The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-12-21
Mr. Blaine's speech.

Hr. blalneS Ope6Cu.
The following is brief synopsis
Of Senator Blaine'S speech delivered
in the Senate Wednesday of last
week, on his resolution for an inquiry
IS to whether the rights of citizens
han been violated in any of the States
Of the Union:
Mr.. Blaine said that the purpose
Of his resolution was tWo-fOld:
First, to put on record the frauds
and outrages complained of; second,
10 see if their repetition could not be
revented. He charged that the
catrages had been demonstrably set
firth in the reports of the non-parti-
Sn press, but it was only just and
fir to have an impartial and thor
Ough investigation under authority
Of Congress. Hence his res0i ution.
But we do not need investigation to
establish the fact that the Democrats
have elected 101 or 1872 out of a pos
sble 106 Representatives in the late
Save holding States, and that 80 of
heSe Representatives were assigned
70 these States by reason of the suf-
mage given to the colored people.
lhe entire political power thus foun-
ed on black votes has been seized
md aggrandized by the Democratic
arty of the South and made to rein
N,ee its own strength. These facts
'ofesSTit new issue to the people, an
al inlnt,nnHnnt nf
timent about the poor black man, and
of the ''bl0ody shirt" alsO-that issue
is whether the white voter of the
North shall be equal to the white
voter of the South in shaping the
policy and fixing the destiny of the
nation, or whether, to Pvt 1t more
boldly, the white man VINO fought III
the ranks of the Union army shall
have as weighty and influential ii
vote in the government Of the re-
public as the white man who fought
in the ranks 0f the rebel army Mr..
Blaine elaborated this idea at
considerable length, making many
comparisons of groups OF State
votes, all tendin. to sho" that
the solid South, with the aid Of the
democrats of the North, would be
able to more than neutra,iZe the
most heroic efforts of the republi
cans. He cOntendcd that in the late
Confederate States ,OOOWhiteS, peO-
pie who rebelled against the govern
ment, are eIabIed to elect repre-
sentative to Congress, while i'll the
loyal States it requires 1872 600 of the
white people that fought for the
Union to select Representative.
Thus, in levying ever tax, in making
every appropriation, the rebel soldier
who fought against the government
is enabled to cast ii vote that Is twice
as powerful and twice AS influential
as the vote of the Union soldier
North. This superior power, Mr.
Blaine cOmtended, was not ac'
uuired by reason of law and justice
but in disregard Of both. The four
tppnth amendment has been practi
calIy nuIified the coLOred citizens
right of suffrage is reduced to I
hollow mOCkery the franchise IN an
to be his shield has been converted
into scOurage for his back and I
.--w source power for l'is task
masters. The'negro vote of the South
represented SoIidly by white men
offsets New GOrk'S vote, or the com
binpd votes of the several NOrtherl
/ States. Ii i a case of WantOn uSur
/ patton, Il perVcroion of the whole
theory of republican government. /
the prescribed vote of the SOutl
] Is l.,N
the democratic party could not gail
power. As it is, the negro vote il
not only sienc dit is counted or
the democratic side. This iniustic,
is wholly unprovoked. The South
ern people were never deprived o
the right of suffrage during republi
can rule. There is no uniairness t
democrats in Northern elections
The republican party challenges thu
tullps' and faireSt investigation of al
its acts. but when it demands thu
same sort of examination int South
ern elections it il met by the taunt
what are you going to do abou
it?" This pending question OF thu
day is something very different from
the "bloody shirt" 1t involves no
negro equality but the equality o
white men. The North wishP!
friendship and union with the south
but the relations must be first pure
then peacahle. The war was Tough
in vain unless equal right are srcur
ed, and the white men of the Souti
can never look to have greater pnWe
per capita of population in this re-
/ public than the white men of th'
/ North have. That will never b,
submitted to.
-s-s-s1es---ss.sz-u-ss-----s--
PrrhauS Senator Gordon furuiShp