The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-21
me sOUruRRN QUESTION.

nave mus lar, fellow citizens, conEn.
ed myself to financial topics, most OF them
OF a temporary character, which will be
settled in the ordinary course Of admins
%tration, and whichever way settled, will
not affect the peace and order of society,
But there Is a question infinitely more i'm
portant than money or bonds or property
or silver or gold.
Several OF the Southern States recently
in rebellion, aided and encouraged by the
Democratic party, have nullifed for the
time, in whole or in parts, the constitu.
ttonal amendments passed since the civil
war, and intended to secure It's results. II
is true that the thirteenth amendment.
which abolished slavery, is nominally re.
spected, but IN the body Of the cotton
States the colored people are still in a con.
dltion little above that of slaves. The
fourteenth amendment, which was in.
tended to define the rights OF citizens, and
to secure the freedmen in these general
rights, is substantially nullifed. THE
fifteenth amendment, which was intended
10 secure 10 the freedmen the right, as
citizens Of the United States, to vote, Ia
practically nullilied. The latter amend
ment especially has been O%verridden BY
force and violence, and hy crimes so re-
voting as to indicate IA civilization scarce.
ly above barbariSm. In communities
where the cUl0rCd people are in the ma.
jority they have not only been deprived
OF the elective franchise, By force and VIC.
lencc, but driven to the Ewamps, terroriz.
cd and bull.duzel. And where this was
ilnpractiCable, rs in some Of The parishes
OF South Carolina, they have been literally
NGnuNnl ustNI, ftap1Vh l1nllnIo d. -
iormof ballot box stutiing; and now several
members oil Congress hold their seats in
Congress by virtue OF the commission Of
these crimes. In this way the Southern
States have been made solidly Demo.
cratic.
And now, this system of terror and
fraud having deprived the colored people
OF the elective franchise, isbeing extended
to white men, especially to the Green.
hackers Of the South, who seek by indie
pendent movements to secure some kind
OF representation Of popular opinion,
Gases have recently occurred where men
Of character, Democratic in their antece.
dents, have been driven by rife clubs from
running as candidates for office; the worst
case Of all being that in Yazoo ounty,
Mississippi, recently, where Dixon and
Bell were driven by open force from the
canvass. The road is being prepared TO
return Jefferson Davis to tho Senate Of the
United States.
It may be truthfully stated, now, thatin
some OF the cotton States the prevailing
law in force Is tho law OF violence. Ths
constitutional amendments are openly
nulliled. All the rights Of free discussion.
Tree speech, and free press, so carefully
guarded under Il system, are denied.
and a despotism Of terror is exercised by
the most lawless elements Of society. In
utter disregard Of tho rights and privileges
of American citizens.
know this is strong language, but
1t is true; and il Is equally
true that the Democratic party which
receives the benefit OF these crimes,
seems to be callous 10 their euormity. A
majority Of the Southern States arc possi-
bly, Democratic. Several OF them arc al.
most certainly Republican, and some are
doubtful.
II is perhaps natural, though not wise.
that the body Of the rebels Of the Sonth
should adhere TO the Democratic party:
men Of the South, and especially tho freed.
AuVAt ouOutA Vo ANSluullCdus n Nlt 61DfeBs
sion Of opinion would leave these States like
the Northern States, divided into parties,
and with free speech and a free press The
difficult political questions Of tho South
would be gradually solved by the paTty
divisions growing out of tho war turning
into other channels. With the Sont6
made solid by violence, it is 50 stronghold
with a few scattered members and State
OF the North, II controls the political NOV.
or Of the country, and, through the action
OF Tho caucus, can elect a President and
control the Senate and the House. And
such is the aim Of the Democratic paFty'
II this succeeds, our political system
founded upon free and fair elections, Mil
DO ovcthrown. WI
Compared with this issue, all other ;s
sues are secondary. Though You NAV ms,
pass upon 1t this fall, vet youre] lcct;oS nj.
lall Will atLectthe Issue TO BIO madei in 1850
when the Republican party will present ,
formidable and storm resistance 70 t6is Va
bellion against constitutional riehts" II,
same In principle aud in fact that wa va
? ststedin 1851, and which VIC had iooi;sbS,
! hoped was settled by the constitution
8 may be asked: swell, what vii, W,
9 do about w Would you have soldisrs /,
the South and Federal armies At a.
l Ny answer is that this is not a practic,
! bic remedy, Federal soldiers were I a