The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-19

North, want to re-enslave thu negroes you must
give us three months notice. so that we may AL
move out, with our wives and children. lney
were source or constant anxiety 10 Us wneu We
held them In slavery. To attempt TO re-enslave
them would be only 10 invite Them TO murder ~
and lay the country wasten
In Mississippi alone ala ind politicians silly
enough TO talk about the Caucasian race and the
natural incapacty OF the negro Tor self-goyern.
ment; aud there the best republicans told
me that these noisy democratic demagogues were
put small. though aggressive and not unpowerful
minority; and even IN Mississippi strong re
publican, a federal law oficer, an honest and
faithful man, assured me that the northern hall
OF the State, which Is the most prone to occa.
sonal violence and disorder, Is to-day, 10 his per-
sonal knowledge, Us peaceful and orderly as any
part OF New York or Onto.
TUE COLOR LINE CALAMITY.
8. The division OF political parties on the race on
color line has been great calamity 10 the SOUTH
ern States. II mad It's origin IN the refusal or the
Southern whites after the war, 70 recognize the
equal political rights OF the blacks and their az.
tempts in state Legislatures, TO pass laws hostile
TO them. This folly has been bitterly regretted 81
the wiser men In the South. A Mississippian SAID
TO me- 1T was great blunder. We could have
better afforded to educate and train the colorea
people ana nj them for the duties or citizensmn
than 10 have had them allenated nom u.s." he
was right; 1t was great. though probably an In
evtabe, blunder. 1t flung the negro into the hands
oftne so-called republicans In the Southern States
and these, by adroirY appealing TO his fears and
to his gratitude 20 the federal government and Dy
encouraging his desire for official power and
spoiis have maintained the color line IN politics
and by It's means kept themselves in power.
1t Is an indisputable fact that there can be NO
permanent and beneficial settlement OF political
questions In any Southern State until the color
line Is broken. While the white vote. or the
greater part oft, is massed on one side, and the
black vote, or the greater part of on the otner
as Is still the case IN louisiana Mississippi ana
Alabama, IL IS impossible TO get good government;
Tor the political issues WILL OF necessity, be false
and VIII have no relation TO any real question Of
administration, but only to questions OF race.
THE INJURY DONE by FEDERAL. INTERFERENCE.
But IL is the federal interference under the kn
forcement acts, ana that alone, which enables IN
scrupuIous politicians TO mass the negro vote
upon one SIDE, and TO use IL for their own
aggrandizement The great mass OF the
Southern colored voters illiterate; they ara
easily impressed by exhibitions or power; they
are readily alarmed ABOUT their safety, and. ike
all ignorant masses, they are very apt TO fonow
a leader. The republican leader mas always
the United States government to back HIM
Packard chairman or the Republican state EN
ecutive Committee oil louisiana has, Us MARSHAL
the absolute command OF federal troops In Louist
ana Spencer, United states Senator from Ala
bama and republican leader IN that State, runa
up TO Louisville aud secures for the asking sew.
eral companies OF infantry and cavary, TO DC
stationed in Alabama, at time when. as the
United states Marshal testines, there was no
need al all for troops; and Perrin one OF Spen-
GERS underllngs. at the same time Deputy
Marshal, supervisor OF Election, candidate of
the Legislature and distributor OF government
bacon, shoots o hole through his own hat
and then orders federal troops TO hunt for mag.
mary Ku Klux. Governor Ames in Mississippi
refuses to stir to prevent riot OF VicksDurg Dug
after riot after forty or nfty blacks have been
killed, and wnen the negroes are demorallzeo ana
feel utterly helpless sends Tor federal troops,
which come at his command, and reassurc the
blacks. such manifestations or power strike the
Imagination or the negroes, as they Would any
ignorant population, and they follow very readily
and olindly IL, possessor. Some coored witnesses
In Alabama being asked why they oil voted against
sheats for Congress, replied, "oecauss Perrin told
them to;i being asked If they would have voted
the democratic ticket n Perrin had told them TO
they answered unhesltaungly, Yea"
But the leaders whom they thus follow DO not
instruct them In political duties. They do moi
discuss political questions before them. They ap
peal only and continually TO tue Negroes iears and
to hs sense OF obligation TO the federal power. Ia
Alabama they were told that the bacon was sent
by General Grant, and It's receipt mace II their
duty to vote the straight republican tlcket.n
In some parts OF Southern Louisiana the negroes
are still summoned rom the ned 70 political
meetings, "by order or General Butler"
l know OF a case where q candidate for county
once circulated printed general order" com.
handing ali colored men TO vote for MIN, ana
signed ~. s. Grant, Presdent;" and he re-
ceived the solid colored vote. one oil tina
most intelligent aud excellent msu | met
in Louisiana told me that In 1872 he bad made
thorough canvass OF the part or the state In which
he lives addressing himself entirely to the colored
people, by whom ne IL liked and trusted and try'
ing 10 explain TO tuem the necessity Tor good gov.
eminent and their interest the matter, tut
said he, II presently became aware that was
followed by q republican. an initerate and low.
lived man wnom no col0red man would nave
trusted with IS, out who overturned all nv argu
ments by whispering. Don't believe what he tells
you; they only want 10 put you back Into slav
cry SO pertnactously mas this base iosinuaion
been used among the blacks that wneo last fan
the democrats carried Alabama know oftwo in'
stances la wnich coored men came int tue
nearest town TO ask white democrats, in whose
honor and kindness they trusted. whether taey
would De allowed to choose their own masters ana
whether they would be separated from their wives
and chlidren.n
9. Human nature being whatit is. no one can Do
surprised that the political leaders VINO fo1ud 10
thus easy to the colOred vote, VINO rou1a also
the FEDERAL power ing into their hands and them
selves its ministers, who by these means alone
were able to MAINTAIN themselves In power. regard
less entirely OF the use they made OF this power
that under these conditions they should be-
come and remain both weak and corrupt Tne
mass OF ignorant men by whose votes they were
Kept In power paid no taxes, and were not, there
fore, directly affected By the public plundering,
and the plumber has been so great and the
number OF waite men engaged IA It so small that
they we're always able to divide with the more
ambitious colorea leaders, VINO. on their parS
have been as was inevitable, easily corrupted.
Nor has tue colored man been SOW 10 learn the
trlckery and baser parts OF political management