The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-07-01

are guaHNsu SuHlcteutiy 30 tn0I tuc 5tAtes,
if they choosefcohld qualify their aafsages,
could admit such persons to vote, if the
States think prpper'to do SO, but IL is =
question for the States themselves. APP
|plause.l But when we speak Of these ex-
ceptions, which don't extend to ope-tenth
of the whole adult male population Of the
South, the other nine-tenths Of the black
population ore utterly unqualified end un-
fit to exercise the great political right Of
government in the States the South, and
therefore I do most earnestly protest
against these bills which Congress has fore
ed upon the South, as against civilization.
They disfranchise large numbers of the
white people Of the South, aud enfranchise
the unqualified blacks all to be enforced
by the armies placed there, and the Freed
mems Bureau, which is in operation there.
They have organized this mass Of ignor-
ance, and have put itpractically in the pos
session and control Of these States, and
therefore they have by SO doug wrenched
these governments out of the hands Of The
civilized whites, and put them in the hands
Of the few unciyilized negroes. an exotic
race, to which we don't belong, and which
| is not at home in this climate, and which
is totally unfit to be our rulers. Applause
INTELLIGENT VOTERS.
1t was stated the other day, rs an illus
tration to- show how utterly unfit these
persons are, or mort of them, to exercise
tho right of the franchise, that in the State
of Georgia white man who desired to be
elected to convention, resorted to this
kind of political subterfuge Ga trick which
any man should not sanction, for in politi
cal affairs as in all business and social
affairs truly despise trickery and false.
hood -this man resorted to this snbtcr.
| fnge in order to procure an election. He
gave mulatto fifty dollars to pretend to
| come out as candidate forthe convention
in tho same district. The mulatto pre-
tended to be candidate, and on election
day pretended to circulate his tickets
among his colored friends. What do you
think was the result7 When they came
to count the votes every vote was given
for the white man. (Roars of laughter
Not single vote was given for the mu-
latto. (Rcnewed laughter.) Now, what
do yon think of the intelligence of the
mass Of the voters that in whole country
(ite was populous disttict in Georgia.
there was not intelligence enough among
all the negroes that were there voting to
ascertain the fact that they. were voting
for the man they intended to defeat, and
against the man they intended to elect 2
(Applause.) Just SO with South Carolina
/ hold in my hand q statement Of what
occurred there in . recent election fol-
members of the Convention. Among the
negroes many had forgotten their names
and scarcely one in o hundred could tell
after the election for whom they voted
They were controlled biindly by the loyal
+! Leagues. The tickets werc printed in
Charleston, with q likeness Of President
Lincoln on them. There mover has beer
before snch wide field opened for the
demagognes and unprincipled aspirants t.
office. The negro is tile most crcdulons
being in the world, and most easily impos
ed on by vile wretches who are disposed
to pander to his ignorance and passion
Emmissaries from the North, white and
black, have come here and prejudiced him
against the white race. He has been told
that unless he voted the Radical ticket hs
would be placed back in slavery and that
if he voted that ticket he would have
lands and mules given him. In some in
stances the negroes actually brought with
them brides to take theirmules home with
Fellow-citizens, do not misunderstood me
don't wish to deride the negroes at tht
South at all. I don't blame them for theil
Ignorance. / don't blame them because
they are no better fitted to exercise thu
right to vote. I am only speaking of th.
fact that they are utterly unfit: tho mos
of them, some exceptions there may be
they are utterly unfit to exercise this higf
prerogatiye Of suffrage in the South which
has been forced upon them by the Recon
struction policy Of Congress.
| RADICAL sTULTIFIcATIoN.
But, fellow-citizens, passing from that
!. for it is, not my purpose to dwell very
long Upon one point Tonight, here is an
other objection to tho reconstruction poll
cy adopted by Congress. It is this: thai
the reconstruction policy is against thu
Constitution Of the United States. Zap
plause.) The Constitution Of the United
States recognizes the right Of each Stat,
to fix the qualifications of its voters
Without this right on the part of the Stat'
it ceases to be republican State govern
ment. IfNew Jersey has not the powe
for herself to say who shall exercise tn,
right of suffrage; if the Stateof New York
for instance, had the right to say wh'
should vote in New Jersey, New Jerse.
would cease to be republican State gov
eminent and become mere dcpendenc,
of New York. [Applause.] Therefore
maintain that This right which belongs t
the States is an essential right to its polit
ical independence and It's existence as
republican State government Now, fel
:. low-citizens, you know that in these bill
! which are now pending in Congress, til
one which came up in relationto Arkansa