their ballots as other
citizens and without jeopardy to person or privilege, they can safely
afford to be governed by the considerations that ordinarily determine
the political actions of American citizens." Senator Bruce asked,
therefore, not for new laws, but rather for the enforcement of the
old. Peace in the South could come, he believed, only by guaranteeing
the protection of the law.

Replying in part to the remarks of Senator Colquitt, from Georgia,
Miller, a representative from South Carolina in the Fifty-first
Congress, spoke impressively on the subject, "Southern Affairs."[78]
The colleague of Miller in this Congress, John M. Langston of
Virginia, spoke at great length on the federal election laws, pointing
out the need for an adequate legislation and its proper
enforcement.[79] He offered, moreover, a measure directing an inquiry
relative to the instructions of the Attorney-General concerning
elections.

To the bill to repeal all statutes relating to supervisors of
elections and special deputy marshals, George W. Murray, a member of
the Fifty-third and Fifty-fourth Congresses, took vigorous
exception.[80] Asserting that such action would have the effect of
promoting the election frauds of the reactionaries in the South, and
that already in the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and South
Carolina, a decided minority of the voting population of each
Congressional district elected regularly the representative to
Congress, he maintained that the present law should not only remain
unchanged, but rather, be vigorously enforced. He introduced,
moreover, measures designed to assure minority representation in
federal elections[81] and to investigate the political conditions in
the State of South Carolina.

INTEREST IN ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

Although not equally interesting to the Negro Congressmen as matters
of political import, to not a few of them problems essentially
economic in character, or at any rate, of economic significance, made
a forceful appeal. Measures designed to provide superior facilities
for the trade and commerce of their communities constituted, in some
instances, the most valuable service rendered by these legislators.

With the interests of his constituency ever in mind, Benjamin S.
Turner of Alabama, a member of the Forty-second Congress, proposed
various measures to effect local improvements.[82] He urged a
distribution of the public lands, proposed a bill to erect a public
building in Se