New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-15
Esat16rity shall be exercised to enforce
obedience to national law.
FEDERAL NUMBERS.

SUtNO31CY small DO exoICI6oO 70 001OSce
obedience to national law.
FEDERAL NUMBERS.
A correspondent asks us q question
upon point which the REPUBLICAN ex-
amined to considerable extent pending
the late canvass
Can you inform your readers what addi-
tional representation in the United States
Electoral College has the enfranchising of
the negro race given to the Southern States?
The Democrats prize 1t only for its INCREAs-
ING THE SOLID VOTE Of the South II, said
college. What right have the Southern
States to representation in the Electoral
voting to those who form that basis of rep.
resentation9 If Republicans are not a.
lowed to vote quietly in the States known
now - the "soIid South" what would be
the effect of their surrendering their State
franchise and claiming United States pro-
lection only without vote) Can the present
Congress, which is to count the electoral
vote between Hayes and Tilden, consist
emily allow the Southern States Q full rep
known that the full Republican vote was
not polled? Representation in the "col-
lege" should be for the vote actually poLed
without intimidati0n), not that ~ regis.
tered.
The result of the election shows that
Of the 1874 electoral votes which are now
claimed for Mr.. Tilden, at least "a are
based upon Federal numbers afforded by
the colored population of the Southern
States. He probably can not be de-
c!ared elected at all; but it is certain that
he can not be without the aid of electoral
votes based upon the enumeration Of the
colored population. Leaving the dis
puted States, South Carolina, Florida and
Louisiana out of the question for the
present, and we find that in at least three
others, having a majority Of colored
voters. there has been practically an
abridgment of the franchise. 1t has
been so completely abridged in Missis-
sippi, Alabama and Arkansas that the
Democratic majorities, as reported to us,
are Overwhelmingly, not to say sus-
piciously, large. Thus, while there
has been an increase of two
ffths of thirty-four electoral votes
in the South, the semi-military con-
dition which has existed here since the
war, has practically left the suffrage in
the hands of those who controlled affairs
to wreck and ruin prior to 1850. The
solid South has been strengthened at least
fourteen electoral votes by emancipation,
and if tho Democratic policy can be car
ried ont to its logical results these same
votes are to be turned point blank against
the race to which the States are indebted
for them. It would be deemed great
to the South to deprive it of the
based upon negro num-
bers, yet it would be exactly in accord
with justice to exclude at least one-half
the Representatives in Congress from Mis-
sissippi, where colored voting is either
farce or tragedy, according to the local
ity; Arkansas, where the negroes have
almost forgotten the way to the polls, and
Alabama, where a political campaign re-
'embles civil war.
In Louisiana, this business of abridg-
nent has been pers istently followed up,
md scarcely an election has taken place
since the adoption of the constitution of
1868, in which the negroes in one locality
" another have not been practically
aught that there is wide difference be- |
ween tie legal permission to vote and
lie practical ability to do it. We have
hown how in at least five parishes tho |
legroes have been made prisoners of war
nd detained under guard until their ex-
orted votes could be recorded for |
'Tilden, Nichols and REFORM" when |
hey were dismissed back to the planta-
ions to work for thirteen dollars month
nd wait to be voted in tho some way at
be next election. Thus the negroes first
urnish political strength by their num-
ers which the Democrats greedily accept,
nd take care it is turned to their advant-
1
&c.
1t is difficult to say exactly what would
9 the effect if the negroes should become
isgusted with the useless name of voters
ow conferred upon them by law, and ask
} be DISTINGUISHED. We do not regard it
, contingency likely to arise, but yet it
possible. OF course the Democrats
ould resist the reduction of their politi-
Il strength which emancipation has
ven them with as much determination
} they resisted emancipation itself. But
more likely solution of the question
ill be migration. It is extremely proba.
10 that contiguous territory can be found,
! which the negro shall be rated at his
i'll value not only in the industrial sense,
ut as political integer. Already many
the thinking colored men are looking
ward San Domingo, with view to max
g that favored region their future
ONE. Its fertile soil needs only rein
rcement of labor to make it pro-
ice sugar enough, if not to sup
y the world, at least to seri-
1sly affect and even control the I
arkets. With our own sugar fields de-
rted and those of San Domingo peopled
7 the magnificent body of laborers to
HON Louisiana owes nearly every dollar
wealth she has, the question of tariff
! our sugar would become too insignif-
mt to merit the indignation Of the most
.thOdox Northern Democrat At the |