Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1877-09-21
Negre Suffrage.

who are luCapaBiei ignorance OF
exercising the right with discretion or
sound judgment. In fact, this class
have no prudence or judgment about
the matter whatever for they don't
know anything about it. They don't
know what Q ballot Is; they have no
earthly conception Of the effect oft,
and they have no more knowledge Of
our form Of Government, than any
other barbarians have. Their having
been given the right Of suffrage, that is,
the right to rule over civilized belngs,
WAS inc Of the greatest wrongs ever
inflicted upon any people. Of all the
forms Of tyranny in the world, that of
negro rule Is the most repulsive and
oppressive. None OF the depotisms in
the Old World will compare to,it for II
places over q people thousands Of igno.
rant, depraved aud prejudiced masters.
Nearly every Southern State has felt
the effect Of this loathsome degrade.
ton. RadicAlism In the South up to
this time has meant nothing but the art
of ruling the white people by the negro
votes. And what are negro votes?
They are the opponents Of tho views Of
creatures who are guided almost wholly
by besotted, ignorant and undying
prejudice. And by these things many
OF the richest states Of the South were
ruled Cor rather misruled) for years.
We all know the result. II 10 not
necessary to point 10 South Carolina,
Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississip-
pi, and Louisiana, for the history of
this period OF their suIerings will
never be forgotten.
AT last, by Super.human efforts, The
white people Of these States have over
thrown this despotism, and for The time
being II gives the South increased rep
resentation in the National Congress.
Now, because It does give US this In
creased representation, does il make
ignorant suffrage any the less danger
Gus? The question Is Que that cannot
DO answered lightly, as many people in
the South seem 10 suppose. In the
States where the negro voters are in
the majority, TO control them, it 10 nee.
essAry for the white voters 10 act to-.
gether and control a portion Of the ne
groes. This has been done, but we
have no assurance that 1t can a always be
done in the future. On the other hand
1t is very probable that the white vo-
ters will not continue 10 act in unity.
When they divide, II ia evident that
the balance Of power will be in the
hands Of the negroes. After that Is the
case VIC will soon have q return OF the
evils we have recently escaped, for as
sure az fate, the negroes will act with
the worst and most corrupt element
OF the whites. Yet VIC hear of South
ern writers and speakers who advocate
that this dangerous right be retained
by this ignorant class, because it gives
US more representation in Congress.
They say the North has discovered
that the Southern whites can control
the negro vote, and for that reason the
Radicals are becoming favorable 10 a
withdrawal Of the right of suffrage
from the negroes. This is doubtless
true, but we care not why they are in
favor Of this measure, VIC think the
South ought 10 favor II, because 1t is
right, and because Ignorant suffrage is
and always will be dangerous to any
community. We do not think the evil
OF decreased representation in Con.
gross Is 10 be compared TO the evil Of
this constantly impending danger. We
are not sure that this increased rep.
resenIation does US any good whatever,
while we can point out vast benefits
that this Stale and the others have felt
since they relieved themselves from the
effects Of negro influence. AS far as
our knowledge goes, we cannot call to
mind any benefit VIC have derived by
our Representatives In Congress that
We would not have received just as
we'll with a smaller representation. To
our mind, Rhode Island or Delaware
is just as well represented in Congress
IS New York or Pennsyivanis. This
intention Of holding on 10 our increased
representation with tie right OF sui.
frSge dangerously diluted BY ignor.
ance, depravity and prejudice, we be-
lieve TO be wrong. We believe that the
danger is grea, auG constant, and we
believe that the hope Of benefits TO be
derived Is daiusive. lit ever was an
evil for uDlearned savsges 10 exercise
1La r;,Lt ~ spdr,a1n 70 Il attn -, nviI