The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-10-19

. ing title of ''scalawag.' They applied the mos
potent OF social forces, the force of fashion
and of social influence, to prevent any politica
effort that would educate and elevate the gno
rant negroes or create any really loyal and pro
gressive party in their States. Did a Northern
man 90 South and act with the Conservative Of
Democratic party, they gave him hospitablt
welcome. Did he entirely abstain from all po
Itical action and ell expression of politica
opinion, they mildly tolerated him. Did ht
exercise our Northern habit of free speech anC
independent voting, they either socially ignored
or openly deepised him.
4 Now. there could be but one result to all
this, an that result came. The government
of the Southern States passed under the con-
troll of the blacks and such whites as polite
ally acted with them. These blacks had mostly
been slaves, and we're what slavery had made
them. The wonder is not that they did sc
poorly with their new found freedom, but that
in their enforced ignorance they did so wei
They were duped by designing leaders They
legislated recklessly, fooishly, often corruptly.
They piled up debts without thought, and
loaned the public credit without stint. But in
two great respects they were wise beyond their
generation, and builded far better than even
! their cultured masters knew. They always
planted the safeguards of personal liberty
| deep in the organic law, and, whatever else
they did or omitted they always built school,
| houses, and made liberal provision for general
popular education.
/ The results of ignorant rule are always and
/ everywhere the same-corruption and in
efficiency. These evils caused increased
taxation, and soon, in self-defense, the
men who had sullenly abstained
/ from taking part in the Government we're
compelled to act. But, true to the terrible and
| deadly education Of slavery, even when they
| acted thew fatally Numbered still. They either
| forgot or could not comprehend the new con-
ditions of freedom for all men. They first
sought to caiole their late slaves to sell their
votes, and when this effort failed they re-
sorted to the old argument of the bludgeon and
rifle.
would utter no word to intiame passions or
revive prejudice, and yet candid review of
this Southern problem compels me to say de-
liberately to- day, that after careful inquiry
am satisfied that nowhere in the States lately
in rebellion is there any such freedom Of dis
cussion opinion, and action as we understand
by free speech and free ballot here at the
North. I can go to Charleston and Mobile and
safely say all that I now say here. But the
man who holds my opinions and thus utters
them in Charleston or Mobile is socially ostra
cised from cultured families, and even upon
change and IN business circles is given the
cold shoulder. II you leave such city centers
and 90 to the crossroads and upon the planta-
TONS the advocacy of Republican ideas is
physically unsafe and i'll many districts none
b.lt very brave man dare even vote Repubh-
can ticket. t#
To all this method and path there comes but
one ending. Capital will not venture where
| such conditions exist Where violence intim-
| idates, freedom dies and all true progress is
hindered. School-houses go to ruins, and the
rising generation become ignorant DULLES If
| they are white, and ignorant towards II black.
| The future of such democracies is simply hor-
rible to contemplate. And yet under existing
conditions it is just as certain to come as that
| to-morrow's sun will rise.
| What is the remedy? AS wise men we ought
| not to let this drift on. As brave men we cam
| not. yield to none in the depth and earnest
ness of my republicanism. yield to mono in
! love Of liberty and deep detestation OF all in
| Justice to manhood and labor. l weld to none
| IN resolute purpose to protect every man in the
| South in the full and free exercise of all his
| rights. At the same time, / cannot but recall
through what terrible temptations these men
| of the South have passed. cannot forget the
forces of early education, the prejadices Of
race, the common frailties of our common hui
manity. I try to put myself In their place /
| try to realize the suffering and shame of q
proud, high-spirited people, beaten, suffering.
| poor. AndI frankly tell you that while /
| would resolutely hold them and all to the alb
solute enforcement of the law and the complete,
even if unwilling, recognition of the political
and personal rights Of the lewliest and the
blacklist. still would do it with full remem-
brance that we are Americans and brothers.
would go further: While would compel
every Southern Democrat 10 respect the ballot
| box and to protect his negro fellow-citiZen, /
would scourge from the Southern Republican
| party every thief, every dealer in the holy
names of equality and liberty, who had simply
traded in them for the sake of self and gain.
| What is the remedy? You and can not say
that no burden of responsibility rests upon u.s.
When we deliberately decided to preserve the
| Union, we assumed the responsibility Of so
| ruling the Union as to make it blessing as
| well to those whom we conquered and those
whom we enfranchised as to ourselves and to
our children. This duty is upon us. Let us
meet it kindly calmly and without passion.
Let us meet it, if possible, without prejudice
The remedy OF tomorrow Is the schoolhouSe
The remedy of to day is the Northern ballot
box.
The South is already almost fused into solid
unit for the Democracy. The Southern cleo
toral vote may control this Presidential cleo
ton. You know as we'll as can picture what
danger this means to the national credit what
possible and enormous increase to the national
| debt, what perils to our industries what reck-
| lessness in legislation. There is but one
remedy. I speak it with hesitation, but it were
weakness to withhold the words.
| A united South must be met, defeated and
| kept in check by a united North at the ballot
! hox precisely as the united South was met
and defeated by q united North on the field OF
! battle.
| I speak these words sadly. reluctantly, but
! kindly. To do this is not only duty to the ma
ton, it is the highest kindness to our brethren
Of both races and all classes at the South.
There can be no true peace, no general and
enduring prosperity at the South, until each
and all comprehend, respect and secure the
rights Of all Each school-house that is burned
binders the building Of factory. Each black
man murdered hinders the coming OF some
| intelligent white farmer OF mechanic. Each
wrong done anywhere not only begets some
new injustice, but hinders the doing of some
actual good.
BY continued and assured Republican sue
cess at the North and in the nation we must
hold the South firmly but very kindly. We
must hold the South until the prejudices OF
race have been weakened until the bitterness
of defeat has been aasuaged, until the anger OF
the struggle has passed
Surely, if We are tree to the nation and to
the best ideas of liberty, there will come q
| tina Hghan our Honkh arn fallnw .nitiXanS shall