New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-05-21
HOME RrLE and THE NEGRO.

d.tion If polite, and society which prevails
not only in Alabama but In several other
States. and is likely to become general through
out the South. Ii seems to be already the rule
in South Carolina, in PARIS OF Louisiana and
Mississippi, and in Georgia. A distinctiyely
White Mans party, getting the reins of gov
eminent after IA long struggle, is now engaged
in the establishment of new order of things,
differing almost as much from. that which has
lust passed away as the earlier phases
Of reconstruction differed from the old
life on the plantation. 1t seems prob
able that under the white restoration The
material prosperity of the South viii he
RAPIDLY advanced. There will he a scIi0us eff
fort to rCorganize the finances, TO pay interest
on the debt, to bring the State expenditures
within the State income, to put stop to pub
lie robbery to reform the SCandalOus judiciary,
to keep the schools efficient, and to preserve
the public peace The negro will have at
least as good an opportunity TO obtain an cdu-
cation as ne has ever had, and a better chance
of Justice in the courts. We do not believe
that Intimidation will be by any means as
common as il has been, and other forms OF
violence to which the South has always been
II is not that the old sayc-driver has expert
cncod a change Of heart, or that the reign
of universal justice and good will is
about to begin ; but the whites have
learned by ten years o. bitter experience that
the interests of the two races are identical,
and that there can be no true prosperity for
one class which is not founded upon the pros
peIity of all. While these views are cherished
we may expect to see Southern industries re-
yiye, and society, which has been thrown into
the most violent disorder, as the mountain is
rent and tuned upside down by volcanic erGp-
lions, settling back into It's normal quiet
This is the pleasant side of tue prospect.
On the other hand is the certainty that though
the negro may be safe i'll his person and prop
erty, yet for some time to come he Will not be
recognized as the political equal OF the whites
and will not be permitted under any cncum-
stances to regain political power. He may be
fairly treated in the courts and the schools
lac will not be fairly treated at The polls.
Probably we shall hear little more Of shotgun
campaigns and masked riders but the negro
maiorities will melt away; the colOrcd people
will be discouraged from voting; they VIII
be strongly confirmed in the belief, already
gaining ground with them, that politics for
black folks will not pay, and that they VIII
find il easier ~ get work and make friends If
they let the affairs OF GOV ernment alone. Ways
enough will he found TO nullify the provisions
of the enforcement acts without infringing
upon the boundaries indicated in the recent
decisions of the Supreme Court. The State
election laws will be uuassalable by Federal
authority; ard yet it will be found that negro
suffrage is to all intents and purposes abOi-
isheG whenever it threatens to lead to the
restoration Of a negro and Carpet-Dag admins
traton. If the whites cannot keep in power
by fair means, they will not hesitate to secure
themselves 10y fraud.
This is not cheering outlook; but perhaps
it does not become the North 20 east the first
stone at the offender. In more than one in
stance the supremacy of the negro was OBJ
tanned by the frauds Of ms Northern allies, or
actually established by an armed Federal
force in defiance alike of law and equity and
for several years the Federal army alone has
kept it in existence. If the whites are now
preparing, by various forms OF discouragement
and rogucIy to prevent the casting or the
counting of negro votes, they are only repeat
ing the lessons which they learned from the
carpci-baggcr and the deputy marshal. The
Republican party in the South is suffering
the penalty of its own sins and fol-
lies. 1t has had the political guardianship
of the colored people ever since the close
of the war, and what has it made Of them
They are little better fitted to-day to frame
and to Judge laws, to raise and to spend taxes,
or to carry on the other functions of govern
rnent than they were twelve years ago when
Lee laid down his arms. They have learned
something about the pccunlary value Of a vote,
or a seat on the beuch, on place III the Lcgis-
lature; but they have LITTLE conception OF the
RESPONSIBILITIES OF the suffrage. he party which
ought to have taught them patriotism and self
reliance has taught them new forms of theft
and idleucss and now, when party changes
throw them upon their own resources, it is
seen that they have entirely failed either
to acquire the character Of a distinct political
constituency or 10 coalesce with the consjitu-
encics previously existing. Even where they
have a numerical majority they threaten TO
count for nothing IN the body polite.
However much We may regret this state of
things, there is no means by which the North
can directly interfere TO change it. Our mis-
taken policy has aggravated the opposition be-
tween The weaker and the stronger race, until
the universal law takes its course, and tic
weaker goes TO the wall The remedy can
only be found in the gradual obiteration of
the cOlor-linc, and the merging of the
two races in homogeneous political body.
That sort Of union cannot be effected by force.