New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-07-16


ny Will then determine the question OF sufrage The
heory OF the Democratc party will be that the States
non 10 mat theory when they pass Reconstruction
aSIs lgsoIe e southern Constitutions OF 1868 aud by
eler universal or qualfedl VIII such action upon
her part be directly IN antagOnism TO their protested
principles and their legislation be following directly in
e Footsteps OF the Republicans whom they censure so
grayey for regulating suffrage I'm the States sbonIJ the
Supreme Court declare the acts Unconstitutional and
the state governments VOID, what government wiz he in
ekseneef Can anarchy then be avoided without the in
PREVENTION OF Congress- and invasion OF the night OF
the STATE 70 regulate this question Will the Con-
viii the officers in office, when those Const 'it
tons were superseded In 1868 be rensated II (which
SET OF oncels The terms of all of them viii have ex
PRED How will elections he ordered to FIJI their yacap
cesi Upon neither of the foregoing theories can the
tsnV vi suffrage IN The States be regulated otherwise
Ihan " congress Does any rejecting believe for
moment mat Congress in 1871 will remit these States
10 IelJOlla ana chaotic condition and require to
go through new process OF rcsorationl The Southern
people need not deude themselves with false expeca
Ohs. wien inc ilme arrives II the Democratic party
are in power and the regulation OF suffrage in the States
is the recognized principle, depend upon IT, statu quo
then, are We to rely upon TO relieve the body polite
the continuance OF universal suffrage with
so much Ignorance prevailing among the vot-
syey with ourselves It win prove iIusory to rely upon
help emanating from any other source Intelligence and
later controlled the of the ignorant and
the dependent and in time the result viii follow
here That the cOOTcd vote should have sustained the
Republican party in the recent elections is surprising
especially when it Is remembered that the party was
sOhdied by the organization Of another party whose
principles as ayowed, looked TO the Reputation, at
Congress has granted TO the coored man When he
called upon TO cast his ballot and the issue presented
was to sustain the party which had first proclaimed his
freedom enacted the Freedmens Bureau and Civil Rights
Dill which had extended TO him the right of universal
Suffrage ana was thcn struggling to maintain ITS eXis
tence against the party which in Congress and elsewhere
opposition TO Republican ideas was to volun.
tary renounce the elective franchise much esteemed
as public bOonit not at all surprising that the bal
3t OF Ihe coloed man was cast nearly as unit against
the ADVICE and Influence OF the great majority OF tho
ton of suffrage settled, he will learn that his best
friends and safest advisers those with whom he has
the colored people VIII soon begin to acquire property
and they viii at once appreciate the identity OF political
race This interest, combined with disappearance OF
thaG Pto o ana dsTast which now EXISTS, WILL
the whites IN imposing such restrictions upon the right
OF suffrage VIII secure society against umut disorder
and vicious legislation TO the white, and TO the mteli
gent cOlored man alone, therefore do look for lma
ton Of the ght Of suffrage and its establishment upon
the basis OF an educational property qualification.
Should they fall however, they will control and direct
the vote Of the Ignorant and thus exert q con-
seryatiye influence upon the welfare OF the State.
The Governor dwells at some length further this
topic, and then says:
The Reconstruction acts have given TO the military
commanders almost absolute power In the Southern
classes of officers and to appoint Others unqucsonahy
constituted the military superior TO the evil AUTHORITY
therefore, ave sought 10 avoid collision with this as
sumed superior power and thereby secure the least inter
nave invited no controversy and provoked 30 antago-
nisn, and IS my duty and pleasure TO say that IN the
main, the military have rarely intcrered with the officers
OF the state in the performance of their duties The pres
ent Military Commander has rarely intcrfered with the
have been addressed to him TO nterpose his authority
ne mas 9yaiapy referred lTm TO- lne LOT C H %
with a sugle exception, and all the thauctiors,
yielded obedience to such military orders as have
las bnen cxbibited nv MI other Executive. Judi.
Cia
men has been cminenuy wise IL has secured INC re-
tenton OF the officers elected by tie people themselves,
and the execution and enforcement Of their laws.
obedience had been refused by any department there
he doubt but removals would have taken place,
and strangers appointed to FIJI the vacancies Every
officer in the state therefore who could corscentiousy
carry out the military orders has rendered an essential
service TO the people in that lac has relieved the citizen
from what, in all probability, would have been much
law in case Of the exhibition Of any c0utumacy.
in adopting tins general line Of policy and endcavor-
Ing to carry out In good faith the provisions OF the re-
construction acts, was satisfied that the citizen would
be better protected in person and property than II the
cyl structure were overturned and M iiru OF ~ H tA
cusvey military government was established have
cheerfully and efficiently with the civil authority,
whenever they have been called upon 70 do so; and the
intervene, for the benefit Of the citizen, in whose case
the rigOr Of military authority might have been OPP
abled 10 effect notifications OF military orders that might
have borne heavily upon communities by this course Of
only been materially reduced, but levied upon more
equitable and acceptable basis than heretofore. BY this
OF cOnciiaOn have been enabled 10 secure the
usual support for the public Institutions and they have
been fOstered and encouraged. Public improvements
have not been arrested but pushed forward 10 state 81
completion And finally, harmony and peace have been
preserved and the great interests Of the commonwealth
been promoted, that the people Of the State have not
materially experienced the usual inconvenience Of mill
taTy rule. And ! now repeat what has already been
stated namely that the peace Of society the liberty Of
the citizen the protection Of person aud property the
usual ayOCatOns ana eDplOymcnts 81 the CuZcb, ana
the regular administration Of justice, have been inter
fered with and Obsructcd little iu South Carolina
any other OF the 10 States under military rule.
The Executive might have gncd or have refused 70
recognize the acts Of Congress, and the military orders,
Appeals Of the Circuit Courte and Of the Court Of Chan
cery District officers, Tax Collectors Magistrates, and
others might have adopted similar policy But what
would have been tne RESULT Their places would have
been filed by strangers having neither interest sym
pnhy with population or there would have been
established an absolute military government, With bay
ouets aud 10 enforce military law, 10 AFFORD
the protection demanded by the various classes IN the
community 10 may be that those holding Official posi-
tous in South OrOliua, who have adopted the course
which has been pursued, have actcd hhWsey but ~ ~
doubtful whether q conscientious man can he found
within the limits OF the State who VIII not admit lhat by
this policy the citizen has been protected from the am
traray oppression Of the bayOnct power IL remains Tor
the people say whether their executive luuclai ahd
ministerial officers have not, under all tie CIRCUMSTANCES
acted i'm accordance with the dictates of wisdom ana pat
rotisin and pursued the only policy which cOulu secure
the peace and prosperity OF the state
In conclusion Gov Orr cOmmcnds his successor Gov
K Scott to the cooperation Of the people and asks for
his Administration full and fair trial. aud for their avos
to himself during a years Of public service retains MS
sincere thanks and bids them farewell
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ENCOURAGEMENT OF ART.