New-York tribune., 1876-11-25
Poughkeepsie, N. T., Nov. 20. 1-76.
MARTIAL Law FOR THE SOUTH

DOES sELF-GovERNMENT EXIST IN SIX SOUTHERN
sTATEsf-A PROPOSED REMEDY - SWEEPING
AWAY RETURNING BOARDS AND ELECTIONS BY
BAYoNETs AND INTIMIDATION.
TO the Editor Of The Trtbune.
SIR. The returning boards will decide who
has been elected President That is the law and the
people will obey and enforce it, W they act honestly far
minded Will rejoice; II dishonesty they VIII cen
sure In either case their decision the only legal de-
cison and will be obeyed. Perhaps they may even de-
eide which party shall control the next House. In any
case their decision will be based upon such proof as may
exist of the legality Of elections held First the people
vote or try to Then three or five men decide upon
such evidence in fear of their lives may dare 10
give whether there has been an election "The United
states shall guarantee to every Site republican form
Of government" Is this republican form OF govern
mentf answer without hesitation, 1t Is not "hen-
ever m necessary to give absolute power To rev men,
whenever in default Of that power or its exercise.
large proportion OF the people are illegally deprived Oh
suffrage, sctgovernment does not exist
Jts high time that cheat ourselves no longer WIN
peasapt nctons The Constitution provides that eiti-
zens OF either color shall vote. Law or. violence mas
virtually made the Constitution OF no ehect IN at east
six States In South Carolina Florida, and Louisiana,
coored citizens only because, II they are coerced
or driven from the polls in any precinct the law gives
mower to returning board to throw out the vote OF at
precinct This remedy. 1t does not bring back to
life the dead votes At the utmost 1t secures the state
and the country against such votes may be cast by
minority where the majority Is forcibly deprived OF
suffrage In short, certain men are by law empowered
10 decide that any part OF certain states segoVefn-
ment does exist. In other Staes where such laws
do not exist or not enforced the coored man votes
,plv "A much as the white man chooses TO permit.
Tnis IL not selfgoyernment il is class government III
,olde are plenty, he votes; If mott be hides III the
swamps This Is not selfgOvernment II Is government
by the bayonet years tho terrible danger OF this
situation has pointed out, but without avail NOW
the whole country it. In Mississippi alabama and
aeorpa the colored citizen votes only as much as the
white man sees permit, and never enough TO win.
Ia south Carolina Florida and Louisiana he votes at ali
only by virtue OF bayonets returning boards The
plain truth is that sel-sOyernment does not exist III
these six communities There are others to When the
same statement may may not apply. but In these SIX
the Constitution either systematically and efeetuay
violated or 1t is partially sustained ony by methods Ut
terry foreign and rreconcably hostile TO selfgovern-
ment.
What IS statei 1t is community governing itselr
and loyal to the Constitution. community governed
by bayonets Is not State community IN Whlch the
Constitution IL set at naugnt and suffrage exists only by
sufeance is not State. II the Constitution is dehed
and disobeyed as 1t is by local laws by force in
Georgia, Alabama, or Mississippi State, within the
meaning OF the Constitution and entitled to share In
the Federal Government does not exist IT. on the Other
hand OF respect for the Constitution Is pro-
cured only by presence OF 0lneu lheD anu ultcr us
regard of II is CHECKED by the granting Of arbitrary
poyer TO few persons say whether self government
exists In any locality not, that Is not state It's
mockery 10 say that South Carolina, Florida, and
Louisiana in which returning boards determine how far
selfgoyernment exists and soldiers compel within the
range of their muskets respect for law which the
tope lack are States of the Union selfgoverniDg and
Syal TO the Constitution.
There is one way and only to settle this matter
Communities which do obey the Constitution and do
not govern themselves must not be treated as States
The territory belongs the United States ana as other
territory must DO governed until the people can govern
themselves with respect for the Constitution. No other
part OF the Constitution is sacred than that which
guarantees suffrage TO the colored citizen and grants
increased share OF power the Federal Government III
we do not enforce that part Of the Constitution 1t is
farce I'D enforce any part The remedy for existing evils
Il precisey that which stevens and Sumner urged years
ago After President has been elected so that II can
uot b claimed that action ia designed To influence the
election let martial law be proclaimed In six states, on
the round that organized resistance TO the Constitution
has proved strong them that selgovernmont and
free suffrage are not possible. Let the territorial cOndi-
ton be established and maintained until the people are
prepared to respect and oOey the Constitution and to
defeRa the freedom OF suffrage for all citizens as 1t
defended the North without the nterposlton OF re-
turning boards armed with unrepuDncan powers, OF
soldiers armed with unlepuDncan Dayohets' iOns'
keic- York, Nov. "a, 1870. ="
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