The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-04-18
Ole BULLETIN.


1 NEW f0rk 1rtbune.)
The true lnwsrdness Of the late south.
ern policy OF the Republican party was
belief that the good OF the country re-.
quired the elevation OF the colored voter
to the control Of the reconstructed states.
Disguised perhaps under cover of a de-
mand for race equality, for free elections,
for the protection Of the wards OF the
nation, and the ratification of the result
OF the war. there was a sincere convict
ion In the mind Of the average Northern
Republican that 1t was essential to the
prosperity Of his party aud the peace of
the South TO make the freedman upper
most In politics; rebels could not be
trusted; the negro would be remanded
70 slavery unless he controlled the legis-
iatures, the courts, and the executive
offices. SO for eight years the carpet
bag governors and the administration
party In congress tried to make the
pyramid stand on its own apex.
The result is before the world. In one
way or another, by fair means or foul,
the control Of several of the states has
been secured to the colored race. They
have occupied the bench aud the Jury
box, made the laws, collected the rsve-
nue,yoisd the appropriations, handled the
money-done every thing except pay the
to develop their own latent capacities, to
gte an education, to make fortunes, az.
qulre land, TO rise ia society. What have
they done OF all these things! Our cor
respondent in Charleston drew picture
OF the condition Of the colored people Of
South Carolina, and 1t is about the same
IN every state where the negro has held
sway. As a race they are idle, ignorant
and vicious. They neither learn nor
save. hey were fond OF their
books in the first novelty
OF freedom, but they care
Tor them no longer. They were
eager to get their little farms, but they
have let them fall ~ ruin. Why should
a man 90 to school, asks the usual type
OF south Carolina freedman, when it 10
~ much nicer to 20 TO the legislature or
get elected justice of the peaceY Why
should IMAM work when he can make
living by stealing chickens, and sit on
the iencs Tor amusementf lie. Us face
the truth. Our Southern policy has not
only been curse to the whites, bat IL
has been curse 10 the freed people for
whose benefit 1t was adopted. 1t has
not made them good citizens. 1t has not
taught them how to use the ballot. 1t
has introduced among them demorali-
cation more dangerous to the country
than the violence VI the White League,
for no republican government can stand
which is not founded upon the suffrage
Of the virtuous and intelligent.
Everybody knows that the negro, left
TO himself. would not get the mastery un-
til he had acquired some Of the qualifca.
estions for it. Even where he bad num-
erical majority of the population and was
perfectly free 10 vote as he pleased, he
would naturally take subordinate posi-.
ton SO lopg as he had neither money,
nor education, nor habits of THRIFT and
foresight, nor comprehension OF the art
Of government. And II Is proper that he
should. Universal suffrage would be an
absurdity except upon the theory that it
generally results In the advancement. Of
Of the intelligent and respectable. A ma
jority of the voters, whether virtuOus or
not, are supposed to understand that self
interest requires them 10 intrust the
government only TO those who are able
to control it. But the Grant policy was
based upon different principle. 1t as
sumed that the great secret OF recon-
struction was to take the negro out OF
the cotton field and put him in the state
house, and send him company OF sold
iers to hold him fast in his seat, and trust
to luck for the rest. The negro has
learned nothing good in his elevation,
and Is no better able to carry on state
government TO day than he was six
years ago.
The only way to reform Southern so.
ciety Is 10 stand aside and leave the vo-
ters tree and unembarrasse Then II
these communities are not utterly cor
rupt. all things will soon find their nat
ural level. and the rule Of tn e majority
will act as 1t acts elsewh ere.