National Republican., 1882-04-13
South Carolina

The Charleston Ne,rS and Cou,icT has
reply to an editorial in this paper upon
South Carolina politics. The editor
prints the language to which he replies,
and we find by a reperusal of it that our
words were unambiguous and that the
sentiments they express are the same as
have governed THE NATIONAL REPUBLI-
CAN during its present editorship.
To the article of the NelrS and Courier
We reply as follows Our assertion that
"the suppression of negro suffrage is not
necessary to white rule" obviously refers
20 white rule" which is to have the
consent of majority Of all legal voters,
white and black; it refers to white ad-
ministration of public affairs in the
State by the consent ofthe governed, the
source from which our great Charter de-
clares all governments derive their just
power. 1t was plea for the political liberia
ton of the negro in South Carolina, and
the expression of conviction that
he would vote with his white lib
orators and desire to see them in
the places Of highest Importance.
IL was protest against white
control and a plea for citizen control,
while at the same time it was predic-
tion that free ballot and a fair count
Eould not result in the subordination of
the whites to the blacks.
The Ncrs and Courier was asked in our
article from which it quotes whether it
had "any argument to present against
ina nf 40 IN
for its suppression" We are met with
the answer that it is hopeless to expect
the whites to be able to influence the
colored people in ordinary ways when
the colored people see, as to-day, the
whole power of the United States exerted
10 convict white Democrats in the courts,
while revenue officials who slay inoffens-
i've citizens on their own doorsteps go
unpunished and Republicans who as
sault Democrats and drive them from
the polls are not so much as arrested"
Why should net white Democrats be
convicted in the courts if they are
guilty of public oficnses? Have the
Carolina? If citizens are slain on door
steps by men who go unpublished it
must be because the slain were found
not to be inofiensive when the cases
went to trial If Republicans in South
Carolina have become so aggressive as
TO drive Democrats away from the polls
they will be prosecuted by the United
States attorney upon complaint being
made. So long as white Democrats con-
time to be subject TO indictment because
of offenses against Federal election laws
of course they cannot influence the
eOlored people. Colored citizens will
never vote in favor Of suppressing the
coIored vote, and will therefore trust no
white leaders who remain in a party
which seeks power by that method.
The case may be thus plainly and
briefly stated: The Republicans re-
monstrate against minority control. The
Democrats say a majority of the voters
OF South Carolina are black, and that
therefore white control and minority con-
tTol are synonymous terms, The Re-
publicans urge the necessity of obedience
% the election laws, and claim that il
black mems votes are cast, and counted
as cast, they can be influenced by such o
the white Democrats as are willing tC
withdraw from the party which has negro
hatred for its cornerstone.
The Ncrs and Courier does not share
our hopefulness in this regard. 1t sees
only what il has hated in the past, anC
asks "Would mere change Of politca
designation make the white people any
different in mind and habit from wha
they now are /" alas no. But what w
hoped for was that many would frs
change in mind and then change thei
political designation,
The suppression Of the negro vote j
unlawful and revolutionary. The Stat
governments which assert power upon al
admitted minority vote are usurpationf
They are not republican in form, an,
Lte Constitution Of he Uitcd States forbid
their erisieacci The Senators sent by thei
Legislatures are not entitled 10 seats
The Congrossmen chosen by minort,
vote in such States cannot produce ere
aentials which entitle them TO any con
sideration whatever A State which ha
been deprived Of a republican form c
government by the open and notoriou
suppression Of legal votes could reol
Ranige and demand her constitutions
~'-h' IN be guaranteed by tho Unite