The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-06
Intimidation"

for vitiating election returns. Fanaticis"'
ayarice, and ambition combined for giving
this device the place it holds amongst tue
mean schemes for distressing the South anu
bolstering Radical power. IL was 'ote-
calculated by It's cunning inventors
that it might be the most eihcten'
means of continuing the southern SUI
;ppat;on 70 barbarism and disnones's'
Tbav conld see that i. would be easy
- keep down all energy ana iofce %
the white population by frustrating IN!
thing that tended to impair the pow.
=, that element OF the body poiitlc Win
which che interests and fate OF thc haolcai
Marty were deposited. AS the Government
,r.S in the hands Of this element, the charge |
81 contamination" however nefariousiy sas-
to;ned would be altogether sufficient TO de- !
feat any result Of the elections when mign'
he detrimental to Radicalism, for the po"e.
10 Judge OF the nature and the PROOF OF
Z. i,,.;midation," it was presumed, would
10 in the hands of Radicals. And so II was
expected Radicalism would through tliis
q ;,t;m;8ation'' become self-perpetuatlng,
!, tho mower Of the southern votes could so
narnetuate the corrupt party which legal
;zea such a ylllainous eXpedlent.
In the matter Of voting we asl know that
~ long as its legal exercise is made 70 oe-
mend mon age, citizenship, and residence,
or any other specified qualification, it IS
essy to ascertain who are proper voters ana
who are not. Whenever the legality OF an
election depends upon such plain condl-
.iops there can be no difficulty in ascertain
ing proper results, and no danger OF ihFao-
ing anv of the personal rights OF citizens.
Rut when elections are made to depend
unon the vague question OF "lntlmidatlon
thore can be no limit TO the scope of contro-
versv. Surprising the judicial o1hcers anu
tho cnstodans of election returns to be par
tisons. there is no possible chance OF fair
an6 cons cientious investigation, and equally
none Of arriving at Just conclusions; ana
this is exactly what the rillainous authors
OF the device for despoiling the pubic nD-
ertv knew. We have but to look at the his
to~p Of .iptimidation." and Of accusations
upop the ground OF intimidation" in the
So,,b 10 see that this is exactly the charac-
fer Of the artifce, and that its effects have
been. as far as it has been successful, pre-
c!sely what they were intended to be.
Intimidation" as a plea for the corrupt
party that invented it, has worked great
disasters to the republic. 1t has retarded
national harmony it has done great deal
to increase national dishonor, and has set
back the advance OF civilization most scri-
ously. The exercise OF the right to vote,
when made conditional upon things easy OF
ascertainment and in no wise detrimental
to the right OF the voter, is right subject
ed to no unreasonable qualification. But
when it is assumed that the right is men
aced by dangers vague in nature and in
general fanciful and readily engendered by
suspicion, superstitions, and barbarous
preiudices, the right becomes beset with
difficulties that render its exercise the
source Of political troubles and confusion
that are an endless aggravation to society.
No sensible community in a Government
holding authority from the popular will
could possibly, be induced to put such an
enemy Of public peace and order as this
!. "intimidation enactment in the sacred
form OF law upon the statute-book. 1t
could never have become elevated to that
dignity save through such villainous mo-
tives as operated to pass the enforcement
laws" "
And who arc the people who passed the
law about intimidation -? They are the
most intolerant OF people, who have exhi-
bited strong disposition to hurt people who
differed from them in their worldly goods
and occupations. It has been proyerbial that
operatives in mills and shops at the North
were required to vote the way their en-
plyers did, upon pain Of loss Of occupa-
ton and expulsion out upon the highways
to seek new sources Of bread. And these
persons undertook, in the enforcement acts
to teach morality and charity to the South !!
But it is always charity that's in their
favor. They charitably turn off their own
employees for voting against them, and they
would visit upon us pain and injuries for
bulldozing" those amongst us who would
vote as they desire them to vote! Heads /
win, tails you lose. aaa
There never was viler device than this
punishment for alleged intimidation -
never q wider field opened to rascality.
Before Radical tribunal no counter-testi-
mony could Offset the suborned certificates
OF poor, ignorant negroes, signed with their
Observation-Disclosures issued in blank by
thousands, and fixed up with all the facility
which fraud could suggest. '--.--
Philosophically, the device as q protec-
ton to free men is an ahsurdity. Per-
sons who need any such protection are ply
sically and morally incapacitated from ex-
ercising the right Of voting. A republic
which felt the need of protecting any large
number of citizens in such a manner is
unfit to be q republic. 1t is q great po-
ltical fraud. The republic can have no
claim to respect-no right Of existence
at aIl-save from The capacity Of
its people to govern themselves. The very
act OF providing that free men shall not be
made afraid to exercise their rights is tanta-t
mount to a declaration that they are abso-
lutely unfit for such rights.
But to keep the South subiugated and per-
petuate Radicalism this was the device in
vented. 1t has brought fearful conse-
quences upon the nation, and has failed.
Its death struggle is seen in the pending
question Of the presidency. 1t is this very