The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-12-18
WhatTherc Was In It.

And now the country has learned
how much bottom there was in all
the buster and brag about what
Blaine would say and do in his great
speech.
Reduced Loits constituent elements
after eliminating the bombast, the
solid residum is
First, an apology for making a
speech about matter where there
was no occasion.
Secondly, a complaint that zone
hundred and six Representatives in
Congress were recently chosen in
the States formerly slave.holding,
and that the Democrats elected one
hundred and one, or possibly one
hundred and two, and the Republi,
cans four or possibly five; that thirty
five of these Representatives were
assigned to the Southern States by
reason of the colored population, and
that the entire political power thus
founded on the numbers Of the color
ed people has been seized and APP
propriated to the aggrandizoment Of
its own strength by the Democratic
party of the South"
In other words he is mad at The
South because it elected Democratic
instead of Republican Representa-
tiyes to Congress; and is mad again,
and claims it to be conclusive Of
fraud, that because thirty.fve of these
representatives were accredited to
the South on the colored population,
there ought to have been thirty-fye
Republican negroes returned to the
House, while the result shows that
the negroes were sensible enough to
cast their ballots for their white
Democratic friends.
He is still more mad in the thought
that after having put the ballot in
the hands of the negro for political
party purposes the Republicans
should have their brains beaten out
with their own club.
If he had dared follow his argu-
mont to its legitimate conclusion, or,
rather had stated it squarely and
frankly, he would have said that the
ballot should be taken from tho ne
gro for his ingratitude, and that is
the purpose of his party to secure the
colored vote for its own benefit or de-
stroy it altogether,
As was said by Senator Lamar, he,
Blaine, throughout all his long har-
rangue, and in all his ingenuity to
impeach the result of the elections
in the South, "could not utter one
word; he could not because it would
not have been the truth, to prove
that there wns n single right Of free
dom or of citizenship belonging to
the black race of the South that was
not as secure and as well enjoyed as
that of the proudest and frecst white
man in the land"
If therefore there was any object
in, and if there is to be any result
follow this speech Of Mr.. Blaine's it
must be one of two things; either
that the Democratic negro must be
deprived of his vote, or the repre-
sentation apportioned to the South
must be reduced SO as to destroy the
effect of the negro vote.
There can be no other conclusion
Justly drawn from the speech. There
is no specific, substantial charge Of
fraud that any statesman would ven
ture to base an argument upon
The South is Democratic, and has al.
ways been; and as Mr.. Thurman well
argues, property, intelligence and
education will rule" 1t has carried
the negro with it in the South, and
it will hold him, whether the South
should hereafter be Democratic or
Republican. Is il then another air.
repressible conflict" that the Ropub-
Elicans are setting up against the ne,
gro vote?- Register,
Al