New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-19
MOB VIOLENCE TN1LIBAMA.

MOB VIOLENCE IN Ill ALBANIA.
We grant that merely because Republican
ratification meeting was rotten-eggcd anC
broken up at Montgomery, Alabama, Demo
cratic speakers taking the places which had
been vacated by Republicans, it does moi
necessarily follow that a Republican President
ought to be elected. This may have been an
accidental outbreak, for which the Democratic
party should not be held responsible. Indeed,
| if we may credit the assertions of Southern
Democrats in the Senate and House, there is as
q rnle perfect freedom of political discussion
! and of elections throughout the South. Ii Re-
publican meetings are broken up with rotten
eggs or shotguns, and the speakers are com
| Dcllcd either to divide time" with the Demo-
Gratis or abandon the platform altOgther-and
we have all heard of well authenticated occur
rcnccs of this sOrt-they must be rcckOned ex-
ccptions to the rule. We havo the word OF
eminent Southern Democrats that there IS no
such thing as a system of intimidation and vlO-
lcncc among them
And yet-the exceptions are so many, and OF
such frequent occurrence! That is the singular
feature of It, Here is this Montgomery affair."
happcnng at the very outset Of the campaign
the first meeting TO ratily the Chicago nOmina-
tons. 1t is rather noteworthy circumstance
that an attcmpt-and apparently Il successful
nc-tO break mp political meeting and sup
press free speech should be made SO early; be-
fore the canvass has fairly become wal Ii or
the people excited. One might say there was
indicated in this n very deliberate purpose to
nip III the bud all opposition to the Democracy.
From this distance. it has the appearance OF
having been co0Ily and deliberately planned in
/ 4 fl.,, pt
of the ruling powers to tolerate no opposition,
but to qucnch the very beginnings of it, Bnt
if we believe this to be 50, we must reject the
charming pictures of freedom Of elections, lib
rrty of discussion, and equal rights drawn by
Southern Senators and Representatives and
that we are unwilling to do. We must believe
that these gentlemen are sincere, and that so
far as they are personally concerned they would
not throw even fresh egg at a Republican
meeting or cOuntcnanCe any one else in
doing it.
Let us adjust, then, the stubborn fact of this
outrage to the conditions of Southern society
portrayed by these gentlemen, and say that as
a rule the representative men of the South,
those who are elected to office and are supposed
to hc leaders Of public opinion, are all earnestly
in favor of free speech and opposed to such
riotOu~ PARTISAN demonstrations as that at Mont
goImc,y. That being DONE it remains to ac-
count for the frequency of the outbreaks
These exceptional IuIms are unqucStlonaby
Democrats, and their only object * to put down
the patty opposed 10 these respectable represent
tai!vrS Have the eminent leaders no inilu-
cncr with their followers, Could they not re-
Stam them from violent clrrtioncrring
methods Or are the leaders of public opinion
in the South powrIcsS to hirdcr their sup
portci~ from mobbing the opposition In short,
when they are talking 50 smoothly in the Senate
aud House about free speech and ilcr elections
at home, do they represent anybody but them
srlvcs2 DO their constituents indorsc il : 1t
seems to H. that they describe things rather rs
they would like them to be than as they are.
We must take southern Democracy, Southern
society, and Southern civilization IA they are.
\ Democratic mob in Montgomery il no Nnili
ci,nt reason Tor IL general condemnation Of the
party. But this and other demonstrations of
like character 20 far to show the uniitncss OF
Southern Democrats for the responsibilities of
government upon the basis of
freedom and equal rights. The question before
us is. Shall the Democratic party be intrnstcd
with control of the Government Two facts of
trai:sccndrnt Importance enter into its cOnsid
Grafton. FIRST, that the Southern Wing of the
Democracy controls the party and second,
that this wing represents intolerance, bIu
taly, and ignorance, tho suppression of free
Sprcch and the rule of the mob. VIII the pcO-
pie hand over the Government to the rule Of Il
party which secures its majOntirS and main
talns its strength by Intimidation and violence