punish violators OF law IL sad confession for
the Senator to make When the new Senator from
Mississippi here with his credentials If there were
grounds that he not qualified, then tho Senate
could sit judges, but until that time action could
be taken When before, In the history OF this country
did the Senate OF the United propose take
timony in regard to the election of members Of the
other House Of Congress- this resolution proposed TO
do The constitution provides that each House shalbe
the judge OF the qualifications of its own members
The Governor Mississippi asked for federal troops
before the late election TO keep the people in awe The
correspondence between him and the head OF the De-
partment of Justice known to ALL Governor Ames
failed TO show that any existed Tor federal inter-
ference Mr. Bayard then referred to the late Message
of the President and said there not one word about
Southern affairs. The Department OF Justice had It's
agents down there gathering information Tor
the guidance OF that department; yet there
was not one word Of suggestion as to these
alleged wrongs If these things existed there
It remarkable that the President Of the United
States maintained dead silence on the subject All
this matter comes from the Senator from Indiana,
who always seemed to have in his possession state
mens hostile toward the people OF the southern States
some assertions without character against the whoe peo
Pile of that country This was revolutionary propo-
ston; 1t was but another step toward the con-
solidaton of power which the people OF this country
This the first time that the Senate Of the
United States sought to take testimony concerning the
election Of members in the House OF Representatives,
AT the time these Southern people found helpless
and bleeding at the feet Of the senator from Indiana
and his party, the Senators OF his (Bayard's) side
asked when the time come that the Southern
States could be rehabilitated The Senator from lndi-
lMorton) was asked then what warrant he found



answer When asked why he would interfere with
Louisiana or Mississippi any more than he would with
New Jersey or New York he answers Nv nave me
right to deal with these Southern states" In the
Senator's State OF Indiana there had been great
change in the popular vote recently.


Mr. MORTON said Yes, and there might be change
in the popular vote in the Senator's State, Delaware


Mr.. BAYARD d:-Yes sir; but II my people express
their will against me at the ballot box Will come
here TO ask the Senate 10 revolutionize my country
(Applause IN the gallery


Mr. BAYARD, rosuming, said The Senate, by giving
the proposition of the Senator from Indiana
would declare that elections in the State were to be
judged by the Senate OF the United States


Mr. THURMAN, of Ohio, said the resolution OF the
Senator from Indiana had not been referred to any
committee. 1t brought in by the Senator yester
day and contained preamble, "Whereas II is alleged
that these disorders existed He (hr Thurman
asked by whom it was allegedY Not by the President
OF the United States any department OF the govern
mont or by any paper before the Senate IL
alleged by papers, the address OF which was in the
private pocket OF the senator from Indiana. Did the
Senator to foresta the judgment Of the Senate
by gong into an inquiry which should not come 70 the
Senate before 1877 When comes to decide upon he
credentials OF persons VINO might come there claiming
O seat from the State OF Mississippi, other Senators
would be the chamber then TO decide that question,
and this Senate had right to oresa their Judgment
dc referred at some length to the LOUISIANA cases,
and argued that 1t was no precedent Tor the
action now proposed. In the Louisiana
the investigation not ordered until after the
credentials OF the persons claiming seats from that State
were presented II would not do for him tfhurman
say that this attempt the part OF the Senator
from Indiana TO get up electioneerng document at





asked himself what right the Senate had TO pass such
resolution he would lind 1t impossible to give himself
a satisfactory He Thurmanl agreed with the
Senator from Delaware that the courts were open in
Mississippi and If the Enforcement act had been vo
lated the offenders could be punished


Mr. MoRTos said in his opinion this debate on the
part Of his democratic friends simply extraordi
nary Ii conflict with the whole OF their course
in the Louisiana case He argued that the Louisiana
investigation was ordered by the Senate before the
credentials OF the applicants for seats were pre-
scntcd, and he believed that the Investigation was
nf Ac
(Thurmanl and Delaware (l}ayardl Now they had dis
covered that there power TO make an invcsiga
ton He argued that the power to make this invcsti-
CATION was derived from several clauses IN the constu
ton That instrument said the United States must
guarantee republican government TO every state If
ballot boxes were TO be stuffed as Ia Mississippi, the
whole Republic would be overthrown. HIS friend from
Delaware iBayardl had said this a revolutionary
measure. 1t was not a revolutionary measure but q
guard against revolution The Senator Bayard SAID If
the republicans should carry his State he would not
come here for relief He (Morton) was quite sure that
If the republicans to carry that State by the
means which the democrats carried Mississippi the
last Of It would be heard The democrats would
let these outrages 60 on, and II republicans made fuss
about they were told that they we're lighting the hres
OF discord


Mr. GORDON ldem of Ca said he arose to correct to
some extent Of the impressions about Mssiss ppi
which the Senator from Indiana had received from
newspapers but he could catch all the Senator
said he would like the debate to go over until he could
read his remarks


Mr. MIrcnELL, trcp) OF Oregon submitted the fol-
lowing


Resolved That the President be requested TO furnish the
Senate incomp atibe with the public service. with
or the number Of military arrests made in the
Territory Of Alaska during the past three together
with the date Of each charge which the arrest IN
made the of the arrested and
period of imprisonment of each in that Territory before
trial before surrender the civil authorities for trial


Agreed to-


Mr. SNScER OF Alabama moved that when the
Senate adjourned to-day II be to meet Monday next
Rejected


The Senate then, at fifteen minutes past two p NJ, on
motion of Mr.. EDNUnDs, went into executive session


At half-past four the doors we're reopened and the
Senate adjourned till tomorrow.


THE RELIEF FUND.


NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 1875.