The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-12-25


colored being nearly two hundred
Thousand in excess of The whites. o.
the seventeen Representatives. then
it is evident that nine were appor.
toned to these States by reason Of
their coIored population, aud only
eight by reason II, their white popn-
laIioD; and yet 10 the choice of the
entire seventeen Representatives
the colored voters bad DO more
voice or power than their remote
kilsmen on the shores Of Senegaui-
bia OF on lhe Gold Coast. The ten
hundred AMI thirty five Thousand
white people had the sole and abso-
late choice Of the entire seventeen
Representatives, 10 contrast take
two Jtates ia The North, Iowa and
Wisconsin. with seveDteen Repre-
sentstives. They have q white pop
citation of two million two hundred
and foriy-ssvea ths,Isand-considera-
biz mors than double the entire
white population sf the three South
ern States / have named In Iowa
and Wisconsin, therefore, il takes
one hundred and thirty-two thousand
white population to send Repregen-
taiive 10 Congress-. but in South Car
oliaa, Mississippi and Louisiana
eEery six'y thousand white people
send e Representative 10 other
words sixty thousand white people
in those SOuthern States have pre-
eisely the same political power in the
Government of the country that one
hundred and tbirty.two thousand
white people have in Iowa and Wis
consin.
THE SOLID SOUTH
Take another group of seventeen
Representatives ffom the South and
from the North. Georgia aud Ala
bana have a white population Of
eleven hundred aad ifty eight thous-
and aud colored population Of ten
hundred aud twenty thousand. They
send seventeen Representatives TO
Congress, of whom aine were sp-
portioDed on account Of the whi-e pop
riation and eight on account of he
colo-ed population. But the colored
voters are not able to choose 8 single
Representative, the white Democrats
choosing the whole seventeen. The
four Northern States, Michigan,
Minnesota, Nebraska, and California
have seventeen Representatives bss-
ed Oh white population Of two and
q quarter millions, or almost double
the white population Of Georgia and
Alabama. so that in these relative
groups of States we fad the white
man South exercises by his vote
double the political power of the
white man North.
Let as carry the comparison to q
mere comprehensive generalization.
The eleven States that formed the
Confederate Government had by the
last eenSusa population ef-ains aEd
a half millions, Of which in round
numbers FIVE and one half millions
were white and four millions colored
On this aggregate population seven
ty three Representatives in Congress
were apportioned to those States
forty-two or three of which were
BY reason of the white population,
and thirty or thirty-one by reason Of
the colored population. At the re-
cent election the white Democrats
of the South seized seventy of the
seventv-three districts. and thus Sc
cured Democratic majority in the
next House of Representatives.
Thus it appears that throughout the
States that formed the late CoIfeder-
ate Government sixty-fve thousand
wbites-the very people that rehell-
ed sgsins. the Union-are enabled
to elect o Representative in Congress.
while in the loyal States it requires
one hundred and tbirty-two thous
and of the white people who fought
for the Union to elect Representa-
tive In levyiDg every tax, therefore.
10 making every appropriation Of
money. in fixing every line of public
policy. in decreeing what shall be
the fate and fortune Of the Republic,
the Confederate soldier South is ena-
bled 10 cas-, vote that is twice ss
powerful and twice "a influential as
The vote Of the Union soldier North.
LAW AND JUSTICE DEFrED.
Bat the white men Of the South
did not acquire and did not hold the
superior power by reason Of law or
justice. bnt .in disregard aud def
anee Of both. The fourteenth amend
meui 10 the Constitution was expect
ed to be ard was designed TO be
preventive and corrective Of all such
possible abuses TIE reading of the
clanse applicable to the case is in
structi-e and suggestive. Here II Is:
Representatives shall be- spportion-
ed among the several States accord
ing TO the respective numbers. count
ing the whole number Of persons 10
each State, Including Indians not tax
ed Bot when the right to vote at
sny election s3r the choice of electors
far President aod Vice-President of
the United States, Representatives
10 Congress. the executive aud judi
cial oIeers of the State, of the men,
bers Of tie Legislature thereof, is
denied 70 sny msle inbsbiiants Of
sue5 Staie. being twenty-one years
Of age, and citizsrs Of the United
States. or 10 any way abridged. ex-
cept for participation in rebellion. or
other crime, the basis Of representa-
lion therein shall be reduced in the
proportion which the number of such
male eiiizens shall bear TO the whole
number Of male citizens twenty-one
years of age in such State.
The patent. uBdeniable intent of
this provision was that if any class
Of voters were denied or in any way
abridged in their right of suffrage,
then the elass so denied or abridged
should not be counted iu The basis of
epreseafa;iop; or, IN other words,
that no State or States should gain q
large increase of representation in
Congress by reason of ccunting any
class Of population not permitted to
take part in eiecliDg such Represen-
taiises- Bot the construction given
to this provision is that before any
forfeiture of representation can be
enforced. the denial and abridgment