Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-04-26

! throw the government b. force; and except
/ for the hope of support in the North III"
Southern democrats would not now venture
upon the experiment of robhing four million
american citizens of their constitutional
rights Therefore. upon the democratic party
of the country. and upon the democratic party
of the North, rests the responsibility for the
political crimes perpetrated in the South. and
! for all the suffering that attends or follows
the exodus of the black race. l.ond APP
plause.
The responsibility for the undertaking Is
then wholly upon the democratic party, bat
its success was rendered possible by the in
difference and short-sighteduess of republic
cans.
When the war ended large number of the
officers and men of the northern army re-
solved to make for themselves homes in the
old slave States. The great majority were
men of steady habits and honorable purposes.
Many of them were persons of eminent at
tainmrnts and large experience i'll affairs.
In many cases their aim was the advance
mcnt of personal fortunes, but there was also
a very general desire to improve the country.
and to educate and elevate the negro race.
Among these emigrants. however, there were
some adventures who brought discredit upon
the entire class. The exposures came, and
at once tn: Northern press. the Northern pull
pit. and finally very general Northern sen
timcnt arraiCncd and condemned unhcard the
whole body of Northern men resident in the
South
From that moment they were powerles>
either to aid the negroes or to protect them
selves. Broken in spirit. and often broken
in fortune, they either abandoned the cOun-
try. or submitted in silence to the domination
of = lawIess power which they could neither
resist or control.
Next the republican party rendered con
cessions to the oppressors when they should
have searched and scanned and scanned and
searched the constitution for power to protect
the oppressed. applause.
WIS a. M ~. '"'
If the record OF crime IN the South were
not as volumnous when the convention A.
sembled at CINCINNATI IN 1876 rs 1t now Is, IT
was as clear, a. direct ard as convincing we
ought then to nave refused every concession
to the wronSdoer' and to nave asserted our
iuil purpose 10 eNtoFt from tae constitution
every possible power anu 10 Apply Win NigoF
every sncil power Tor inc projection ana VIM
dication OF NOSE VINO had suffered '''e wrong
| speak OF these things now not tor crlinln"-
ton or complaint DIT that therc may ne no
repetition OF them hereafter. ana IL any
~, -. - T.. , 49,. I4 49, -, 49,. H..
IA nm exclamation hat while I renresent
rot any body of men. few or many. / fancy
,hat CORRECTLY interprpt the oi,ipions and uur-
noses of a majority of the republicans Of
Massachusetts, and of the country. when I
declare that they much prcfrr that this work
of crime and onpression. and the consequent
fnrcible expatriation of American citizens
should continue. if continue it must. by the
oc,ive omen. responsible agency of the dem
ocratic marty. than by the silent, ignoble ac-
ouiesccnce of the republican party. rAp-
nlause.1
Nor can there be anv reasonable doubt of
the nature and frequency of the crimes. of
fine nolitical opinions of those who suffer. or
of the objects for which the crimes are com
mittcd The murder of Judge Chisolm and
his daughter attracted public attention. but
in many counties of the State of Mi.sisippi
and within two wears next preceding. crimes
wholly unproyoked. and equally brutal and
bloody had been pcrpetratcd
No inauiries were made in the vcinaye.
the truthful accounts that were published
were discredited. and in every case the crimi-
nails escaped punishment.
Parishes. counties districts States were
seized by armed mnorities and the victory
was COMPLETE.
I'm, D,vocn,r,opo ,,cx
EVERYWHERE democrats defended and ;usti.
heu the proceeuihgs' anu even IL" repuoil-
cans were louno 10 paiilaie anu excuse 'he
crimes upon the preteSts that mere Ought 20
ne iocai seil-goVerhiheh' ana tlat III the ehd
Intelligence must rule.
Intelligence has no dlVihe right TO RUE no
authority derived from the nature OF things :
but only the privilege by argument, by facts,
by counsel 10 satisfy mankind that what 1t
proposes is wise ana just. lhey who cX-
cused or pailla'eu the crimes OF the SCUM
because the cri'li."is were ihtelHgeht men
were only less culpsble IMAM the principals
themselves. Loud ana coHtihued applause.
When the states had beeh supJugated the
conquest OF the hatlonal government was
easy; but the majority IN the present Con
gress Is not so ohlectionaplc as II Is as the
representative OF minorities made supreme
by the ASSASSINATION OF innocent men. The
majority IN the present congress rests on that
foundation ana none other' Except Tor mii-
night RAIDS, murders, and transformations,
there would have been free and fuii vote IN
the South. A free and tuil vote would have
| piypn the rpDublic0D party twenty additional