The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-12

ton Of nine and halt millions, Of EhGl
lin round numbers five aud bali millioni
were white and four millions eolored.. Or
this aggregate population seventy three
Representative In Congress were appor
Itioned IA those states-torty-two or three
tof which were by reason OF the white pop
lulation, and thirtyor thirty-one BY reason
J Iof the colofed population. At the recent
election the white Democracy Of the South
seized seventy Of the seyenty-three dis
ltricts. and thus secured Democratic ma
jority in the next House OF Representa-
lives. Thus it appears that throughout
the States that formed the late Conieder;
late Government seventy-hye thousand
whites-the very people that rebelled
against the Union-are enabled 70 elect
Representative in Congress, while In the
loyal States It requires one hundred and
! thfry.two thousand OF the white people
that fought for the Union to elect KEEP
| resentatiye. In levying every tax, there.
fore, in making every appropriation Of
money, in fixing every line Of public pol
4 lev. IN decreeing what shall be the fate
and fortune Of tie Republic, the Confed-
Ierate soldier South Is enabled TO cast vote
that Is twice as powerful and twice as in
luential as the vote OF the Union soldler
North.
But the white men OF the south did not
acquire and did not hold this superior
power by reason Of law or justice, but IN
disregard and defiance Of both. The four
tenth amendment to the Constitution
was expected to be and was designed 70
be a preventive and corrective Of all such
possible abuses. The reading Of the clause
applicable to the case is instructive and
suggestive. Hear II: .. ,si-..- =.
Representatives shall b 1TPortlonei among the
several states according 10 th6r respective Number
counting the whole number Of persons IN each State
excluding Indians not taxed. Bat when the rsht 70
Tute At any election for the choice o. eleeto ior Fro
Snt and Vice President q the United States Repro
seaIStITos In Congress, The executive and judicial ON
| eers on Stala or the members 81 the Legislature
thereof Is denied % Spy d the male inhabit1n1 q
such S1is 9 1nIs os nv az Sas
except tor participation In rebellion, Or othst crime
the basis d representation therein shall he reduced 70
the proportion which the number o. such male Gu
Esns shall kelr 70 The whole nlmbar q maze e1lGes
tEenty -oDe ye1s 0fSgs 10 such SSte,
The patent, undeniable intent OF this
provision was that ifany class of voters were
denied or In anyway abridged In their
right OF suffrage, then the class so denied
or abridged should not DO counted in the
basis OF representation; or, In othOr woris,
that no State or States should gain a large
Increase Of representation in Congress by
reasons OF counting any class OF population
not permitted TO take part in eIecting such
Representatives. But the construction
given TO this provision is that before any
forfeiture OF representation can be entorc-
ed the denial or ahrldgmsRt Of suffrage
must be the result Of q law specifically en'
acted by the State. Under this Sonstrpe'
ton every negro voter may have his
suffrage absolutely denied or fatally
abridged by the violence, actual or threat
ened, OF irresponsible mohs, or by frauds
and receptions Of State officers from the
Governor down to the last election clerk,
and then, unl6sg some State law can be
shown that authorizes sao denial or
abridgment, the State escapes all penalty
or peril OF reduced representation. This
construction may be upheld by the courts,
ruling on the letter Of the law, which
killeth,n but the spirit OF justice cries
loud against the evasiye and atrocious con-
elusion that deals out expressions to the
innocent and shields the guilty from the
legitimate consequences Of willtul trans
erosion.
The colored citizen is thus most unhap-
PLY situated; his right Of suffrage is but
hollow mockery; it holds to his ear the
word Of promise but breaks it always to
his hope, and no snis only in being made
the unwilling instrument OF increasing tho
political power OF that party from which
he received ever-tghtening letters when
he was slave and contemptuous refusal
OF OWL rights since he was made free. lie
resembles indesl thasa unhappy capives
in the East who deprived OF their birth
right arc compelled TO yield their strength
to the upbuilding OF the monarch from
whose tyrannies they have most to fear,
and TO fight against the power from which
alone deliversne6 might be expected. The
franchise intended for the shield and do
tense of the negro has been turned against
him and against his friends, and has vast
ly increased the PoEer Of those from whom
he has nothing 10 hope and everything 10
dread.
The political power thus appropriated
by Southern Democrats by reason OF the
negro population amounts to thirty-tve
Representatives. Congress. 1t is massed
almost solidly and Offsets tho great States
OF New York; or Pennsylvania and New
Jersey, or the whole OF New England, or
Ohio and Indiana united, or the combined
strength OF Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas,
California, Nevada, Nebraska, Colorado
and Oregon, The seizure Of this power is
wanton usIrpation;lt l. fragrant outrage;
it is violent perversion OF the wholetheoTy
OF Republican Government. It inures
solely TO the present advantage and yet, /
believe, to the permanent dishonor Of the
Democratic party. 1t is by reason of this
trampling down Of human rights, this
ruthless seizure OF unlawful power that
the Democratic party holds the popular
branch OF Congress today and will In less
than ninety days have control OF this body
also, thus grasping the entire legislative
departmGIt Of the Government through
the unlawful capture OF the Southern
States. II the prescribed vote OF the South
were cast as its lawful owners desire, the
| Democratic party could not gain power
Nav, II 1t were not counted on the other
side against the INSTINCTS and the interests,
against the principles and the preIudices
OF its lawful owners, Democratic success
would be hopeless. 1t Is not enough, then,
for modern Democratic tactics that the
negro vote shall be silenced; the demand
COOS farther and insists that it shall be
on their side, that all the Representatives
In Congress and all the Presidential cleo
tors apportioned by reason OF the negro
vote shall be so cast and so governed as TO
insure Democratic success regardless OF
Justice, in defiance OF law.
And this injustice is wholly unpro-
yokeI. doubt Il it be in the power OF
the most searching investigation to show
that In any Southern State during the Pc
riod OF Republican control any legal voter
was ever debarred from the ireest exercise
OF his suffrage. Even the revenges which
would have leaped into life with many
Iwho despised the negro were buried out
Of sight with Q magnanimIty which the
Superior race" fail 70 follow and seem re-
Iluctant to recognize. I know II is said in
retort to such charges against the South
ern election as am now reviewing that
uniaIrness OF equal gravity prevails in
i Northern elections. I hear Il In many