The daily gazette., 1876-07-25
REERIBUTION.
,ns the Richmond D;s.,otch.

ne ETRIBUTION
From the Richmond Dispotch.
Against the protest of the people OF
the Southern States TIE Republican
party conferred upon the negro the
right of suffrage. The thirteenth,
fourteenth and fifteenth articles Of a.
mendment TO the Federal Constitution |
were all injected by force into that in |
strument for the purpose OF humilia> |
ting the whites of the South and se-
curing the votes of the blacks. I'm.
der the Constitution only three-flfths |
of the negroes could be included in |
the basis of representation in Congress
so long as they remained slaves. Now
they are all free, and are all included
in that basis, and all represented in
the lower house Of Congress. Put. |
at 4, ,O00, 600. two fiftLs Of them would
give TO the South some twelve addi-
tional members Of the House of Rep
resentativcs.
The partition of Virginia into two
States was another outrage upon the
Southern people. 1t was done for no
good purpose whatever, and was rath-
er piece OF mean spite than a meas
ure of statesmanship. 1t was plain,
unmistakable violation of the Federal
Constitution. 1t was an act of war
which might have ben justified in any
country not professedly governed by
written Constitution, but wholly mex
cusable and unjustifia3le in this coun-
try. But never mind these defects,
Tho thing is an accomplished fact.
and cannot be undonc. West Virgin.
10 has two ELECTORAL votes, which
were given to her because of her Fed
eral Senators and these added to the
twelve which the Republicans have
given to us of the South because our
negroes are no longer slaves, make
fourteen votes added to the strength
of the South in the electoral college.
] Edmund Pendlcton, in his letter to
lis which we published last week, says
that Presidents are not elected by small
majorities. One or the other candidate
will go in this year, he thinks. with a
sweeping majority. There is no such
rule. A single State in the past has
turned the scale, and will no doubt do
so again hereafter. In the present
case, it Is more likely than otherwise
that the vote of New York will elect
whichever candidate it is given for, be-
cause there are some $50 votes which
arc almost absolutely certain for each
of the two candidates for President.
: At any rate, there is possibility that
1.-THE fourteen electoral votes which the
Republicans manufactured unconsti-
: tutionally for the humiliation of the
South may place upon her head a
. crown of rejoicing. The favorite
estimate of the Democrats is as fol.
lows
Whole electoral vote. ........... 1865
|, Necessary to a choice. .......... ..1S5
Giving the Democrats 131 in the South
the SO of New York, New Jersey, and
> Connecticut, and from California
. and Tilden will be elected by only two
more votes than arc necessary to O
choice. If this should be the result oil
the Presidential election, it is easy to
. sec that the unconditional acts Of q
, Republican Congress will have return
: cd to plague the inventors. The poi
soned chalice will, indeed, have been
commended to the lips OF the mslign-
ants who prepared the poison. The
vote of the negroes, though cast for
Hayes, will have elected Tilden. Could
my OO
: lor did ever q party more richly
deserve such an example of retribu-
: tive justice?
Perhaps our Northern brethren may
find some food for reflection in this
: article. If the South has gained SC
: much political power by the emancipa.
tion of the ncgrocs.is it likely that her
|. people will ever agree to surrender its
Will they be willing to allow the
: : North to remand the negroes to slavery
were such thing possible? It is not
, possible, we know, and so does every
, sensible Northern man, and yet how
many negroes there are who still fear
such fate, and whom lying agitators
induce to vote for Republican candi'
s duties by telling them just such false~
Q hoods? Even Senator Morton is not
above indulging in remarks concerning
i the purposes and desires of the South
: ern people which entitle him to take
rank among the slanderers Of the
South and the deceivers of the negroes.
No. The South will not allow the re-
, construction measures to be disturbed.
!, Let Northern orators of both parties
take notice thereof. and govern them-
. selves accordingly.