Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-10-09
ISSUES IN THE CAMPAIGN.

determined this one. In fourteen States OF
the Union the ballot is not free In four
teen States it is not possible for every citi-
zen to vote as he pleases. and to have his
ballot counted as he votes. To assert, in
the face OF this fact, that there are no
issues in the present campaign, is to assert
that 1t does not signify whether the people
are or are not in the unrestrained
possession of their rights of citizenship.
If the freedom of the ballot is of no conse-
| auence, then the Constitution of the United
States is of no consequence then there
is nothing to choose between democratic
and oligarchic government; then anarchy
is as good as order, and it matters nothing
whether the people are free or enslaved-
But in truth there can never be any issue
more grave than the one now pending, for
upon its right settlement must depend the
future of the country. The fact that pol
iticians realize its Importance but dimly Is
to be deplored, yet it has been perceived
and pointed out by at least one man whose
sagacity his countrymen have long respect
ed, and the words of General Grant ought
to find an echo in every candid mind. 1t is
not merely question of the protection of
the political rights of the colored voters at
the South Their color has nothing to do
with it. 1t is precisely the same as though
white men were deprived of their rights.
! The deprivation exists and it reacts upon
every voter in the United States. The
world has never witnessed so anomalous a
spectacle as this canvass presents. 1t is
not an open, legitimate contest Of opinion.
Let no man fatter himself with such
an illusion. 1t is an unequal con-
fiict between a free ballot and a
suppressed ballot, between fair play and
organized fraud. The solid South is
brought into the field representing the vio-
lation of republican institutions in every
State comprising that infamous league.
Its leaders audaciously boast that they
have their hands on the throat of Liberty.
and that by the stolen Electoral votes of
that region they will make up such a pre-
tense of majority as will enable them to
usurp the Presidency. The North has
fallen into the trap. Its law-abiding and
conservative habits of thought have led it
to accept situation in which it is placed
at cruel disadvantage. 1t sits down to
play with an adversary whose dice are
loaded and whose cards are marked it
knows that this is the case E; and yet it i'm
AGNES that somehow constitutional govern
ment may be preserved by making
that there is no fraud in the game.
We have said before, and we repeat the
assertion, that it is impossible for General
Hancock to be honestly elected. But it
is not impossible for him to win in this
unequal struggle, and in that consideration
lies the grayest danger. An election
means an honest choice by legal major
ity That Hancock cannot obtain, for if
to-day the ballot was free at the South he
could not secure one-half of the l3S
electoral votes which have been packed
for him there by force and fraud. Con-
slider what this means. 1t means that the
country is confronted with the menace of
an overthrow of republican government.
Nothing less than this is involved in the
situation. A President declared elected |
by the suppression Of the franchise in
fourteen States OF the Union would be |
standing reputation of free government. |
It would be impossible any longer to pre-
tend that it existed The country would |
fall under the dominion OF minority |
of the Mexicanized section. The ballot
box stuffers and buildozers would
rule. The great North and West, thus dis
franchised, thus cheated openly out of their
right Of choice and their proportional rep
resentation, would realize that in attempt
ing to Ignore the REORGANIZATION of the
South they had Mexicanized the whole
Union. Nor is it possible that such con-
dition Of things should endure. Whatever
the colored voters of the South may
do the people OF the North and West,
the freest people on the earth, and the
people most jealous ot their freedom,
would not sit down quietly under SO
monstrous a wrong. 1t is not necessary to |
pursue the argument further at this time,
however. Enough has been said to indicate
the nature and extent of the danger which
threatens the country, and to demonstrate |
the absurdity OF the assertion that no prin-
ciple is at stake in this campaign. Nor
is this the only issue involved. 0ut |
of this oyershadowing danger grow score
of lesser but still formidable ones. There
is the danger to the stability of the public
faith and the integrity of the currency.
There is the danger Of Southern claims,
There is the danger Of reassertion OF the
doctrine OF State Rights. There is the
danger of notification Of the constitutional
amendments. Each and all OF these are
real and alarming, and they are embraced
in the possibility of Democratic success.
Considering the character of the questions
at stake, and their momentous implica-
tons, the man or journal that complains of
dearth of living principles in this can
vass must be preternaturally dull, or must
possess extraordinary ideas of the self
sustaining capacity of republican institu-
tions and free government.
NICE pPncp AMgr
The Greenbackers say they only want to
pay off the s7S2, GOO, 900 of bonds which ma
ture next year, instead Of refunding them.