Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-04-07
THE UNCONSTITUTI CT |
LILLE RcS EaIR s.E VI EcNE AEE-EE-

THE ENFORCEMENT T-EE-
feet UPON TH O. GONEEEEON OE
THE NEG ROES IN THU; SOUTH
Commenting upon the recent decis-
ions of the Supreme Court of the
United States declaring the enforce
ment act to be unconstitutional, the
New York Herald very truly says:
''This decision of the Supreme Court,
coming when it does, not only annuis
the enforcement act, but puts that PRO
vision of the constitution in allegiance
which authorizes Congress to pass laws
for the protection of negro equnlltJ.
Af,er the interruptions abuses of leg
islation praotised by the Republican
party under color Of that authority,
and which the Supreme Court has con-
demned, the Demcct ats are not likely
to consent to any further legislation
on the anbject. The negroes, for the
ensuing tWo years at least, VIII have
to Re pend for protection on the State
governments. There will be no further
interpo .ition of federal authority sup
ported by federal bayouets to support
their rights or redress their wrongs
rhis i'm portant decision marks the be
ginning Of a new era in the rolirical
relations Of the negro race III our
Southern States."
The Herald further says:
IF the Southern goernments should
l.
can easily detach their colored cIti
zens from the Republican party and
virtually annihilate that par ~ through
out the South. The negroes will be
likely to class this bogus enforcement
law with the broken Freedmen's Say
ings Bank. They will feel with keen
resentment tha5 their rights have been
no safer than their money in the Gus
tody of tho Republican party. Finding
their hopes disappointed, their conf
dence abused, and that they must,
after all, depend for protection and
prosperity on the communities with
which their lot is cast, they will be
disposed to Cooperate more cordially
with their Immediate fellow citizens
than they have ever been since their
emancipation. They have nothing to
depend upon now but their own in
dustry and sobriety and thoiustice and
good will of their neighbors. If the
whites act with sense and moderation
the undecelved negroes will hereafter
give them no trouble"
The views entertained by the Her
aid i'll regard TO the condition of affairs
in the South are not by any means ex-
pressed for the first time. They assume,
falsely, assume that the negroes are
banded togetherin solid phalanx against
the whites for the reason that the con-
duet of tho whites has not been 'Just,
humane and cousiderate" but has been
characterised by Il want of ''sense and
moderation" This is the view of Mr..
Nordhoff, who recently made tour
through the Southern States TO furnish
information to the Herald Of the cob-
dtion of affairs among Us. Mr.. Nord
hoff's pauacea FOR all the ills that
down the color line" It il needless to
say VIC do not assent to this conclusion.
But It is not our purpose to discuss
this point this morning. We wish
rather to say. even If orlr unfortunate
section could be transformed into the
paradise that some enthusiasts so
fondly dream of by merely breaking
down the color line, that the native
whites would be utterly unable to
bring about the cOnsummat;on so de-
voutly to be wished. Though we
might be 50 'iust and humane and
cousiderate' as t. defy even Radical
criticism, yet would the negroes still
vote against Us. The trouble Is not
that the whites are wanting lu ''scnse
and moderation" but that tne time
las not yet CONF when tue exercise of
sense ana moderation tnward negroes
can aft ct them. Tue Herald need not
fear that tio formal dec esaLion of III
unconstitut5oaalIty Of the EafOrcemant
act will batray the white, of the South
irto any act hostile 70 the neg .es.
Southern whites d. net desire t inter
fare win tbs ieglL rights IF .legro~a as
they are npw guaranteed 50 tae,n by
The Constitution of ttle United States
and the various &IltIsdm6ntS thereto.
Tie Statut" Books Of tie Southern
s. tos Civ. aInp!.. prof Of this.