The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-12-22
The Negro Problem.

Republican Administration Wuico 10 w VIC
gin on the 4th Of March next will under
take to put an end in South Carolina ana
Louisiana to the measures whica have hith'
erto been employed therein and which
have been successful In keeping the offices
Of those states In the hands OF the Demo
Gratis. We do not know how Mr.. GAR
y,st,p will set about this peri'ous work. lie
will not have the cooperation OF Congress; ;
for the Democrats will control the Senate
during the first two years Of his term, ana
will probably control The House during the
las, two years Of IL. We say the Democrats
will control the Senate, eaeaning OF course
that there will be even after the 4th oil
March next In this body majority OF the
members who will never consent to counte-
nance any attempt fuStber to consolidate
the States under one head and one rule ana
one despolism. II Is difficult, therefore,
10 guess how Mr.. GARFIELD can ex-
pect TO carry out the programme
which the stalwarts baye marked out for
him. He is a lawyer. lie is familiar with
the Constitution. He is what used TO be
called Federalist, or what might now be
more expressiveiy termed Nationalist, but
surely he must concede that there are limits
somewhere to the power OF the National
Government, especially when The three de-
partments OF 1t are not 10 accord. He can
not initiate General GRANT, who was no
lawyer, and had not even criminafs re-
spect for the law. AT least, General GRANT
showed nothing but contempt for the law
when be was President OF the United States.
His reply to a remark of. Senator RAN
poLPH's that the Supreme Court OF South
Carolina had decided certain ques-
ton in certain way paints his cnar-
ac.er in enduring colors. "Damn the
Supreme Court,' said the tyrant. He
had commanded General DE TRoBRIAND
10 superintend the organization OF the Lee
gislature Of Louisiana. He had caused
Federal bayonets to rattle in the halls there
tofore sacred to legislation in that State, and
had never been reproved for it by Repub-
Iican Congress. He had sent soldiers 10
Virginia to superintend an election IN Pc
tersburg. He had so long ruled several OF
the southern States by the use OF the MILL
tary that he could not but express his con-
tempt for such useless things as courts OF
Justice. "Damn the Supreme Court" was
the natural exclamation OF tyrant about
to be disappointed OF bis victim. Was South
CAROLINA to be allowed thus to break The
befIds Of slavery with which General GRANT
had so long bound her? Not with his con-
sent Hence his famous reply to SepatOr
RANDOLPH.
Mr.. GARFIELD, however, we repeat, can
not follow in the footsteps OF such prede-
cessor Us General GRANT. He must conduct
himself as a civilian, and must show some
respect for the law and its administrators.
There is no Federal law which authorizes
the appointment of Federal marsbals. or
Federal supervisors, or Federal officers by
any name or Of any sort, 10 oversee the cleo
lions held in the several States for State Of
fees. Ii was because congressman and pre-
sidenlial electors were TO be chosen then
that the Federal Government previously
appointed Its own officers TO oversee the
elections OF last month. There is no law
authorizing supervision Of any sort to be
exercised over elections for State officers
and no law can he forced through Congress
during tie next two years having that for
its object How, then, will Mr.. GARFIELD
carry out the stalwart programme! He
cannot adopt GRANTS unlawful measures,
and he cannot get Congress TO legalize such
measures.
II, however, Mr.. GARFIELD should under
take the task set for him BY the stalwarts,
he wilefnd himself In as bad predicameDt
as that 10 which Mr.. GLADsTONE's Cabinet
now finds itself. The people Of South
Carolina and Louisiana prefer military rule
to negro rule, and will not accept the latter
even IL the former is 10 be the alternative.
We suppose that Senator BUTLER speaks the
sentiment of his State when be says:
alt Is no longer question OF politics
with as. We have simply one proposition
staring us in the face, and tits we'll the peo-
pie Of the North should understand it. We
are resolved that the iliterate lower classes
OF our State shall not rule. We have had
all the experiments In that direction that |
we propose to have, and we intend to use
every means, fair or otherwise, to prevent |
sueh rule What we conid gain under a
new administration would be better selec-
ton OF Federal officials for our State. The |
present class OF men that we have are con-
tinuaiv melting the negroes TO make trou.
bic, and are continuslly arraying them
against the better classes OF the people,"
The negro problem Is not yet solved. II |
would easily solve itself IL meddlesome !
nortberpers would mind their own business |
and let the South alone; but it is not likely |
to be solved at an early day II we are to 20
back 10 the schemes OF GRANT and bis tools. |!
We 10 Virginia may well rejoice that ma |
iorify Of $4,000 OF the voters OF our State |
are white. But we who live in counties or |
cities containing msiorities of whites must
not forget that there are black districts even |
in this State.
-
Mr.. T.,0RHEEs's LECTURE. Tonight Mr.. |
v 00RHExs will lecture at Mozart Hail on |
TIE life d THOMAS JEFFERSON. Mr.. vO0s.
HEEs Is not so well known on the Atlantic /
coast as In me West. hen he rises 10
public meeting IN st. Louis. Cincinnati,
Chicago, or Louisville, the crowd recognizes
him as readily O. a Richmond crowd would
recognize JoHx w. DANIEL. We saw him
IN the Democratic National Conventions Of