The Republican journal., 1876-02-17

their poverty and necessity will no longer
have power to resist. Every principle OF
liberty is involved in the longer continual
ton of this corrupt party in power. The
rights OF the masses of the people are at
stake. Win they yield them up without
at least one brave and energetic strug-
gle?
Revolt of the Colored Troops.
The good feeling and reciprocal support
which has SO long existed between Presi-
ident Grant and the colored people Of the
South appears to have experienced a de-
cided rupture. The colored man Pinch
back, who claims admission to the o. S.
Senate from Louisiana, and has so long
knocked with vain appeals to the Repub-
lican majority, appears to be in the verge
Of despair about getting in. He and his
colored associate, Senator Bruce of Mis-
sissippi, lay The responsibility for this at
the door of the President, as the head and
front of the party The matter came to !,
head on the evening OF the 10th, during
an executive session with closed doors,
during which the confirmation OF Billings
as district judge at New Orleans was
brought up. For nearly three hours Bill
lings was discussed with great animation.
Among the leading Senators who partici-
pated in the debate were Morton, Conk-
ling, Thurman, Bayard, Bruce and Alcorn
This caused democrats to express them
selves very freely, which warmed the
blood OF the Southern republican mem
bers into n lively state of excite ement.
Senator Bruce, of Mississippi, listened to
soothing remarks of the liberal republi-
cans until he could bear it no longer. Then
he took the floor like bomb she'll, and
scattered his shot in all directions. He
said that the colored men of the South had
suffered every indignitv from the " Nhite
democrats, and their rights had been tram
pied under foot by those who were sup
posed t. represent the government. In
stead OF protecting their rights under the
constitution President Grant had deserted
them and left them helpless under the
heel Of despotsm. 1t was useless to con-
ceal truth any longer. President Grant
had not kept his promises. His admins
tration was a failure, so far as Justice to
the colored voters of the South was con-
cerned.
The passion of the speaker grew more
intense at every word, and when he
had reached the grand climax in his de-
scriptive recital of the outrages committed
on his people he aston1shed the silently
listening republicans by declaring with
great emphasis that the time for looking
to the administration for help had passed.
There was no help for the negroes unless
they made peace with the democrats. He
was in favor of going over to them as
the only measure of safety to the negro.
He clearly perceived Vests treachery to
Pinchback and the general hollowness of
radical pretences to special love for the
negro. He denounced Grant and the lead
ing white radicals OF the South as untruth-
tul and treacherous, suggested that they
used the negro tor selfish purposes only,
and did not scruple to have him killed in
order to furnish political capital to the par
ty. He said the negro could not further
trust them, but would be compelled for
self-protection and quiet, to form political
alliances with the resident white men of
the South, who, as a class, were honest
and trustworthy.
The speech produced a terrible panic
among the radicals Senator Simon Cam
eron, true to his vigorous way of express
ing himself, said .'it was a hell of a
speech, and Alcorn enjoyed it hugely,
The democrats applauded it and told SEN
ator Bruce the negroes ought all to be
democrats.
A despatch of a later date says
The story that Senator Bruce, of Mississippi,
was drunk when he made his sensational speech
i'll executive session is not true Bruce had been
considering his remarks for several DAYS and
spoke deliberately. His denuncation OF Grant
and the Republican party will have a great eff
fect on the negroes. If the effect in the South
can be Judged by what it has been here and in
Baltimore. the speech, which Bruce himself has
made public, Is the most serious blow the Re-
publican party has lately received in the South,
and gives the party managers here no little con-
Germ. 1t is very likely to insure the loss of
mississippi by the Republicans next fall. Bruce
talks freely of joining the Democratic party,
and is bound to make trouble for the Repubi-
cans.
AS Bruce holds his position until 1881,
he is likely to make it serious for the
brethren.
Let the people of this country, who
stand amazed at the extent and audacitv
OF the whiskey frauds, remember that
there IS now on trial for complicitv the
man whe occupies the most confidential
relation to the President, and that the
chief magistrate is swift to come with
testimony for his defence. Let them re-