The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-16
Southern Reputation n Consequence
of Republican Success.


One OF the most beneficent effects that
will follow the election of Gov. TrLDEN
will be that the minds of the Southern
negroes will be disabused OF the idea that
the Democratic party is hostile to their
freedom or to their right of suffrage
When they learn, IA they only can learn
through the triumph OF the Democratic
party in the national election, that their
rights as citizens do not depend upon any
party, but are fixed ny constitutional pro-
visions. 80 that they are incapable OF being
disturbed by any political changes, they
will begin 10 know what IA constitutional
right is
Hitherto. tho great mass OF these negroes
have been kept in ignorance of the mean
ing of the constitutional amendments, and
OF the fact that they are not dependent
upon the pleasure of either of the political
parties for the continuance OF their free
dom or of their right to vote. They have
been made to suppose that in some way
and by some process they will be re-
duced to their former condition, IL the
Democrats become possessed of the polti
calpower OF the States in which they dwell.
They have thus been made the unconscious
agents for perpetuating the political power
of the vilest set of miscreauts that ever
cursed any country since free government
aud universal suffrage were known upon
the earth.
All the capacity, all the opportunity.
and all the means which me Republican
carpet bag crews have hal for obtain-
ling and holding the governments of the
verge OF ruin have consisted in the dense
ignorance of the great mass OF negro VOt-
ers, and their consequent liability to be
mised Ivy their fears 10 act against their
own Interests and their own welfare by
procuring for their States the very worst
governments that the world ever saw. In
all history there has never been such re-
suit produced /, in so short space OF time,
by the sheer imposition with which UT
scrupulous demagoguos have been able 10
play upon the unnecessary fears OF an ig-
uorant population.
Tho war ended more than eleven
years since. The whole OF the debts
of the Southern States contracted
during tho war aud for its purposes
have been wiped out by nm amendment of
Z
debts of nine of those states, created since
they came under Republican control,
amount 10 more than sl50,000,000; how
much more it is impossible to say, because
no one can tell what the debts of North
and South Carolina are. For this enor-
nous mass of debt there is substantially
nothing whatever to show. The iloney has
! been squaudercd, stolen, ana carried Off /;
and at this moment the States of Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mssiss ippi,
! North Carolina, South CgrolilI, Tennessee,
and Virginia are unable TO pay the utter
est on Their bonds.
One hundred ana fifty millions is a huge
amount of plunder To be obtained out OF
the use of the public credit OF those nine
States; and it has all been obtained by
men who have had the public credit OF
those States put within their reach
by the prctence that the Republican
party is the party of freedom, and thai
its political supremacy is essential &c
the safety of the negroes. There is no
fraud in the whole history OF fraudulent
prctences that can show Sl5O00)0)0 of
plumber obtained by the simple swindlina
| Of an ignorant pcasaniry, suddenly Ell
dowcd with right OF suffrage, making
then the unconscious tools OF "a great pub
lie robbery.
The simple truth il that il the carpet bag
governments not ovcrthrown, the pub.
lie debts of these States can never be paid.
What system of taxation, what system of
economy, can be looked Cor from the
Republican party, that will pat then
bonds into good credit IN the money cen
tres Of any portion of Chistendom rhesC
states could not borrow dollar anywhere
in the world, could not fund their debt,
upon any basis OF agreement with then
creditors, unless the result OF This vicctior
shall show that the viriuous aud intelli
gent among their citizens have it in thci
mower TO control the course of legislation
ana the executive conduct Of their govern
MCnts.
Keep up the cry that the right
OF tho negroes are in danger am
by il continue in power the mel
who have created these debts ant
population Will assuredly follow. Pu
al end 10 that delusion, and enable thei
legislative bodies once moro to be hlled b.
honest men, and their executive Office
| once more 10 be in the hands Of reputabl