The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-07-21
M ISR IT LIE.
Why the Color Line Irritates in the
South.
THE ENFORCEMENT ACT PREVENTS PeLJT.
lCAL SETTLEMENT.
The Civil Rights Act.
How Negro Suffrage Becomes Dangerous
A Peep at The Schools, Churches and COlOred Labor,

New York Herald
MONTGOMERY, ALA, June %, '75.
am anxious to make clear two things
That the color line is constant peril il
the States in which it is maintained, anC
that 1t Is kept up now only by the inter
vention of the federal power under the
enforcement act. While the black vote
IS massed against the white, there ia a
continual irritation between the races
and this mainly because the white man,
who is the property owner, sees the black
who seldom owns real estate, used bv a
few designing whites, to lay taxes, to
make laws, to carry on the government,
regardless of the wishes and rights of
the great body of intelligent and sub.
stantial citizens. L know many counties
in which the cOlOred men pay in all less
than $1,000 of the annual taxes, and We:
are III so great majority that their votes,
massed by INSCRIPTIONS demagogues of
both colOrs, constantly waste and misap
ply the taxes of the county. l have given
several cases of this kind in previous let
tiers. Inevitably in such cases there
must be a feeling of hostility by the
whites toward the blacks, and it is an
evidence of the good nature of the mass
of whites that in the main they conduct
themselves toward the blacks kindly and
justly. They concentrate their dislike
upon the men who have misled and now
misuse the black vote, and this cannot
call unjust. 1t is commonly said, The
negroes are not to blame they do not
know any better" On the other hand.
us the feeling is intense it is often undis-
eliminating, and includes the Just with
the uni ust among the Republicans
Hence what is called 6 ostracism," which
will last just as long as the color line is
maintained, and as long as Republicans
maintain themselves in power by the help
of the black vote. That this feeling of
dislike and suspicion toward Northern
men often goes to an unjust and unrea-
sonable extent Is very true, and it is not
easy for northern man to hear with pa
thence stories showing its manifestations.
There are scattered over the States
have visited a large number of highly
honorable and cultivated Northern fami-
lies, who have lived there for years.
Where, as is oftenest the case, these are
Republicans, they are to large extent
for them. But they very seldom COM
plain, and not few have told me that
they did not wonder that Republicans
should be held in disfavor in their States,
considering how badly corrupt Republi-
can leaders have acted in the South. My
belief is that wherever the color line is
broken and parties have time to reform,
this will disappear, at least among cult
waited people.
1. Considering the system of intimida-
ton by Republican leaders under which
the blacks have suffered, and their belief
that the Democrats would in some way
iniure them, / believe it to be absolutely
necessary to the final political settlement
of any Southern State | have seen, that
it shall have for at least one term Dem
ocratic State government. In this way
alone can the colored people be relieved
of the fears which have been impressed
upon them. In Arkansas this condition
has been reached, and when was in that
State, in March, the color line was sub
stantially broken. The negroes, seeing
that the Democratic victory brought
them neither wrong nor outrage, had set
tied down to work, and many of their
leaders in all parts of the State were in
clined to act with the Democratic party.
This, on the other hand, stood already
on the verge of division which no efforts
of the Democratic leaders can prevent,
and it is probable that already, in 1875,
the voters of Arkansas will divide into
two parties, regardless of the color line.
In Alabama the same change Is going on
all over the State, in the local elections,
independent candidates spring up; in
Montgomery, Opelika and other towns,
a body of negroes has voted the Demo-
cratic ticket, and it is certain that if the
Democratic Governor firmly and impair
tally executes the laws and sees that
equal protection is given TO all, the Dem
ocrats will secure for 1876 large part of
the colOred vote.
IL Nothing can prevent this whole
some and necessary reconstruction OF par
ties, except the interference of the federal
power. At the time of their enactment
was very strongly opposed to the En-
forcement acts; not only because
thought them, as l still believe, uncon-
stitutional, but because | imagined them
to be inexpedient. / see down here,
however, that some interference was ne
cessary but believe just as decidedly
/ that it is to-day, and has been for two
wears past, evil, and only evil. A great
change has taken place in the spirit of
| the Southern whites since these laws were
passed. The results of the war are now
universally accepted. The labor problem
| is settled. The white man has become
accustomed to see the black man free,
citizen, in the enjoyment of all the citis
zen's rights. Political crime has ceased,
except in few very rare and sporadic
cases in obscure and wild regions, where
the population has always been lawless.
| The Enforcement acts now only relieve
the State governments of the RESPONSE
bility which belongs to them of main
tanning peace, and they are the single
resource of demagogues and political
swindlers, with which they maintain their
power. Every citizen anxious for peace
full and permanent settlement of political
society in the South ought to labor with
all his might for the repeal of these laws,
for they are the only element of trouble
or danger in the Southern question. Lest
the standpoint from which l assert this
should be misunderstood, viii add that
1 am so strong lover of peace and hater
of injustice that, rather than see the col
ored people in the South abused or denied
their full rights as citizens, l would adj
! yocate a law ten times as summary and
severe as the Enforcement acts
NEGRO SUFFRAGE NECESSARY.
Iii. No thoughtful man can examine
| h. ksr&a~~, - L. 1nn& fam xrmmFn IN the