New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-23
GENERAL INTIMIDATION.

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may be final.
GENERAL INTIMIDATION.
The REPUBLICAN has heretofore argued
that q belief of danger, which operated to
prevent the exercise Of suffrage. consti-
tuted in itself an adequate ground to an
null vote cast under such apprehension.
A poll held in smallpox hospital or
within range of . cannenade might dis
close formal conformity with the law Of
elections, yet it could not be accepted as
fair expression Of the popular will nor
could the imperfect result Of the most reg
ular returns be permitted to control the
rights of the people or of candidates
whose rights Of representation had been
in contest.
The inquiry Of the Senate committee
seems to have taken far more logical and
philosophical course than that of mere
partisans, seeking to set up or to over
throw results not satisfactory to them.
These inquiries are even more appropriate
to the province of the Senate committee
than that of the Returning Board, which
properly ignored every phase Of the inves-
tigation save that bearing upon the legal
ity of the election.
The testimony of various colored men
goes to prove that there has been gen.
eral and systematic intimidation pervad-
ing all the Southern States. It has differed
in nothing from its initiation in Missis-
sippi to it's contamination in South Caro-
lima, Alabama and Louisiana. It has
been no respecter Of persons it is true,
but it has been equally indiscriminate in
its application to old colored people who
refused to secure political protection by q
sworn allegiance to the Democratic party.
In this view, the particular horrors in
ficted upon Eliza Pinks ton or Cora Will
liams become incidents in evidence of
general intimidation. The shocking bru-
talities upon colored men demonstrate
not so much hatred of race as determine
ton to suppress the rights of race. These
white and colored people have been living
in the same community, their relations
have been kindly. The whites have &C.
cepted the labor of the colored men,
women and children, have rented them
lands, and taken shares in the product.
Why, then, this especial assault upon
the labosers, the menia!s and the nurses
of the country It has been because
the Democratic statesmen have deter
mined to seize upon the representa-
ton of the people Of color and per-
vert it to the success of the Democratic
party. In obedience to this policy the
Democracy of the Southern States has
made this asse ult upon the fears and in
terests Of the colored Republicans. These
deeds of violence have not been the result
Of race hatred. They demonstrate de-
liberate purpose to deny or abridge the
suffrage of large class of citizens. It
has been done even at the expense of the
interests of many of those who have coun-
seled or conducted these deeds of violence.
The testimony obtained by the Senate
committee will have more bearing upon
the resolution of inquiry introduced by
Senator Edmunds than upon the presi.
dental election ITSELF 1t will tend to
solve the important question whether the
universal amnesty granted to Democrats,
as well as others, has been respected.
Whether the universal suffrage granted to
the emancipated people has attained the
effect of protecting their rights and inter-
ests. Upon the determination of these
questions, the American people will decide
whether a representation in Congress
based upon universal suffrage, shall be
allowed to operate the repeal of the civil
and political rights this representation
was given to protect. In this point of
view we consider the testimony now given
before the Senate committee of extreme
consequence to the formation of ma
tional opinion whether those who have
denied or abridged the right of free sui.
frage are entitled to the fruits of their
violence and conspiracies.