The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-12-15
From Harper's Weekly. Dec. 16.

From Harper's Weekly, Dec. 10.
Some surprise has been expressed that the
Returning Board of any State should have the
power to so behind the actual returns and 10
throw out votes under any circumstances what
ever. But in the States where such authority
was granted, the situation was exceptional.
Slavery had been abolished as result of war
and as condition OF reconstruction and the
! freedmen were made equal citizens. But they
were absolutely dependent. They were entirely
ignorant homeless, landless, without money.
or thrift, or habits OF industry. Their total en-
reimbursement was part of the national policy
upon which there has been much difference of
opinion. But it was adopted, and we do not
now argue the question. The white population
among which the new citizens lived comprised
the old slave-holding class, or the arstocracy.
and the ''poor whites, "white trash, clay
CATERS kind OF population which has no
parallel as class in this part of the country,
and OF which there ale vivid glimpses in Mr..
Olmsteds invaluable books OF Southern travel
and experience before the war.
The feeling OF the slave-hodipg class, sur
rounded by the ruin Of the war; the devastation
OF property, the radical change of the social,
their utter defeat in the field and by the sud-
den elevation of the race they had despised to
civil and political equality with themselves, it is
not difficult to imagine. Nor, could that class
but know it. has there ever been wanting the
truest sympat ny for them among those in this
part Of the country who had always politically
opposed them, and who fought them most
bravely in the field. That sympathy still exists,
and it is the action OF the Southerners them
selves which holds the Northerners politically
arrayed against them. 1t was, however, evident
that under the circumstances in the Southern
States the suffrage of the freedmen would be
either won to the side OF the old master class
by kindness and the habit Of obedience. or or
gained against it by other influences. The
last ls what happened. For some time the old
master class held aloof. and the Ku-Klux har
ried the negroes aud threw them under the in-
fuence OF new class Of whites. This situation
was largely due to Andrew Johnson, whose ad
ministration persuaded the old masters that IN
der Democratic ascendency the negro could
soon be reduced to his old place" The mas
ter class thus lost the opportunity OF gaming
the colored voters, and the color line was
drawn.
Nothing is palmer than that in SUCH a situa-
ton, when the old political class aga took an
active interest in politics, the colored vote IL
remote counties IN the old Slave States would
be exposed TO every kind OF improper influence
to fear, force, aud fraud OF every form and
! 20 ha 80
out power to investigate further and to apnu
results proved to be due to fraud or force, the
new vote would soon be paralyzed or turned
improperly to strengthen the old. Such consd-
erations led to the comforting OF judicial as we'll
as ministerial functions upon the final Board OF
Canvassers. And the power is not only as valid
as that OF counting the votes, but 1t is az man
datory. II the Board is satisfied that there has
been fraud or force in any district sufficient to
throw the whole return under Suspicion, it may
throw it out. This is certainly great power.
1t gives dishonest Board control OF the result,
But the wrong is no greater that one body ra-
Their than another should have such control, Ii
is obviously better that an ] cal board should
exercise such authority rather than that it
should be conceded to an irresponsible mob at
local poll. The members of the official boards
in the disputed States vino are not Democrats
| are described as rascals by the Democratic pa
: pers. But they are probably no more rascaIs
than the ku-Klux, or those who act in the Ku-
llux spirit. Let those who think that the board
in Louisiana, for instance. should not have re-
} visory powers. read the testimony Of the negro
7 woman Eliza Pinkston, Of Ouachta Parish, and
. then say whether 1.-The face of the return from
a precinct in which such atrocities were prac
} ticed ought to be accepted as final. The story
is frightful. 1t describes deeds done by Amer
! leans in Louisiana that would have disgraced
, Turks in Bulgaria. No wonder that ex-Gover'
} nor Palmer and ex-senator Trumbull, OF the
, Democratic Northern committee, were sckened
, and appalled,, and that George W. Julian, an old
, time abotionlst, but Of the same COMMITTEE, re-
, fused to look at the womans wounds. We be
, lieve that these gentlemen will not hesitate tc
, say, in common with all honest and humane
! Americans, that there ought to be some author
a. a. -o;oct ratnvpa m ada nv snch ynaapa