The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-08-21
A SUGGESTION.


greater view to make the southern states re
publlcan-to give that party the support q
those states IN the contest of lSGS-than to SC
cure to them good government and road out o
their social troubles consequent on the eniran
chisement of the negro. The trainers of the
laws ovcrshot their mark The craft was 81
iull of holes it never could have lived in still
water; not to say the stormy sea of southern
society after the war. From the first, homes
republicans of the south, northern men who
had settled IN the south after the war, predict
ed its failure and the humiliation OF the re
publican party in those states, because OF the
lmpcrtcctlon of those laws.
Nevertheless the laws were enforced The
states were given over to the Carpc-baggcrS
nnctcnlhs of them dishonest men whose pres
ence in the south was for purposes of pIuudcl
only State county and municipal debts in
creased to such point lhat in populous cities
like New Orleans business property at large
rentals would not pay the taxes. The states
were shamcie,-iy m~mguagcd, and the people
became II race Of paupcr-. He IS a fool who
believes that an intelligent republican would
continue to act with such Il party, who had
homes to rebuild his LIVING to make and pro
vide for his children In not many years 1.-THE
misconduct of the republican rulers In all these
states had driven out OF their party the great
mass Of white people, The ptoperlyowners, tax
payers and persons of intelligence and hon
csty." (Nordhoil's Cosioa Suites, l2) To per
petuate their power, republican oficcholdcrs
instituted the color line To impress the ne,
gro with his power the oGice.hoIdcr called the
troops about nim-SpcnCer in Alabama; Pack
ard in Louisiana; Amcs in Mississippi, No
effort was made by The party to instruct the
negro in political duties; and would not DIS
cuss questions before HIM. Should a demo
cral talk politics to him, try to explain the
necessity of good government, a low.lvcd FEEL,
low would upset all his arguments 10y wills.
perlng to the negroes not To believe a word
they only want to put you back into slavery
(Ijid, 49,
Such state Of affairs could not long con
unue. Truth viii prevail The honest men
of land are more numerous than the thieves,
The republican state governments fell, rs dark,
ness before light In 1868 the south was en-.
t,rely-"sohd'- publican. As one by one
the democrats got possession Of their state gov
crnments- Georgia, first, IN lS1i--good gov
eminent everywhere followed; state debts de-
creased, taxes became lighter, the negroes be.
came land owners. Inspired BY Georgias sue
cess other states threw off their biood-suckers,
and entered on an era OF prosperity. The ne
gro Is no fool and he soon learns that 1t Is
easier to live comfortably undcra good govern,
mcnt than Il bad one; and in spite OF all re,
publican intimidation (Which Mr. Nordhoti
Ubid, 1l,) assures US was "praCtCcd in 1872,
1873, 1874 quite AS much, and even more Wig
orously, by the republicans" than by the
democrats, As alleged,) they voted in large
numbers with the democrats. The south.
crn states became democratic simply AS a mat
ter of polce-to stop thieving; as matter Of
selfpreservatlon; as a means Of escaping uni.
versal bankruptcy.
Having succeeded, is it any wonder that
these states, as they increase in prosperity,
should roll up democratic majOriucs \ poor
people, slowly recnperating their fortunes, are
always a conservative people. They hold to
the gool-and the good they have made for
themselves has been so good that the most ig,
norant could see it,
"ln Alabama, In 1874" says correspondent
of the n. y. Sun, thanks to the civil rights
bill, the taxpayers of the state succeeded in
eecting democratic governor and legisla-
ture At that time our state bonds were utter.
ly worthless and our state money was selling
at sixty cents on the dollar. Now our bonds
are at premium, our state money has been
a remarkable degree, both white and colored,
and the latter nave at last realized that the
democrats are the best conservators OF the
peace, the best promoters of the interests OF
credit Do not understand me to say that all
the colored people have realized this truth
what mean to say is that mulutudes of the
more intelligent ones among them have done
so. Consequently, they vote with the demo
Gratis, freely, intclligcntly, and oftcntimes in
despite of shameful bulldozIng on the part OF
the ignorant masses of their own race. 1t is
no shotgun policy which has effected this
revolution The simple truth is, the negro
has proved himself to he more of a man than
his heretofore w0uld.be republican masters be
hcved him TO be-
The claim OF fraudulent; election in Ala
bama is false; because there was not occasion
Tor one; aud we say this with all due defer
No non-partlsan paper has yet reported fraud:
or intimidation at that election. On the con
trary, they all testify that negroes not only