The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-07
The Enforcement Act Prevents POliti-
cal Settlement
THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.
How Negro Suffrage Becomes
Dangerous
A Peep at the Schools, Churches
and Colored Labor.
MONTGOMERY. Ala, il


lam an xious to make clear two thngs:-Tnat
The color line IS constant peru in the States IN
Wnich 1t Is maintained, and that Il - kept up now
only by the Intervention OF federal power
under the Enforcement act. While the black vote
Is nassed against the white there Is q continual
irritation between the races; ana this mainly be-
cause the white maa. who Is the property owner.
secs the black. who seldom owns real estate, used
BY q few designing whites, to lay taxes, t. make
laws. TO carry on the governm mt, regardless Of
the wishes aud rights VI The grea: BODY OF nteli-
gent and substantial citz ms. know many coun-
ties In when tine coored men pay In all less than
900 OF the annual taxes. and yet are la so great
majority that inelr votes, assed oy unscru
pulous demagogues OF both colors, constantly
waste and misapply the taxes OF the county. |
have given several cases OF this kind in previous
letters. Inevitably in such cases there must be
feeling Of hostility by the whites
toward tho blacks, ana It Is an evidence OF the
good nature OF The mass or whites thar in the
main they conduct themselves toward The blacks
kindly and justly. They concentrate the dislike
uTon the men who have misled and nov misuse
The black vote. and this l cannot call unJlst 1t
Is commonly said. '.1he negroes not To blame;
they DO not know any better" on the other
hand. as the feeling Is intense 1t is often undis
eliminating, and includes the Just with unjust
among the republicans. Hence what is called
'ostrscIsm,r whIcH will last Just as long the
color line Is maintained, ana long as republl-
cans maintain themselves in power by the nelp OF
the black vote. That this feeling OF dislike and
suspicion toward Northern mon often goes 10
unjust ana unreasonable extent Is very true
ana 1t IS not easy Tor Northern man
10 hear with patience stories showing
It's manifestations. There are scattered
The States | have visited large number
Of highly honorable and cultivated Northern ami
lies WHO have lived there Tor years Where, as Is
oitenest the case, these are republicans they are
TO a large extent isolated socially, ana this IL not
pleasant for them. But they vely SELDOM
plain, ana not few have told me that they did
not wonder that republicans should be held IN dis
ayor In their States. considering how badly cor
rupt republican leaders have acted ia the South.
Ny belief Is that wherever the color line Is broken
ana parties have time 10 reform this will disap-
pear, at least among cultivated people
]. Considering the system of intimidation by
republican Leaders unc er which the blacks have
suffered, ana their belief that tie democrats would
in some way injure them, believe II to be abso-
lute,y necessary to the final political settlement
Of any Southern state l have seen that 1t shall
have for at least one term democratic State
government. In this way alone can the colored
people be relieved Of the Iears which nave been
impressed upon them. In Arkansas this con
clifton las oeen reached, and when | was
In that state In March. tie cJlor line
that the democratic victory brought them neither
wrong ror outrage, mad settled Gown to work,
ana many OF their leaders In all parts OF the State
were inclined to act with he democratic party.
This. on the other hand, 5000 already on the
verge OF division when no efforts OF the demo-
cratic leaders can prevent ana 1t is probable That
already IN 1876 the voters OF ARKANSAS will divide
INTO two parties, regardless of the color line. In
Alabama the same change is going on-all over
I'm fha cal ala tnn nanf AN
ddates spring up; In Montgomery, Opehka ana
other towns body Of negroes has voted the
democratic ticket, and 1t Is certain that II the
democratic Governor firmly and impartiallY exc
cutes the laws and sees that equal protection is
given TO all, the democrats will secure Tor 1915
large part OF the colored vote
ii. Nothing can prevent this wholesome ana
necessary reconstruction OF parties, except the
interference Of the federal power. At the time Of
Their enactment was very strongly opposed to
the Enforcement acts; not only because thought
them, as sun believe unconstitutional bat be-
cause Imagined them 10 be ineXpedlent see
Gown here, however, that some interference
necessary: but believe just as decidedly that IL
Il to-day and has been Tor Two years past evil, and
only evil. great change mas taken place IN the
spirit OF the Southern whites since these laws
were passed. Tue results Of the war now
universally accepted. The labor problem IS set
tled. The white man has become accustomed to see
the black man lree, a citizen, Ia the enjoyment or
all the citizens rights. Political crime mas ceased,
except In q few very rare aud sporadic cases in
obscure and Wild regons where tae population
has always been lawless. The EalOrcemenG acts
now only relieve the state governments OF the
responsibility which belongs TO tAem OF nantain-
ing peace. and they are the single resource Of
demagogues and political swndlcrs with which
they MAINTAIN their power Every citizen anx-
ious Tor peaceful ana permanent settlement of
political society IA the south ought 10 labor with
all his might for the repeal Of these Laws, for Lney
are the only element OF trouble or danger In the
Southern question. Lest tue standpoint from
which assert this should be Misunderstood
viii add that / am so strong u lover OF peace and
hater OF Injustice that RAJ her than see the colored
people in the south abused or denied their full
rights as citizens would advocate o law ten
times as summary and ssvere as the Enforcement
acs.
NEGRO SUFFRAGE NECESSARY.
III. No thoughtful Inan can examine ne history
OF the last ten years IN the souh, as he may hear
1t on the spot aud rom all sides, without being
convinced thatit was absolutely necessary TO the
security OF the blacks ana tue permanent peace Of
the Southern communities TO give the negro,
ignorant, poor and helpless as ne was every
political right aud privilege whica any other cit
zen enjoys. rnat he should vote and that he
should be capable OF holding Office was necessary,
I am persuaded to make him personally secure.
and, wnati OF more importance, TO convert MIN
rom feedman into a free man. That he has
not always conducted himself well In the exer-
else OF MS political rights IS perfectly aud lament
ably true, but this 10 less his lault tnan tnat OF
the bad white men who introduced him to polit-
teal If. Bur, on the other hand, the vote mas
given him what nothing less could glve-a sub
sta ntive existence 1t has made him part OF
the State; Wherever, as IN Arkansas, the political
settlement nears completion, and the color line Is
broken. mis- political equality will hep-sowlY but
eertalnly-'o make MN respectable person.
viii add that IN TINS view many Southei n demo
srats concur. III the North had not given the
negroes suffrage II would lave lad 70 hold our
slates undcr 90 exclusvely military government