The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-08-17
IN. Y. Tribune.1
HCaucaSians" vs.. ssBarbarians."

ssCaucasians" vs.. ''Barbarians."
This is the way Mr.. Tillman, O.
South Carolina, puts it. Mr.. Tillman
who has been occupying seat in tht
House to which he was not elected
and drawing a salary to which he was
not entitled, since the session begun
was gently but firmly led to the dool
on Wednesday, with the information
that his seat rightfully belonged to
another man. Before going out he
delivered himself of a speech which is
interesting as a further illumination
of what may be called the South Car
olina Idea. His claim to seat in the
House was not based upon his being
the choice Of majority of the voters
in his district, but upon the alleged
fact that he was "a representative of
the virtue, the intelligence and the
wealth of South Carolina" 1.-THE
Caucassians Of South Carolina" he
said, had ''risen in their might
against the "Barbarians," and the re-
suit was that, Notwithstanding they
were in a hopeless minority in the
district, they declared Tillman elected,
and gave him the certificate. A ma
jority of the Elections Committee of
the House, however, held, to Tillman's 8
manifest disgust, that it made no diff
ference whether he was caucasian -
or Barbarian" or whether he rep
resented the virtue, intelligence and
wealth of the State or not, so long as
&c did not represent majority Of the
voters. Finding that he in fact did
not, they so reported, and the House
thereon set him with his face South
Carolina-ward, and gave him word to
March, He said that they would
be sorry for it. Perhaps they will.
He warned them that 'curses, like
chickens, come home to roost," and in
the same breath informed them that
he expected to come back to the next
Congress. He neglected to inform
them whether he quoted the proverb
with reference to his going home or
coming back. The general effect Of
his speech was to emphasize the fact
that he and other South Carolina
Democrats "Caucasians''- fully be-
lieve now, as they did before the war,
that 'niggers have no rights that
white men are bound to respect"
We suspect that the real trouble
with our Caucasian" friends is that
they are too slow. They have not
caught up with the times. They have
succeeded in grasping the fact that
secession is dead-at least for gen.
eration-and that the Federal Union
is permanent; they know that slavery
is abolished, and they understand
vaguely that the negroes have the
right to vote. But of one other thing
that was definitely settled by the war
they have not the faintest conception.
That is, the right Of the majority to
rule in a democracy. They see the
propriety of it readily enough when
the majority happens to be Of their
way of thinking, but how majority
entertaining opinions different from
their own can have any ri ght to en-
force those opinions they utterly fail
to comprehend. As an abstract prop
osition they assent to the rule Of the
majority, in the concrete they kick at
it. They recognize, or think they
recognize, the two great facts of
emancipation and enfranchisement;
they are net unwilling that some of
the blacks should vote, under certain
conditions, and-if it is certain that
they are in minority-that their
votes should be counted. So much
they concede to the public sentiment
that effected the freedom of the former
slaves. They are generous enough
and they consider it pure generosity
to permit the lately enfranchised
blacks to amuse themselves to this
extent with their new privilege. But
when it comes to permitting them all
to vote and have their votes counted,
when the result would show that they
are in the majority and fairly entitled
to political power and control, our
Democratic friends are shocked.
And they have right to be. 1t is
always shocking to be in q minority,
particularly SO when that minority
contains what Mr.. Tillman calls the
virtue, intelligence and wealth Of a
community, and the tendency Of the
majority is-as the South Carolina
Democrats assert-to raise ignorance,
inexperience and irresponsibility to
power. Still, as has often been said
and cannot be toe often repeated, that
is one of the risks assumed by peo-
pie who undertake self-government.
Must we then submit to majority
rule when ignorance and incapacity
and possibly worse are in the numeri-
cal ascendant? Unquestionably. 1t
is the inexorable logic of free institu-
tions and popular self-government
Here our South Carolina friends take
issue with us. They say that soone,
than submit to such control they will
violate the first principle Of republi.
can government; they will cut the
throat of democracy. It is a short
way out of the difficulty, to be sure
but there is little in it Of statasman
ship, and less of wisdom or philoso
ply. They have a problem on thei
hands that must be worked out la
boriously and patiently; impatience
haste and passion only retard it's solu
. ton. There must be a better way fo
the virtue, intelligence and wealth O
a community to secure their prope
2 influence and put down bad govern
: ment than by the commission O
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