New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-27
POLITICS IN THE SOUTH.

QUIRED BOTH NORTH AND sOJTif-IIE siTUA-
rf0N To BE ACCEPrED-NEED OF CLEASfNo
SOME or THE OFFICES.
/ frRoN SPECIAL coRREsPOSDENT OF rHE TRIBUSE.l
RICHMOND. Va. April ll.--Aifcr much invcsiiea-
tion Of everything connected with the subject. [
conclude that all Illegal interference with the right
of black men to vote in the SOrthern states Is mis-
take and bluuder on the part Of those engaged IN
/ II. A. "a nethcd Of overcoming the difficulties or
/ counieuctihg the evils connected with negro
suffrage, il u nnwise and msciieyous II has fatal
defects, and, in practice does more harm than good.
I think It is entirely true. a. Souihern"rs often
urge that the people of the Northern States do not
generally appreciate or rightly understand tho
CAVITY Of the problems invoIs cd in this matter of
ucgro suffrage for the people of the South. How 10
maintain good government the honest execution Of
the laws and the impartial administration Of jus
tce; how to preserve the Institutions q. civilized
society, in places where great majority of the FREQ
and sovereign citizens B." are. A. described them in
a recent ettcI incapable of any real ar intelligent
us" of Che right Of suffrage. Is problem that might
yell taX To the utmost the wisdom and energies Of
any people.
II does not seem 10 ne wonderful or unpardon-
able that the people of some Of the Southern States
have mllc mistakes and failures in dea X With this
matter. am moi even certain that anybody else, in
their place and circumstances. would have dono
things whrh | should be quite ready to denounce
with the greatest severity, II such dcnuncatOu
seemed likely 10 produce inproy ment and reform.
Ny PRESENT purpose 49, however to point ont tho
course which. it to me, is best suited % DO
useful to the southern people themselves. of both
racss. in thrr relations 10 those questions.
TnR CArIrATI0S TAX.
Some Of the Southern states have tried to solvs
thrs problems. or rather they have tried to escape
FROM these difficulties. by means of laws which, in
tl'ir practical effect. exclude large proportion Of
ia. negro voters from the polls. This can be done.
AMI tbs desired object can bc attained. under tho
forn- vi Law. 1t is accomplished in some of tho
SoH'hcr'l states by poll tax laws; by requiring all
,;rr, t. pay an annual clptation tax" as a con-
ditior II admission to tlp polls. These laws have
the effect of DISTINGUISHING great proportion Of tho
ncsroc, ard they were intended to have this effect.
and were enacted for this special purpose, rs lead
ing Southern men everywhere frankly ayow. This
is. prrlApa. better thIu violence and murder as
method of protecting the baiiot-boX and presery-
ing civilized society,"" but 1t doe, not really meet or
overcome the diilcutics of the situation. 1t is
merely endeayOr to avoid or postpone them. lt
j. constantly suggested by Southern men who talk
with me Of 'hi, subject that the people OF New
England employ methods hat similar IN deal
lug with difficulties far less sections and pressing
the great black region, Of thr South. That is
these ncn remind me. even in New England tho
laws do not everywhere allow all men To vote ;
qualifications imposed whuch n their prac-
teal effect. cxc!lle and lisfrAncAi.e many who
would otherwise have q ri.ht 90 vote.
have not thought % necessary to defend every.
thin, that j. done m hr Northern states OF even
everything belonpingt T. Ncw- ENGLAND. have pre-,
lcirrd to admit. on tlr contrary that such quail
hc1tious" and consequent exclusion AMI dsfran-
,h>cinent have bccn found Improbable and mis-
chic IONS wherever they have been adopted in tho
North: that they foster discontent bcg't feelag
of enmity and rebellion AGAINST the Commonwealth,
and furnish opportunity for drmagogur, TO nilame
and mi,Icad the working 'opc, especially ia times
of disturbed and Grpr.,s a condition, of business
and finance II i, better ,o meet the diacultics of
popular ignofauc. in the south fairly and justly
than 10 try Ia cyaic them. II &, tn American po-
litical dca. OF principle. % d,trbnt" sovereignty
n widely "a, possible. anI n accordance with this
principle all men not criminals or insane should,
have equal voice IN choosing their ruler, matter
what their color or race. OF tlrIr previous c0ndl
tion, of poverty. misfortune" igunrauc or other ds
ability. Mrn .aru 10 Use power faster by possrss-
iuc and using it than by hf,g .cpri, ed of il AMI
excluded from If and any uinii.,t inequality or
injustice ia the exclusion Of particular class al
WAYS produces various unw!so ,omr effects 1.
was dosltlcss natural and to bc cspcc'd. that tho
people of some of the southern States should try 10
escape from the 'nicnlteS oi negro suffrage by poll
tax laws and other legislation having for it, object
the exclusion of most OF the hllch men from tho
polls, Probably most Of the Northern States would
have done the thing ia thc Slme circum-
stances All the same. | am certain that such a
method cannot be- p,rnan ni.y successful in this
country and even if something of the kind was.
time to ab,udon IT, and to accept full the Amer-
can political principle of universal suffrage. Ii
southern white men think it unsafe to permit tho
negroes to exercise or possess the right of suffrage,
Let them disranchisc them and then surrender thor
Congressional representation based on the number
of black population Of their states. That would be-
honest at least. thodgh think even this would DO
unw,c. because unnecessary.
LET TIE PUBLIC KNOW THE FACTS.
| am convinced that from this time forward it
would bc better for all the interest, of the Southern
people better for the white race that all men who
are citizens Of the United States not insane or
criminals should enjoy aud exercise the -ight ~
suffrage in the Southern States IN which they re-
sc and that their exercise II this right should not
De in any way restricted, intrrfc.ed with nru-
trazed on arcount Of color. race. or even Of igno-
rance The first feature in the remedy which woud
apply for all the evils of ignorant suffrage,
il pa5licy Let the negroes vote, fairly and with
out discrimination against III M account of race,
aud then let Southern writers and newspapers
port and describe. fully and accurately all the
tions proceedings and CHARACTERISTICS Of the groes
in politics aud in public and civil li.r including all
their follics and mproprietcs aud all the mschiefs
that result from their possession Of political rights
and power.
A real acquaintance on the paTt Of the American
people in general with all the essential facts of the
case must he the basis of any method course Of