Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-12-18

eQ IN the proportion Whlch the mum
Der of such male citizens shall beA
to the whole number of male citizen
twenty-one years of age in such state
The patent, undeniable intent o
!, this provision was that if any class o
!. voters were denied or in any way
, abridged in their right of suffrage
then the class so denied or abridged
should not be counted in the basis o
t representation or, in other words
hat NO state or states should gain I
large representation in congress BY
reason OF counting any class of pop
ulati0n not permitted TO take part IL
electing such representatives. Blu
the construction given to this provis
, ion 10 that before any forfeiture O.
. representation can be enforced thu
denial or abridgement of suffrag,
must be the result Of . law specially
enacted by the state. Under this con
struction every negro voter may have
his suffrage absolutely denied or f.
tally abridged by the violence, actua
or threatened, of irresponsible mobi
or by frauds and deceptfons of state
officers from the governor down te
the last election clerk, and then, un.
less some state law can be shown
that authorizes the denial or abridge.
ment, the state escapes all penalty OF
peril of reduced representation. Thii
construction may be upheld by the
courts, ruling on the letter Of the law,
(which killeth," but the spirit Of jus.
tice cries aloud against tho evasive
and atrocious conclusion that deals
out oppression to the innocent and
shields the guilty from the legitimate
consequences Of wilful transgression.
The colored citizen Is thus most un-
happily situated; his right Of suff-
rage 10 but . hollow mockery; ii
holds to his ear the word Of promise
but breaks 1t always to his hope, and
he ends only in being made the un-
willing instrument Of increasing the
political strength Of that party from
which he received ever-tighteninR
letters when he was slave and con-
temptuous refusal of civil rights since
he was made free. He resembles In
deed those unhappy captives in the
east who deprived of their birthright
are compelled to yield their strength
to the upbuilding of the monarch
from whose tyrannies they have most
to fear, and to fight against the pow
or from which alone deliverance
might be expected. The franchise in.
tended for the shield and defense of
the negro has been turned against
him and against his friends and has
vastly increased the power Of those
from whom he has nothing to hope
and everything to dread.
The political power thus appropri-
ated by southern democrats by reason
Of the negro population amounts to
thirty-ffve representatives in congress.
1t is massed almost solidly and off
sets the great state Of New York; or
Pennsylvania and New Jersey to-
gether; or the whole of New Eng
land; or Ohio and Indiana united ;
OF the combined strength of Illinois,
Minnesota, Kansas, California, Ne
vada, Nebraska, Colorado and Ore
gon. The seizure of this power is
wantcn usurpstion it ia fragrant out
rage; 1t is violent perversion Of the
whole theory of republican govern
ment. 1t innres solely to the present
advantage and yet, l believe, to the
permanent dishonor of the democratic
party. 1t is by reason of this tramp
ling down of human rights, this ruth
less seizure Of unlawful power that
The democratic party holds the popu-
lar branch Of congress to-day and
will in less than ninety days have
control of this body also, thus grasp
ing the entire legislative department
OF the government through the un-
lawful 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. Nay, fit were not counted
on the other eide against the instincts
and the interests, against the princi-
pies and the prejudices of its lawful
owners, democratic success would be
hopeless. 1t is not enough, then, for
modern democratic tactics that the
negro vote should be. silenced; the
demand goes farther and insists that
it shall be counted on their side, that
all the representatives. in congress and
all the presidential electors appor-
| toned by reason of the negro vote
shall be so cast and 80 governed as to
insure democratic success-regard-
less Of justice, in definance of law.
And this injustice is wholly unpro-
voked. ! doubt if it be in the po wer
of the most searching investigation to
show that in any southern state du-
ring the period of republican control,
any legal voter was ever debarred
from the freest exercise of his suff-
rage. Even the revenge which would
have leaped into life with many who
despised the negro were buried out
Of sight with q magnanimity which
the superior race" fail to follow and
seem reluctant to recognize. know
il Is said In retort Of such charges
against the southern elections % am
now reviewing, that unfairness OF
equal gravity prevails in northern
elections. hear in many quarters
and read in the paper that in the late
elections In Massachusetts,, intiMida-
tion and bulldozing, if not 30 rough
and ranc0rous 80 In the south, were
yet as widespread and effective.
have read, and yet I refused to
believe, that the distinguished gen.
sleman, who made IN energetic, but
unsuccessful canvass for the COVER
uorship of that state, has Endorsed
and approved these charges, and
have accordingly made my resolution
broad enough to include their thor
ough investigation. ! am not de.
manding fair elections at the south
without demanding them in the north
also. But venturing to speak for the
1 Nn- Tu w1auA ntne - -hOnn n -o
and customs | know something, dare
assert that In the late elections in
Massschusetts, or any of her neigh
boring commonwealths, It will be I'm.
possible to lind even one case where
. voter was driven from the polls,
where voter did not have the fullest,
fairost, freest, opportunity to cast the
ballot Of his choice and have it hon
estly and faithfully counted In the
returns. Suffrage on this contlnen,
was arst made universal in New
England, and in the admins sratiOu
Of their affairs her people have found
no other appeal necessary than that
which 10 addressed to their honesty
Of conviction and to their intelligent
self-interest. II there be anything
different to disclose, I pray you sho y
II to us that We may amend our ways
But whenever q feeble protest Il
made against such injustice 20 have
described In the south, the response
comes to US In the form of . taunt
"What are you going to do about II p
and "How do you propose to help
yourselves /" This 10 the stereotyped
answer Of defiance which entrenched
wrong always gives to inquiring jus.
tice; and those who imagine II to be
conclusive do not know the temper oi
the American people. For let me -.
sure you that against the complicated
outrage upon the right of representa-.
tion lately triumphant in the south
there will be arrayed many phases ol
Of public opinion In the north not Of
ten hitherto in harmony. Men who
have cared little, and effected to care
less, for the rights or the wrongs o.
the negro, suddenly find that vas
commercial and monetary interests
great questions Of revenue, adjust
ments Of tariff, vast investments II
l n -