National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-08-21

Ooin" Auc pIcCcucut was ICCout, anu hdu
been Endorsed by the whole people of the
country. But coming from Sheridan, and
affecting their Southern allies, the PROPOSE
ton was very shocking to Northern Demo
Gratis. And 1t was shocking. But it was
not one half so blood curdling as the mas
sacres of innocent men and women for
opinions sake, whose destruction 1t was
designed to punish. Some startling propo-
sition was necessary to prevent recur-
renee of such scenes. Sheridan's request
to be authorized to treat mobs as banditti
was the proper curative under the circum-
stances, as the results have shown. It
effsctually squelched the revolution in prog
ress and has prevented the Inauguration of
Others +.'
Still, although killing off Republicans
proved safe and highly-exciting sport for
Democrats, it was not found to be objec-
tionable on other grounds. dead men
tell no tales" and if they could, Ku-Klux
juries would feel bound to clear their
brethren. An instance is cited in Sumter
county, where a Republican negro, who
had killed q Ku-Klux by shooting him,
while he was in the act of breaking into the
negro's cabin to murder him, was in Jail,
and white man wasalso there for shooting
q negro down in cold blood, while riding
past field where the colered man was Ia
boring, just to show companion who was
riding with him how he 'served niggers. -
One was q cold -blooded, fiendish murderer
Of an inofensive man, because he was black
and Republican; the other was poor
negro who had defended his cabin and had
killed, heroically and bravely shot down,
house breaking midnight marauder who
was seeking his life. Well, seventy men
no, fends in human form, but ashamed of
their color and their names or their deeds
went masked in the night to that jail and
took thence these two men. They placed
the white man-hunter, who made a sport
of human life, upon q fleet horse and babe
him god-speed from the county to place
of safety, and they took the other man. who
had defended his castle in manner which
in any other civilized community would
have caused thanks and congratulations to
have poured in upon him for his heroism-
took him down to the river and shot him
dead.
But, as we have said, the Democrats of
the South are no fonder of the labor which
the black Republicans mostly perform than
they are of the laborers. But their labor
is necessity. Crops cannot be made with
out it, and lands are of no avail without
crops. 1t was found that the lash and the
bullet, the murder and intimidation, the
utter lack of legal protection of person,
property or franchise. were not only driving
black labor away to more safe and congenial
fields, but that they were also preventing
immigration from other sources. Hence
something better must be done some other
method must be devised by which to con-
troll and direct and retain this Black Re-
publican labor. And this method, this
something better, was decided to be the
revision or amendment of the constitution
of the State, abridging the rights of the
poor white trash and the negro alike. All
are 10 be DISTINGUISHED who do not own
land in fee. This is Democracy in Ala
bams. Then they will provide ingenious
methods of punishment for petty crimes,
which shall make cursing and threatening
to assault and assaulting equivalent to lar
ceny. All such crimes, to save the expense
of State penitentiary, shall be made pun
ishable BY fine and labor. The labor will
be sold to the best bidder for it during the
period of the sentence, and the fine will be
made payable in the same way if the poor
devil has no money or friends to meet these
demands. Any little repetition of temper,
cursipg or threatening, resisting punish
ment, &C., duriag this term, will be visited
with similar fine, to be paid in the same
way; and in this manner, by shrewd man
agement and cruel treatment, convict of
petty crime may be kept peon for life,
regardless of color, race, or previous con-
edition OF servitude."
Now that such is the design of the South
ern Democrats, there is not the least doubt
Alabama is to be made the field of the first
experiment. 1t had been the intention to
make North Carolina lead off in this nefa-
rious business, but, thank God, the Repub-
licans of that State exhibited too much
pluck, and made too glaring an exposition
of the enemy's designs to admit of Demo
cratic success. So Alabama is to be the
pioneer in this new system of American
| slavery. 1t is not to be African
slavery. This system will embrace all
colors. 'Poor white" and black trash will
be served alike if ever the change in the
constitution shall be permitted. 1t is 8
beautiful scheme; it is just worthy the
Southern Democracy, and will be readily
seconded by the Democrats leaders North
if they think that they can in this way Sc
cure the votes of the South for the next
President. ...