Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-17
Another Northern tribute to the
Baltimore Day.

-
South.
Baltimore Dag.
In the Atlantic Monthly for July there
is another of the Studies ia the South. .
in which the writer, who has been re-
markablY tolerant for a NOrtherner from
the outset, utters some wholesome truths,
which will prove decidedly unpalatsble
for the average New Highlander He
gives the lie direct to nearly all the car
dinal assertions of Radical platforms
and Radical shriekers for the past eigh-
teen years. With reference to the stale
old charge that a Northern visitor
in the South is almost invariably
received with covert or open hos
tility. and that Southern men are
incapable of talking reasonably on
any given topic IN which politics is more
or less involved, he declares that every
where in the South he could talk freely
with people of all classes and Of both
races upon every possible subject with
out producing any manifestation of irri-
tation, hostility or mistrust. Every
BODY saws the writer, appeared to
speak frankly and Withhold concealment,
and so far as l could Judge, to express
his real opinions and feelings in CONVEX
sing with me regarding Southern inter
ests and affairs. 1t was common
in these conversations for the Southern
soldiers present to mention instances of
brave or chivalrous action on the part of
Union soldiers and officers which had
come under their observation or were
well known to the Southern people gen.
orally. They seemed to take pleasure in
recalling whatever was honorable and
generous in the character and conduct
of the Northern men whom they had
met on the battle field" His declara-
lions as to the political situation in Vir-
ginia are especially frank and significant
There was no oppression of the negroes
at that time IN Virginia nor any iDterfer-
ence with their exercise of the right of
suffrage; and while there were good rea-
sons for the existence and activity of the
Republican party in the State, there was
nothing of great importance to the nation
involved in the contest of that party with
the sBOurbOns. There Wsg
no reason for sympathy on the part of
good men in the Northern States with
the Readjuster movement and no ground
for any expectation of benefits to the
colored people to result from its sue
cess" And yet, as a matter of fact
that movement has had all the sympa-
thy it wanted not only from the people
of the North bat from the Federal Gov
eminent itself-even to the extent of
driving disgraceful bargain by which
the control Of the United States Senate
was handed over to contemplate adj
venturer.
AS to the condition of the negroes this
extremely original Northerner makes the
startling assertion that "the colored
people had no appearance of being
'coWed' or terroriZed, and to a person
expecting to find evidences of excited
struggle or bitter antagonisms, of recent
outrages or impending collisions. the
whole country when l saw it would
have seemed not only very quiet but ex-
tremely dull" Not less temperate and
rational is the statement as to
the much debated question of in.
timidatiOn of negro voters at the
polls In those Southern States
where the negro vote is so large as to be
a source of danger to civilization-and
that it as a source of danger the writer
seems to admit-various devices are re-
sorted to for neutralizing it and render
ing it harmless. In one locality this IS
said to be done by system of challeng.
ing which greatly reduces the number
Of votes east; in another, by iudicicus
counting Of the votes after the polls are
closed In this way the decent element
of society is enabled to maintain its as
cendancy and to protect itself from
the horrors OF negro rule. These nor.
rOTs are wildly set forth by the
atlantic contributor. 1.-THE intoxica
ton of the emanoipated people, " he saws,
sCaused By their first taste of liberty and
the absence of all means of restraint.
inhamed by indictments from base white
men in some cases, led to the commission
of horrible and indescrible outFages. I
have been assured by many of the best
people of the Southern States, men and
women, and by whites and blacks, that
IN many cases women were subjected to
public insult and outrage, and the most
dreadful excuses and enormities were
committed" He is careful to point
out, what is but little known and
seldom admitted by Northern
writers, that the Ku-Klux Khan
had its origin in associations formed bv
reputable citizens, al tie re9uestOf Union
officers, fOg the suppression of crime and
the maintenance Of order. Excuses
were committed by the Ku-Klux, but
the writer declares that ''it seems to be
certain that the history OF the Ku.Klux
outrages, as usually told and believed at
the North, abounds in enormous exag-
gerations." Apparently the writer does
not find any difficulty in compromising
and even sympathizing with the plea of
the Southern people that the par
tial suppression of the negro vote,
or at any rate its capitalization by some
expedient or other, is a necessary
thing. 1T is" he declares, "the only
means known TO them or available for
preserving the life of the State. They
(the Southern people, say, and seem to
believe sincerely enough, that while the
negro vote is controlled by INSCRIPTIONS
politicians, who are now, for the most
part, the local leaders and managers of
the Republican party in the States
| spoken of, if this vote were not in
some way suppressed and neutralized.
these States would pass at once I'm.
der the control Of an organized system
of bTigandage, of theft under the forms
of law, which would soon almost en-
tirely destroy the whole property or
wealth of the people" Finally, as if
to give the finishing touch to the
structure Of Radical Misrepresentation
prescription and hate, this candid
writer adds; 81 must come to the
depressing truth of the general al.
most the universal, condition and char
acter Of the negroes in the black dis
tricts AS to any knowledge
intelligence or judgment, such as should
equip a man, even in the lowest degree,
for the exercise of the right or mower of
suffrage, l cannot see that they know
anything about it or possess it any more
vote as they are told to vote by the local
Republican managers, and that is the
whole matter"
How, in the abstract it may be very
! naughty for the white people at the
South to suppress the negro vote by
means which are technically illegal: but
suppose many thousands of Hottentots
should be precipitated into New Eng
land and voted in hOrdes for Democratic
candidates at every election under
! the careful supervision of Democratic
managers, does any one imagine for a
moment that the most sanctimonious
advocate of free and fair elections would
refuse his Endorsement to almost any
measure for neutralizing this ignorant
and vicious votes Such is exactly the
| situation of affairs at the South, and it is