Middletown transcript., 1871-07-08


Q dozen native white men who are Repub-
licans from any other motive than greed
for office. and with afcw highly honorable
exceptions the Northern men. who have
come here, are unscrupulous advcnturcrs.
The feeling Of the white men was bitter
enough after the election. but il has been
growing worse ever since. II wns found
that the new Legislature, which met in
tho Winteo. was more corrup, than its
predecessor Lending Republicans here
tell me that it was notoriously incompc-
tent and proaiga,e. Eighty Of tho 124
members Of the House and l Of the 81
Senators were negroes Many could not
read or write. These negroes. ignorant
Of all the forms Of legislation, could have
done but little harm had il not been for n
few white members. who concocted mis-
chief and initiated them into their schemes,
telling those who had some scruplcs that
it was tho custom Of members Of all Logis-
la,urcs to make money outside OF their
salaries a final cause OF irritation was
the collection Of taxes. which began in
March The rate Of taxation was largely
increased over that Of previous years. and
the property owners honestly believed that
they were robbed to support the extrava.
gancc Of the =" Niger Government" !"
which they 80 cordially hated. and whose
acts Of corruption had been exaggerated by
the Democratic papers
1t will lc seen that the condition Of af-
fairs here coui not well be worse without
actual civil war Nothing but fear Of the
Government Of the United States keeps
the ku-klnx. which numbers among its
active members or sympathzcrs almost cv-
cry white man in the State, from over
throwing by force the present Government
Of Sou,h Carolina and killing or driving
away.all its officers |, would be done in
a weeks time il it were known that the
Federal power would not crush such n
movement, this prominent citizens do not
hesitate 70 say What makes the danger
greater is the fact that the white people
are thoroughly convinced that they are in
the right, and would be justified in using
violence to accomplish their purpose
Meanwhile, the killing Of civil ofi,cers,
who will not ,es,gn when wanted to do So
and the scnuraging Of negroes continues.
lhc onig hopeful sign is the disposition
recently manifested by Il few leaders Of
both parties to seek n compromise that
will give ssmn representation in the Gov
crumeni 10 the white men aud stop the
per. eHtian II the negroes \ convention
of ta&-ja} from all parts Of the State is
90 matt in tbs city on Tuls lay week. and
maah , h pei from this assembly, which
VII t,ne together all the leading men in
The State. | have hcara tl,ree plans dis
cussrd for hafmoni1iug the conf citing cl-
cments. Que contcmplates nn educational
,cst for suffrage, on the Massachusetts,
plan This is advocated by Mr. Mem
minger Of Charleston, who was Secretary
Of the Treasury for the Confcderacy, aud
it would BE- acceptable TO the educated
white men, but would meet with no favor
among the poor whites. who would be dis
iranehised to n great an extent as the me-
srocs. \ second proposition is to SO a
mend the Constitution rs to make the Sen
ate elected by propcrty-owners alone and
thus establish check upon the legislation
Of the lower House. The third plan. and
the one which seems to meet with most ia
vor, is 10 adopt system ot cumulative
voting anl minority representation. which
has recently been adopted in Illinois. a
considerable number Of leading men of
both parties say they will be satisfied with
this plan. which would give the Republi-
cans ,hree.fl,hs and the Democrats two
hi,hs of the Legislature. The minority
would, il is thought, he sufficiently infu-
cniial To prevent reckless legislation. lf
this proposition is agreed upon with una
nmity by both parties, there may be
peace in the State; otherwise the prospect
i, very dismal