Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-12-19

the same political power in the govern
Representatives from the South and
from the North. Georgia and Alaba-
ma have white population of elevon
hundred and fifty'eieht thousand and
q cOlored population of ten. hundred
and twenty thousand. They send
seventeen Representatives to Congress,
of whom nine were apportiOned on ac'
count of the white population and eight
on account of the colored population.
But the colored voters are not able to
choose single Representative, the
white Democrats choosing the whole
seventeen. The four Northern States.
Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, and
California have seventeen Representa-.
tives, based on a white population of
two and quarter millions, or almost
double the white population of Geor'
gia and Alabama, so that in these rela'
tive groups of States we find the white
man South exercises by his vote double
the political power of the white man
North.
Let US carry the comparison to a more COM
prehensive generalization. The eleven States
that formed the Confederate Government had
by the last census population of nine and
half millions, OF which in round numbers five
and half millions were white and four mil
lions colored. On this aggregate population
seventy-three Representatives in Congress
were appointed 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 recent cleo
tion the white Democracy of the South seized
seventy OF the seventy-three districts, and
thus secured a Democratic majority in the
next House of Representatives. Thus it ap-
pears that throughout the States that formed
the late Confederate Government sixty-fye
thousand whites-the very people that rebelIed
against the UniOn-are euabled to elect Rep
resentative in Congress, while in the loyal
States 1t requires one hundred and thirty two
thousand of the white people that fought for
the Union to elect Representative. In levy
ing every tax, therefore, in making every ap-
preparation of money, in fixing every line of
public policy, in decreeing what shall be the
fate and fortune of the Republic, the Confed-
crate soldier South is enabled to cast vote
that is twice as powerful and twice as intlu--
entail as the vote of the Union soldier North.
But the white men of the South did not ac-
quire and do not hold this superior power by
reason of law or justice, but in disregard and
defiance of both. The fourteenth amendment
of the Constitution was expected to be and
was designed to be a preventive and corrective
VI SUCH pOSolDlC dOuScS- 1HG ItdUlQR OI
the clause applicable to the case is instructive
and suggestive. Hear it:
Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several States according to their
respective numbers, counting the whole num-
Der OF persons in each State, excluding Indi-
ans not taxed. But when the right to vote
at any election for the choice of electors for
President and Vice President of the United
States, Representatives in Congress, the exc
cutive and judicial officers of any State, or
the members of tbe Legislature thereof, is de-
MED to any of the male inhabitants of such
State, being 81 years Of age, and citizens of
the United States, or in any way abridged,
except for participation in rebellion, or other
crime, the basis of representation therein
shall be reduced in the proportion which the
number of such male citizens shall bear to the
whole number of male citizens 81 years of
age in such State"
The patent, undeniable intent of this pro-
vision was, that if any class of voters were
denied or in any way abridged in their right
of suffrage, then the class so denied or abridg-
ed should not be counted iu the tasis of rep
resentatiOn; or, in other words, that no State
or States should gain large increase of repre-
sentation in Congress by reason Of counting
any class of population not permitted to take
part in electing such Representatives. But
that before any forfeiture of representation
can be enforced, the denial or abridgement Of
suffrage must be the result of law specifcal-
ly enacted by the State. Under this construc-
ton every negro voter may have his suffrage
absolutely denied or fatally abridged by the
violence, actual or threatened, of irrespOnsi-
bic mobs, Or by frauds and deeeptions of State
officers, from the Governor down to the last
election clerk, ard then, unless some State
law can be shown that authorizes the denial or
abridgement, the State escapes all penalty or
peril ofreduced representation. This construc-
tion may be upheld by the courts, ruling on
the letter Of the law, (which killeth," but the
spirit of justice cries aloud against the evasive
and atrocious conclusion that deals out op-
preston TO the innocent and shields the guilty
from the legitimate consequences of willful
transgression.
The colored citizens is thus most unhappily
situated; his right of suffrage is but a hollow
mockery; it holds to mis- ear the word of pro-
mise but breaks it always to his hope, and he
ends only in being the unwilling instrument
Of increasing the political strength ofthe par
ty from which be received eveTtightening fet-
ters when he was slave and coEtemptuous
refusal of civil rights since he was made free.
BE resembles indeed those unhappy captives
in the East, who, deprived of their birthright.
upouilding Of the monarch from whose tyran-
MES they have most to fear, and to fight
against the power from which alone deliver
ance might be excepted. 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
to dread.
The political power thus appropriated by
Southern Democrats by reason of the negro
population amounts to thirty five Represen-
.atives in Congress. 1t is maSsed almost sol
dly, and objects the great State of New York;
Dr. Pennsylvania and New Jersey together; or
he whole of New England; or Ohio and In
iiana united; or the combined strength of IL
inois, Minnesota, Kansas, California. Nevada,
Colorado, and Oregon. The seizure of this
power is wanton usurpation; it is fragrant out
,age; it is violent perversion of the whole the
Ory of republican government. 1t inures sole
" to the present advantage, and yet, | be
ieve, to the permanent dishonor of the Dem
1cratic party. 1t is by reason Of this tramp
ing down of human rights, this ruthless seiZ-
IRE of unlawful power, that the Democratic
party holds the popular branch OF Congress
o-day, and will in less than ninety days have
control of this party also, thus grasping the
entire legislative department of the Govern
nent through the unlawful capture of the
southern States If the prescribed vote OF
he South were cast at its lawful owners de
ire, the Democratic party could not gain
power. Nay, If it were not counted On the
,ther side, against the instincts and the inter
,sts, against the principles and prejudices Of
Is lawful owners, Democratic success would
De hopeless 1t is not enough, then, for mod
,rn Democratic tactics that the negro vote
hall be silenced, the demand goes further,
md insists that it shall be counted on their
ide, that all the Representatives in Congress
md all the Presidential electors apportioned
" reason Of the negro vote shall be so cast
lsd so governed as to insure Democratic sue
of justice in defiance Of law
And this injustice is wholly unprovoked.
doubt if it be in the power of the most
searching investigation to show that in any
,outhers State during the period of Repubh--