The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-06-10

timent at the South, by the newspaper
press, by political conventions, by
the Governors OF great States, were
these assurances given. In every form
aud manner OF profuse declaration
were they given. How have they been
kept7 What is the attitude to-day OF
the southern people toward the estab-
lished results OF the war? Have they
in good faith accepted the constitution.
al amendments as a permanent and
conclusive settlement OF the rights OF
the colored people? Have they aband-
oned the michievous doctrines upon
which they plunged the country into
war7 These are the grave questions
which to-day are moving the hearts OF
patriotic men as they have not been
moved before since the close OF the
war. Let us deal with these questions
with the fairness and candor which be-
come American citizens. Is IL true
that the colored people are permitted
10 enjoy undisturbed all the rights OF
citizens? On the contrary, is ID not an
indisputable fact, that in many OF the
Southern States the freedman has been
utterly deprived of all voice in the
Government, and that by crimes, the
enormity Of which shocks the moral
sense of all mankind. BY violence aud
fraud Of the most appalling character
the southern whites have forced their
way into the halls Of Congress, and
from those halls they tell US that they
will never pause nor rest until they
have wiped from the statute book the
last yestige Of the war legislation Of
the past eighteen years.
Do l speak too strongly? Let the
tissue ballots OF South Carolina. the
numberless beatings, and scourgings,
the thousands OF brutal murders, the
scores OF Wholesale massacres for opin-
ions sake which to-day are unarraigned
in the South, be my answer. Why, my
friends, there is an illustration OF the
spirit OF these southern men not yet
three days old. There sits in the halls
OF Congress representative from the
State Of Mississippi who gained his
chief notoriety by his connection with
the most foul aud atrocious butchery TO
be found in the records OF civilized
warfare. He holds his seat through the
sublime msgnanimity of a deeply out
ragged people. On the banks OF the lower
/ Mississippi there are crowds OF color
ed people seeking 10 escape from the
horrible condition in which they have
lived since the close OF the war. They
claim that as American citizens they
have right to change their place OF
abode. They have the money 10 pay
their fare, but the boats plying on that
river refuse TO take them on board. -
| O.. l.,..1n~k 81 Ia. ag&
ed the idea OF sending boats down to
bring, those poor people away. And
now this model Southern statesman. this
/ ft representative Of Southern senti-
ment, has written to the Governor OF
his State, calling upon him, in case any
such humane expedition is started, Ia
arrest every man on the boats aud he
] deiantly threatens another rebellion II
| the u. s. Government dares to inter
fere to protect such an enterprise.
And here rises the old heresy oi
State rights which We supposed had
perished forever on the field OF battle
and we are told by the men OF the
South that this great Government car
not interfere TO protect its citizens. II
is humiliatiqg thought that the dear
] Olu nag WHICH, VIC nANt hu blAtl lOAlON'
ed TO victory will carry with il protec
tion to the humblest citizen in any
country on the face of the globe ex
cept ia our own land, while here in oui
own land, il this theory Of State right:
be true, il will not protect you or me
in the exercise OF the plainest, com
monest, simplest rights Of citizenship
il some State authority shall warn il
/ of. That was grave statement made
by distinguished citizen of Mississip
pi before n congressional committee. -
He said: "You have the weakest Gov
ernment on the face of the earth. Yor
can give me the right OF suffrage, bu
you cannot protect me in its exercise.
Ny friends, this is not pleasant sub
ject 70 talk about, but there are some
phases Of this question which ought tC
be understood, and which all patriotic
citizens ought TO look fairly in the face
This idea Of State sovereignty II
now carried 10 point far beyond any
thing before suggested, and 1t is in
sisted that the Government not only
cannot protect its own citizens, bu
that il shall not protect its own officer
in the discharge Of their official duties
To say nothing OF the operation oi
this doctrine in the cases Of election
officers, let me ask your attention TO
few facts showing its effect in case
which have no political significance
whatever. You oil know that the grea
bulk OF the internal revenue OF th
Government is derived from taxes ia,
posed on distilled spirits and tobacco
/ T., 1saNr,ata 81 NhA GAuNh Nhar
seems to be practical nullification o
those laws. In the States OF Georgia
Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Soutl
Carolina. North Carolina and Virgini
within the last three years 2. 283 illici
stills have been seized, 1915 person
have been arrested, and sl09, 900 bav
been expended for special deputies out
side the regular force Of internal rev
enue officers employed for the purpos
OF suppressing Illicit distillation, an
nineteen persons we're killed and thiI
ty-fve wounded while thus engaged. =
More than 1900 persons thus arreste
have pleaded guilty. In South Care
lima the late Governor de faet0, Coz
Hampton, asked the authorities q
Washington 10 turn over 10 him Ga
collection OF the internal revenue uT
on the ground that il was rot safe fo
United States officers to undertake I
, enforce United States laws.
Now these facts are very significar
; as bearing upon the loyalty Of th
! southern people and the measure {
confidence TO be placed in their oft-r,
peated protestations Of willingness
/ obey the laws. But, my friends, hay
4 cited them for no such purpose rs tina
T i have cited them 10 show the bearin
of this resurrected heresy Of Stat
: rights. To make myself clear / mu
: go a little further in the statement {
' facts. IL has been no uncommon thin
p for revenue officers in the South, el
!. gagged in the lawful and proper di
; charge OF their duties, to be arreste
Q by the State authorities upon son
e trumped mp charge, and hurried of |
y prison. For example, in South Car
4 lima. an officer seized n quantity Of I,
( bacco for fraud against the Cover
a ment, either IN its manufacture or sal
= He Was Immediately arrested by q
J. State authorities for robbery and lodg,
n in Jail. ln Tennessee n deputy collec
J. OF, with a small force OF special dep
o ties, was on an expedition TO break I
e some illicit stills. They were set up,
- by an armed mob numbering maj
- times their own number, and bri
a fght ensued. In this fight one OF q
n mob was killed. What was the resu
e Were these lawless ruiiians arrested
a resisting an officer in the discharge