The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-09-18

Of the eolored men, the victory was gained
the Fifteenth Amendment followed natu
rally % one OF It's legihmateeresults, No
man can Faithfully claim that he faithfully
accepts the true settlements Of the war,
who sees with indifference the Fifteenth
Amendment practically nulliaed.
No one can ovetstate the evils which the
country must suffer II lawless aud violent
opposition to the enjoyment Of constltu.
tional rights Is allowed to be permanently
successful The lawlessness which to-day
assails the rights Of the eolored people
will find other victims tomorrow. This
question belongs TO no race, 10 no party, and
70 no section. i Is q question in which
the whole country Is deeply interested.
Patriotism, Justice, humanity and our ma.
terral interests, all plead on the right side
Of this question. The colored people are
the laborers who produce the cotton
which, going abroad TO the markets Of tho
world, gives us that favorable balance OF
trade which Is now doing so much for the
revival OF all business. The whole fabric
OF society rests upon labor. II FREQ labor.
ers suffer from oppression and injustice,
they will either become discontented and
turbulent destroyers Of property and not
producers Of property, or they will aban-
don the communities which deprive them
Of their inalienable rights. In'either case
social order and the peaceful industries
upon which prosperity depends are i'm.
perilled aud perhaps sacrificed. It will
mot do to say that this is an affair which
belongs solely to the distant States Of the
South. The whole community must SUI.
fer II this question Is not speedily settled,
and settled rightly. Where the two races
are numerous prosperity can only exist
by the united and harmonious efforts Of
both the white people and colored
people, Tho only solid iounda.
tons for peace and progress In
such communities arc equal aud exact
justice to both races. Consider the present
situation2 Whatever complaints may
have been heard during the progress Of re.
construction, candid men must admit that
all sections and all States are now equally
regarded, and share alike the rights, he
privileges, and the benefits Of the common
Government, All that Is needed for the
permanent paciicatlon Of the country is,
the cordial cooperation ofthe wcll.dispos'
ed citizens 10 secure the faithful observ.
ance Of the equal rights amendments OF
the Constitution.
Happily, in the very communities
where lawlessness has been most general
and most successful, there arc editors Of
newspapers and other influential citizens
who speak out and denounCe these crimes
against free government. It Is plain that
q sound public opinion Is forming where
it's most needed. No community can al.
ford to allow any Of It's citizens 10 be op. |
pressed to lose their rights. To be in.
different on the subject Is to disregard in
terest and duty. The Union citizens and
soldiers can do much to remove the evils
we are considering. Let 1t he understood
that no public man in any party will
be sustained unless he will under.
take to carry out In good faith the pledges
made In all our platforms in regard 10 the
rights Of colored citizens; unless he will
support laws providing the means re-
qutred to punish crimes against them;
and unless he will oppose the admission OF
any man to either House OF Congress
whose seat has been obtained by the VIC.
lation OF the Fifteenth Amendment. The
right ofsutIrage Is the right OF self.proteC-
ton. It's free exercise Is the vital air OF
Republican institutions.
To establish now the State rights doc.
trine Of the supremacy OF the States, and
an oligarchy Of race, is deliberately TO
throw away an essential part OF the fruits
otlhe Union victory. The settlements Of
the war in favor OF equal rights and the
supremacy Of the laws OF the Nation are
just and wise, and necessary. Let them
not be surrendered. Let them be faith.
fully accepted and firmly enforced. Let
them stand, and, with the advancing tide
Of business prosperity, We may confident.
ly hope, by the blessing OF Divine Provi.
dence, that We shall soon enter upon an
era OF harmony and progress such rs has
been rarely enjoyed by any people.