New-York tribune., 1868-09-09
THE RFVJYJNG REBELLTON.

Thanks to our vigilant and clear-headed
correspondent in Atlanta, we have at last the
story of the expulsion of the negroes from the
Georgia Legislature. The Southern agents OF
the Associated Press are either Rebels or Cop
perheads, and we have learned to distrust
every item of news they send III any way re-
lating to politics. These busy gentlemen are
apparently more anxious TO make public
opinion for Seymour and Blair than to write
the news. The evil is beyond our protest, and
all we can do is to warn our friends against
placing any confidence in these fctions, and
to procure them the news at our own expense
We Deg a careful study Of the calm and
temperate statement Of our correspondent a
greater outrage has never been perpetrated un-
der free Government. 1t adds lngratltude to
Injustice. When the Legislature first assembled
there were some thirty Democratic members
who had served in the Rebel army, and who were
therefore ineligible to Office. The negroes
might have visited upon them the Inerted pains
of rebellion, by excluding them, and insisting
upon oaths or conditions of loyalty. If they had
been vindictive men, if they had been moved
by any dread Of the future, or any vengeance
for the past, they had only to keep these Reb-
els from the House and demand the election Of
loyal men. These Freedmen had received Suf-
frage, and they replied by granting Amnesty
By a magnanimous and solemn vote they de-
creed that the Rebel members should be admit
ted to their seats with all the rights and priv
ilepes of loyal men. What use do they make
of their new power7 A resolution was suddenly
introduced that, under the new Constitution
men Of color were not permitted to
L &C t1,o II
that under the old Rebel law any man
who had more than one-eighth of negro blood
in his veins was ineligible to office. This law
was of no more force than the laws of the
whipping-pos and iron collar. 1t belongs to n
past era. and is as dead, in all respects as
Slavery and the Rebellion. 1t was made
precedent, however, and after a little delay
resolution was passed declaring that twenty
five men who were supposed to have negro
blood in their veins were not members of the
House. Upon this question the negroes, as
parties interested, were not allowed to vote.
Four other men, who were supposed TO have
less than one-eighth of the negro blood, were
for the present permitted to remain.
We might challenge this action upon many
grounds In the first place, we find a law
which is as dead as the law of primogeniture
quietly disinterred, and made to serve an nm
just purpose. If this law is Justly interpreted,
then there is no reason why the Legislature
may not remand the whole negro race to
Slavery, and find warrant in the old State law
of Georgia. In the second place, we find
large body of duly elected legislators prevented
from voting upon question vitally important
to the country. Twenty-Five men are suddenly
told that they are DISTINGUISHED, and, although
duly elected to office, they are removed with
out taking, in any sense, the wish Of the
people.
Granting the Rebel reasons for this outrage
to he valid, twenty five men might be expelled