Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-08-15
habitants by such means as the judgment OF
its people shall prescribe" &c..

habitants by such means as the judgment OF
its people shall prescribe" ..-
The meaning of all this in plain English is,
that no matter how the colored citizens of the
South may be abused, wronged, and oppressed,
Congress shall not interfere for their protec.
ton, but leave them to the tender mercies of
the "local selfgovernment" administered by
the white rebels. Do you, as friend to the
colored man, approve this position Of Mr..
Greeley?
You cannot forget, Mr.. Sumner, how often
during the late session of Congress you con.
ferred with me in regard to the possibility Of
having your civil rights bill passed by the
House. 1t was introduced by your personal
friend, Mr.. Hooper, and nothing prevented its
passage by the House except the rancorous
and factious hostility of the Democratic mem
bers III have correctly examined the Globe,
the Democratic members on seventeen differ
ent occasions resisted the passage of the civil
rights bill by the parliamentary process known
as flibustering. They would not even allow
it to come to a vote
Two intelligent colored members from South
Carolina, Elliott and Rainey, begged Of the
Democratic side of the House to merely allow
the civil rights bill to be voted on -and- thoJ
were answered with denial 80 absolute that
it amounted to a scornful jeer Of the rights OF
the colored man. And now you lend your
voice and influence to the reelection Of these
Democratic members who are cooperating with
you in the support of Mr.. Greeley. Do you
not know, Mr.. Sumner, and will you not as
candid man acknowledge, that with these
men in power in Congress, the rights OF the
colored men are absolutely sacrificed 80 far as
those rights depend on Federal legislation
Still further. The rights Of the colored men
in this country are secured, if secured at all,
BY the three great constitutional amendments,
the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth. TO
give these amendments full scope and effect,
legislation by Congress is imperatively requir'
ed as you have so often and so eloquently de-
monstrated. But the Democratic party are on
record in the most conspicuous manner against
any legislation on the subject. 1t was only in
the month of February last that my colleague,
Mr.. Peters, offered resolution in the House
of Representatives affirming "the validity of
the constitutional amendments and of such
reasonable legislation of Congress as may
be necessary to make them in their letter and
spirit most effectual." This resolution, very
mild and guarded as you will see, was adopted
by 124 yeas to 58 nays only 8 of the yeas
were Democrats all the nays were Democrats.
The resolution of Mr.. Peters was followed
week later, by one offered by Mr.. Stevenson,
of Ohio, as follows:
ResoEved, That we recognize as valid and
binding all existing laws passed by Congress
for the enforcement Of the thirteenth, four
teenth and fifteenth amendments of the Con-
stitution of the United States, and for the
protection of citizens in their rights under the
constitution as amended.
On the vote upon this resolution there were
1O7 yeas to IS nays. All the yeas were Re
publicans, and they are now unanimous in
support Of President Grant. All the nays
were Democrats, who are now equally unanl-
nous in support of Mr.. Greeley.
1t is idle to affirm, as some Democrats did
in resolution offered by Mr.. Brooks, of New
York, that "these amendments are valid parts
of the constitution" 80 long as the same men
on the same day vote that the provisions OF
those amendments should not be enforced by
Congressional legislation. The amendments
are but "sounding brass and tinkling cymbals'
to the colored man until Congress makes them
effective and practical. Nay, more; if the
rights of the colored man are to be left to the
legislation of the Southern States, without
Congressional Intervention, he would under a
Democratic administration be deprived Of the
right of suffrage in less than two years, and
he would be very lucky if he escaped some
form ofchattel slavery or peonage. And IN
proof of this danger I might quote volumes of
wisdom and warming from the speeches Of
Charles Sumner.
When, therefore, you point out to the color
ed men that their rights will be safe in the
hands of the Democratic party, you delude
and mislead them-I do not say wilfully, but
none the less really. The small handful Of
Republicans-compar with the whole mass,
who unite with yourself and Mr.. Greeley in
going over to the Democratic party, cannot
leaven that lump of political unsoundness
even if you preserve your own original prin.
ciples in the contact. The administration OF
Mr.. Greeley, therefore, should he be elected,
would be in the whole and in detail Demo-
cratic administration, and you would be com.
PEELED to 60 with the current, or repent and
turn back when too late to mend the evil you
had done.
Your argument that Horace Greeley does
not become Democrat by receiving Demo
cratic votes illustrating it by the analogy Of
your own election to the Senate-is hardly
pertinent. The point is not what Mr.. Greeley
will become personally, but what will be the
complexion of the great legislative branch of
the government, with all its vast controlling
power? You know very well, Mr.. Sumner,
that if Mr. Greeley is elected President, Con-
gress is handed over to the control of the par
ty who have persistently denied the rights Of
the black man. What course you will pur'
sue toward the colored man is of small conse-
quence after you have transferred the power
Of ofgovernment to his enemy.
The colored men of this country are not, as
a class, enlightened but they have wonderful
instincts and when they read your letter they
will know that at great crisis in their fate
you deserted them. Charles Sumner coope-
rating with Jefferson Davis is not the same
Charles Sumner they have hitherto idolized- -
any more than Horace Greeley, cheered to the
echo in Tammany Hall, is the same Horace
Greeley whom the Republicans have hitherto
trusted. The black men of this country will
never be ungrateful for what you have done
for them in the past-nor, in the bitterness OF
their hearts, will they ever forget that, heated
and blinded by personal hatred of one man
you turned your back on the millions to whom
in past years you have stood as shield and
bulwark of defense!
Very respectfully, your obd't servant,
JAMES G.. BLAINE.
Senator Summers Reply to Speaker Blaine.