New-York tribune., 1877-05-31


They are the trophies only enduring trophies OF
hundred hardfought, bloody fields.
In quiet times institutions often ouilive the ideas IN
which they had their origin but in revolutionary eras
institutions crumbe, fall and PERISH while their asso
ciae ideas survive and control even MAJORITY Vi 'no
people. ,., H.. ou. .,r,oo, % reoc
tOnary forces as soon as the neat OF INC cOues' suD
OF the three great amendments to the Constitution
the first only Is beyond the peril OF an adverse pouca
or judicial Interpretation and VIC may rest WIN COM
dcDce in the belief that not one even or tIe od ss'e
States would tolerate system OF human pOnuase
The other great measures known as me tour @ ~
and Fifteenth Amendments 10 the Constitution, oa are III
actual peril and fear that the peril Is yearly lncreas
ing II Is doubtful If majority OF me Wte goaus h ~
The country were at any time favorable 70 te ,h
to apprehend that there has been steauJ su
during the last two years While this reaction cannot
result in the overthrow OF the amendnelts ~ consu
tonal methods there Is danger that they Will receive
snch an INTERPRETATION by the and by Congress IA
to deprive thom OF their Chief value as they were dea
Stood by the men who originated them, and ny the pcO
ple OF the States that ratified them IL Is long r'p
from perfect, undisturbed faith IN tho ghi divine T
man 10 rule people or nation tO Tue doctrine tna,
The ony thing divine i'm human governments - the equal
right a voice in mazing the laws ana al ePna
right to the protection which the laws afford Inc
Fonrsenth and Fifteenth Amendments rest upon this
broad basis OF human equality ana mere resting t,$
are immovabe but Their iniuence for g0od may DC az
fected unavorably IL the Interpretation given to them Is
fashioned by the IDEAS OF past age -, ,.o,o,,or.
Two centuries OF siayeholdng robbed th9 eiVeho@1l' W @
of republican ideas ard class they bad ceased 10 pc
leye in human equality Indeed this change OF opinion
contributed 10 the rebellion I1e sayenoiueas ttn nsn
tanned their class rights aud privileges with true arso-
cratic zeal and with equal feryOr they asserted the eH
elusive character OF these rlghts ana pNlIcs's,
thru the overthrow Of slavery only greater
calamity than The extension of the specal pI'iekyrS Va
the dominant class 10 tee enslaVed race. iTGS LIZ
believed they yet believe. III their right to rule Inc
passion for power rooted m family or class VII nos
soon die 1t survives poverty rtcoyers from ueea' '"N
often it Ouyes forms of government. IL, o,
This desperate passion in the Shareholders mas gven
rise to two dangerous theories OF goVefhhht W ia .'
country and these theories purpose no" 10 spsth
Nor do complain OF the slayeholdng class but assert
with fun confidence that Their tTdning hots tis, ,s
and opinions alike unfit them To advise or Ielu III te
government OF free country ana especiay oi q, cy e
try redeemed but recently from the doninauoh Vi s
cry and yet dlsentnacd rom lts IInuI ioe'
theories are, FIRST, The educated cass sloud run nu
secondly, and as a consequence iie lsioIsn rtSi
white black, should DE deprived oI tnc .isiie TN
Of suffrage. In obedience 10 me hIst PTolGon J.vo bao
statesMissssippi, sonth tatona' anu a. ny
been seized by armed inlhofleN ftpIesetlus uo , ~
Gated ana wealthy e,ioes o oT yot,i bo hccn de-
prved OF their offices IN some instances. Wine III Oeis
tie voters nave been th%ared ~ tnc a11S 10 of
cise their rights rs cltlZcnS lhSe W. w. th
wealth ana respeclabiiity against numbers ana III nree
S',nco has thcre been failure IL T. the OF
republican form OF government that the constltuiiOn
majority shall rule, and by the Constitution Ga ine
Tied States that form OF government guaranteed to
each state Thus far guaranty has proved to be Of
no value The rule OF the majority disappears ~ STATE
the rule OF an armed minority apeaLn III" 0 u"'o 30
silent. This Is precedent ilii oi peril. e,.
The right OF f0rclbo revolution not cOhhhed 10 one
class of citizens and the body polite cannot rest content
in knowledge that the Government established ln
disappointed disatfccted minority Nor IS any cA-
or defense to assert or even to prove thaI 'he
majority were ignorant and corrupt.
,d az and - ,vcahv classes aII temptaton to rebel
against rule the gJOrity the suggestion IA made
bavc orouired degree of knowlclge which the schools
furnish It Is also maintained THAI such limitation 0f
elective franchise would secure better governments
IN large aud cities in every part Of the country
The suggestion only be made the idea that tine
right 20 vote Is privilege winch somebody mas granted
and which therefore may py somebody or Dy sOLe
means be taken away is true historically that the
right privilege has been from tine 10 uine extended
but it does not by any follow that TIE limitations
q
that derived from the possession O power whether IL
be rght privilege it Is ~ much the right or PRIV
jloge of one man of another. and in aspect ot the
case the elective franchise be connected properly
with the possession OF wealth or of the cituit @c the
schools furnish. As endowment the elective francnls9
much important 10 the poor and ignorant than IL
is To the wealthy ana cultivated.
Tie proposition deprive any American citizen even
the humbiest, Of the ballot u an 0he'e 10 the WDoie
body oi CHcns ana an assault upon ileS HSti.t'ios
Such policy once accepted viii increase tie NUMBER o
the and the ignorant aud the increase o the poor 1Ed
the ignorant VIII provoke lurtlci lt'tlohs upon tio
righ Tho thought ls the essence OF a7t1tfatlc
class rule hut public discussion and private rejection
viii deprive the scheme OF the importance winch IL
ut tnc first o the two dangers suppression of tho
majority several Of the states by AN Intelligent, am
bilious, aggressive and armed minority, VIII remain 10
trouble and harass the country ior many years.
and NV eSycrnmeIts in their stead have been inall
elIratcd In blood Tho usurpcrs will retain authority
through the force OF the fears already engmcied or
they Vii uatc their power by secret frauds Tho
nation wif be compelled to consider whether govern
organized and 80 perprtuated are "FtPdohcah
i'm form" and II they republican IN form the
an viii be- called 20 decide whether IL Ni excuse or
disregard guarantee it has given Of "a republican
form OF govern 20 every state in this Union"
Interference by the General Government j. warranted
only in cSreme The theory Of orr system l. mat
each STATE shan manage us own a1au5 III d''oI"alce
with t Constitution, Nnc often j. ana aIWA's may ~
tested by tne nation rs To it, opuDcan character Mheh
sa,c Is admitted intO me Union IL SoislltuloH -
subjected to the scrutiny ol Congress ana tlc question
whether the Constitution oi STATE Is republican ana
the question whether the GOycfilneht IA S'a,e OF
Snized aud l. acting under the onstluliou are Its
dO eher ~ tnc results oi special INJURY OF 10y Seh-
er3u pubic Information ., .,.. ,,...;.,,
tOn contains Le secohd great power ol tit M
ami ia constitutional Expression II Is The INST The power
To maintain its own existence against an iocs' Whytuet
domestic or foreign is the first, the chlcf power OF the
Government. though not declared in the Constitutions
aud second power found ln the express authority
given o ami N the duiy enoined upon the United statos
10 guarantee to every state IN TINS Union republican
yason, and application of the Legislature, or OF tae
Executive (wh.n the Legislature cannot be convened
fOud tie security of the several states Tor peace Tor
order, for republican form OF government ana III tht ehd
crt security for the continued existence OF te
The successful overthrow or peryersion Of State gov
crnments VIII result The overthrow or pervcFson Of
the National Government. Men and organizations OF |
men t6at nave proved unfaithu 10 states cannot be
trusted To support the Government Of all the States
The overthrow of the STATES Is the prelude only 10 the
oyrrthroT OF the National Government. The powers !
conferred by the fourth section fourth article
conservative powers, they are extraordinary powers;
they are be used only when the other faculties Oi he
government have failed; but they are constitutional
powers and powers TO be invoked rs well for the protec
ton OF overcome naorties III states as Oi the Pesr
yation OF TIE Of National Government Wnlch inc
Constitution gniZcd or created.
the purpose OF executing TINS article the congress,
capacity, the United states, ana upon
il conferred by the Constitution the power TO Judge OF
each particular Stale whether 10 has has not repub-
can form government. THIS il great power ana va
shrink naturally from ITS exercise When, however We
reflect thai the Congress composed Oi representatives
oil The states cannot avoid the conclusion that nat
body Is more likely neglect lis duty IN this pIrlcldr
than il IL to exert tne power unusty or mprONlacnty
But the power 10 in the Constitution; The Congress IL
the custodian the power aud tle peace OF the states,
he existence the Union, both dependent upon It's
assertion and upon It's exercise whenever state Govern
u,ut, are prrVcIted or 0yerhrOwn. The cOuItry would
MOI hcsttatt II armed bands from Canada TO over
throw me Government Of Vermont; should not nest
,F I4Sl