The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-27


The fact that Kentucky and MARYLAND are
in a state of profound quiet, whilst Tennessee
is disturbed and agitated. is remarkable
commentary on the radicalplan of conducting
the State governments. The New York
Tribune in giving one of its htcs,s non
hlcendo explanations of this phenomenon,
says that Kentucky and Maryland are under
the control of ''the rebel element and the
radicals being peaceable. law-abiding citizens,
everything remains quiet; whilst on the con-
trary. Tennessee is controlled by the 'sloy-
alists, and the ''rebels" being naturally sedi-
tious, agitation and disturbance are the neces-
saTy consequence. But, the fact is, that in
Kentucky and Maryland the right of suffrage
is exercised now, as always hitherto, by the
white citizens. No man is disfranchised on
account of political opinion. The majority
rule and the majority is composed of that in
telligent and industrious population which
has always constituted the political commu-
nifty in those States. There is no ground for
agitation, for disturbance, for social up
heavals. An instruction of the negroes and
radicals against the white people would be
equaled in its absurdity, only by its hopeless
ness. In Tennessee, on the contrary, the
population. which has always constituted the
political community of that State is disfran-
chised. The government is usurped by a
faction of radicals aided by newly created
negro voters. The minority rules, and the
minority is composed mainly of an ignorant
and thriftless race, controlled by political ad-
venturers. In 1852. on the question of sepa-
ration, 152 ,143 votes were cast in the State
all of these being, of course, white votes. In
1867 the number of votes cast was 81, 032.
of which %, were Democratic, and
74a84 were radical
If the negro vote bore the same proportion
to the total negro population as the white vote
to the white population, the negro vote in
1867 was AZ, 1872, and the white vote 80, 140.
Thus 103, 600 have been DISTINGUISHED in Ten
nessee. Had there been no Acknowledgement
the total Democratic vote would have been
10000 against "a, 4S4 Republican votes, COM
posed of 1900 negroes and $1,000 whites.
Thus 27,0oO white men are enabled to govern
10000 men, and to govern by depriving
their fellow citizens of rights which radicalism,
while declaring them to be natural and in
coolly and remorselessly suppresses. |
1t is not wonderful that the DISTINGUISHED |
whites, embracing as they do the wealth, the
intelligence and the numbers of the State, are |
and sullen. 1t is not astonish- |
ing that the mysterious K. K X. has grown |
into formidable dimensions, inspiring Just
terror in the hearts of the tyrants and plum
derers who have established an oligarchy of |
ignorance and vindictiveness, supported by |
force and fraud. The example of Tennessee
IS conspicuous illustration of radical policy,
and of the consequences which inevitably
low from radical rule. 1t is surprising in
Iced not that Tennessee is disturbed by agi-
alton, but that her people have so long SUBJ
nitted to the odious domination of Brown
ow and his gang of plunder1ng oligarchs
t may be very good strategy to disfranchise
he population of a State in order to enable a
action of unprincipled Adventures to ride
ough-shod over the people; but it is kind
If strategy which is sure to fail in the end.
The trooly loil carpet baggers who ex-
'eet that, by the aid Of negroes they can per-
nanently domineer over the white people of
Tennessee, or of any other State, will find that
hey might as well attempt to reverse The re-
olution of the globe on its axis.