New-York tribune., 1874-10-21
THE SOUTHERN OUTLOOK.

THE CoNvENTION-wHY TIE LIST OF "oUT-
RACES" WAS NOT PROMULGATED-THE REAL
OREcT OF THE CONVENTION THE FORMATION OF
POLITICAL LEAGUE-PLANNING TO SELL VOTES
IN THE PRESIDENTIAL CONVENTION OF 1876.
tYRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
CHATTANOOGA Tenn, Oct. 15.-The Outrage"
Convention has adjourned, and it's members have
returned to their respective stumps. carrying with
bhem little to comfort encourage their supporters
IN the elections yet to take place. Almost nothing
was accomplished. 81 have been waiting to hear
somebody talk sense-I have" remarked Chief-Jus-
hce Mcclure Of Arkansas better known among
Congressmen and lobbyists at Washington as Poker
Jack than twenty -four hours after his arrival
in this city. "What have come here for any
howl / expected to see Patterson of South Caro-
Ina and his crowd Of third-termers here but, after
Ill the blow they have made, / can't find that there
has sT gle delegate from that State arrived. That
Patterson is sweet chicken, isn't he II we had
few more such fellows in our party, believe I'd
iofn the other side and help them out of the
country"
1t is true, there was not man in the Convention
who dared say publicly that he in favor of
third term hardly know how to account for this,
for there are hundreds of influential Republicans
all oyer the South who do not hesitate to declare
their sentiments on this subject. The Federal Office
holders-and they are the men who direct the conn
ellis of the Republican party of the South-are
believe almost unanimously in favor of continuing
the Grant Administration in power indefinitely
They are safer in their warm nests If there is no
change in Washington than they possibly could be
otherwise new President, even If be was
Republican. would have friends to reward, and
ii is than likely that in majority of cases he
would "know not Joseph" 1t may have been that
Patterson and his followers from South Carolina
found their own State too much in danger to leave
IT, as the time for the assembling Of the Convention
approached, and it may be that word came from
Washington that it was yet too early for the advo
Gates of third term for Gen. Grant to show their
hand.
MEASURES WHICH THE CONVENTION FAILED TO ACT
UPON.
The Convention did absolutely nothing to promote
the passage of the Civil Rights bill. think its
treatment of this question: which is looked upon by
the negroes as of vital Importance will weaken
rather than strengthen it in Congress during the APP
preaching session. If the Republican party of the
reconstructed States, white and black, could have
agreed that the enactment of the Civil Rights bill
was necessary desirable, this fact would
have been very strong argument with Northern
Republicans in its favor. But this Convention has
proved this to be impossible; it has proclaimed to
the country just plainly though it had said it
in words that the Republican party of the South is
divided on this question. The resolution which
treated of this subject was stronger than those
passed by the Cincinnati and Philadelphia Conven-
tons of 1872, and, when considered IN connection
with the circumstances under which IT was passed.
can have little or no effect.
The Convention failed also to send 10 the country
the official report of "outTages" which it was ex
pected to furnish This may be accounted for IN
two ways. First believe that the shrewdest men
in the Convention, those who directed its proceed
ings and it's policy, became convinced after they
N h.4A 4hnt 9h. aDtaf-
rage" business had already been OverdOne. The
time has come when Republicans, even, look with
great suspicion upon the oftrepeated story of poti-
cal persecution especially since it invariably pre-
cedes the elections The economy of truth which
some of the carpet baggers have displayed this year
has opened the eyes of thinking people more than
ever before, and nothing could be more certain than
that the longer the list of outrages" that should
be put forth by this Convention, the more
suspicious would the country become OF the
existence of any of them. Again, there were
delegates in the Convention who are something
more than leeches upon the people of the South.
They have identified themselves with the material
interests of these reconstructed States and place
their prosperity above the political fortunes of any
set of adventures. These men were determined
that this Convention should not, if they could help
IT. be converted into wholesale SANDER mill The
continuance of the Committee and the instructions
for it to report to Congress at the approaching ses
sion, can hardly do much harm.
THE SOLE RESULT OF THE MEETING.
But if the Convention failed to approve a third
term for Grant or the passage of the Civil Rights
bill now the table of the Speaker of the House OF
Representatives and adjourned without adding TO
the list of invented Outrages" which has already
been spread throughout the North, what did II
accomplish 1t declared Itself 10 favor of
legislation to extend the criminal jurisdic-
ton of the United States Courts. In other
words, the men who composed tins body
and who have already secured such construction Of
the KuKlux and Enforcement acts as 10 make them
cover crimes, real or imaginary. of almost every
character, now come before the country and ask
Congress to pass an act divesng the States of the
duty of protecting their citizens in their lives and
property, and intrustng it to the United States.
The opinion of Justice Bradley in the Grant Parish
cases in Louisiana has evidently alarmed the Carpet
bagcers OF the South. Two years ago the Ku-Klux
and Enforcement acts were powerful engines in the
hands of Federal officials any misunderstanding
which arose between a white man and negro, no
matter what its origin, came within the jurisdiction
of the United States Courts under the Enforcement
act. All threats. it was taken for granted were
made to ntimdate the negro and prevent him
from voting, and the fact that election was
pending or that political questions not
discussed. made no difference with the com
mon herd of United States Commissioners
in the South Under this act men have been arrested
for the most trivial Oenses, carried 10 distant cities
where il was impOss BILE for them to produce their
witnesses or make proper defense, and discharged
after election for want of evidence. Hundreds of
white men in North Carolina were prevented from
voting the August election of 1872 by arrests and