New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-26
A DANGER TO THE SOUTH.

Is there not danger that the numDef
of Representatives to which the Southern
States are now entitled in Congress and
the Electoral College may be reduced in
the event the colored voters shall be ex-
cluded from the polls by violence or other
impediment?
We suppose none can doubt that,
whether unfounded or not, the Repub-
licans of the United States believe that
the Southern Democracy intend to rev.
olutionize the constitutional construction
of the war. This conviction of Repub-
ican opinion has been impressed upon
our mind by the debates in Congress and
elsewhere, by our own correspondents,
and by the Republican press. These au-
thorities are unanimous that the South
srn Democracy is not satisfied with the
decision Of battle, but intend to revive
the same question inside or outside of
the Union.
If the reader will grant this hypothesis,
We will assume further that the Repub-
lican party, upon the issue of another
war, will succeed in the elections.
We beg our fellow citizens to read
carefully section two, article fourteen Of
the constitution. It is as follows:
Representatives shall be sppOrtioned
among the several States according to their
= n
number Of persons in each State, excluding
Indians not taxed. But when the right to
vote at any election for the choice of elect
Ors for President and Vice President Of the
United States, Representatives in Congress,
the executive and judicial officers of q Safe
or the members OF the Legislature thereof,
is denied to any of the male Inhabitants of
such State being t,centy-One years Of age and
citizens of the United States, or in any ray
dbridged, except tor participation in rebe l.
lion or other crime, the basis of representa-
ton therein shall be reduced in the proper
tion which the number Of such male citi-
zens shall be to the whole number Of male
ciiizens twenty lone years of age in such
State.
From this we may infer that if the right
of suffrage of the colored citizens of the
United States shall be denied, or in any
way abridged, at the ensuing Federal
or State elections, and the representation
in Congress and the electoral colleges of
any State in which such restriction may
have taken place, shall be reduced by
deducting from its Federal numbers the
total representation based on colored
This may be effected under
the law by SO raising the ratio of repre-
sentation in the particular States which
may have denied or abridged the rights Of
colored voters or by applying the ma
tional ratio exclusively to the white num-
bers of such States. The constitution
does not impair the right of suffrage.
That will still continue in its widest and
most impressible extent It will reduce
the vote of the States disafected
to the constitutional amendments in
the precise ratio of their discon-
tent. It may be argued that the po-
litical power of the colored people will
be reduced to the extent stated. They
will still continue in exact equality with
their white fellow-citizens of the disaffect-
ed States. Practically there is now q very
small personal representation of the col
ored people in Congress. Under the pres
ent ratio the colored people send into
Congress and the Electoral College thirty
six or thirty-seven representatives. In
point of fact, they send to Congress not
exceeding six colored representatives.
The rest of their representatives are
whites, the greater part Democrats. It
may happen that the Democracy, by in
timidation and strategy, may send into
The Electoral College the greater part Of
these representatives of colored constitu-
ents, to cast vote for the intended and
Ultimate notification of colored suffrage.
The limitation of State representation
would practically cost the colored
representatives little at present, and in
rev of Democratic ascendency nothing
It all, but whether it affected this per-
onal right in the actual or in the abb
tract, we warn our fellow-citizens of the
White League persuasion, that these
rational Republicans are determined to
tand with their whole weight upon the
decisions Of the war. They wish to avoid
mother war. They wish to stamp out
ectionalism, and it may be found by
hem far less expensive to respect the
POLITICAL power OF the South in the man
Ter that the constitution prescribes than
o canton standing army with its garri-
ons in every part of disafected State,
r to place these States under territorial
Our Democratic opponents are great
asuists and will Immediately commence
dissertation upon the meaning of the
7ord abridge, and upon the question
7hether the representative numbers of q
isaffected State shall be abated by the
lumber of the individuals deprived OF |
uffrage, or of the whole class of citi-
ems to which these individuals belong.
We will neither anticipate nor engage in
ny such discussions. 1t would be alike |
remature and futile. The exclusive |
light of political construction now resides |
n the representative department, as does
be power to declare war, levy and appro-
rate taxes.
Should this question ever come up as to |
ny disaffected State, Congress will enact
IS own construction of the constitutional |
lonco which wa have nnOted The Re-