National Republican., 1882-04-04
South Carolina.


the matinee.
South Carolina.
We look in vains for any statement
that the persons accused of crimes
against the Federal election laws in that
State are falsely accused. 1t is virtually
admitted that if Acknowledgement
Brewster insists upon paying attention to
such matters he will find that the laws
have been violated. The real complaint
is against the laws themselves. These
laws are framed to protect the rights of
voters. The South Carolina Democrats
consider an attempt of that sort an out
rage. They say that it will Afrcanizc
the State That is to say, the minority
must rule, the elections must he a farce,
the hallot-boXes must be stuffed,
the returns must be falsifod, the
courts must be prostituted, witnesses
must pcrjure themselves, jurors must for
swear themselves, Congressman not
elected, and Senators chosen by so-callcd
Legislatures, which We're never elected,
must sit in Congress to control its polti-
cal complexion and dictate the national
lNElclANlpl ilbllDlIDlt NtlltlDIS > anu lllblll-
bcrs must from their places deny what
nll the world knows to be true, and this
great Republic must be q slam and
fraud, taking its laws from Il lawless
minority and all this because the South
Carolina whites will not let the negro
voter come between the wind and their
nobility, and will not make the slight
1,,., 1, l. 1 l, 1
ful and faithful political ally.
1t would be very easy to 90 all over the
ground of South Cardinals former obiec-
lions to the enforcement of United States
laws within her borders Fifty years ago
she rebelled against the customs revenue
laws. She never has been gentle sister.
Ehe would not even sit in Democratic
national conventions She would not al
low her presidential electors to be elected
by the people, but had them appointed
by the Legislature, which, though lawful,
was not in harmony with national pro-
gress She fomented rebellion from 1eli
to 1861, and has ever been an rngentle,
nervous, and eXcitable member of the
family. Now she IS engaged in a new
crusade in favor of notification and re-
Bistance to Federal law. When slavery
was king and South Carolina was the
kings favorite she was hated by. the
kings enemies. Now she is the chief
mourner of the dead monarch, and there
is disposition to be patient with her
rather than angry, considerate rather
than eXacting, and to demonstrate rather
than to denounce.
A republican form of government must
be maintained in every State if the Con-
stitution is to be regarded. The voters
must be allowed to vote, elections must
elect, and the majority must rule. The
wealth and intelligence must inspire the
masses with confidence in their friend
ship, and the majority will easily be per-
suaded to rule through them. The
wealth and intelligence cannot suppress
the majority without suppressing morals
and honor in the State. If young men
are told to obey only the laws which
please them they will have bad train
ing and will disregard otherthan election
laws.
If only State laws are binding, then
counterieiting money, smuggling, and
piracy are not crimes in South Carolina
If it is right to swear falsely about votes
1t is not wrong to swear falsely about
notes. If crime is a legitimate basis for
a political structure, then the business
and social structures will in time rest on
equally dishonorable bases. Is the sup
preston of negro suffrage worth such II
price?
We repeat that the suppression ofncgro
suffrage is not necessary to white rule.
We believe that the colored leaders of
South Carolina would at any time lend
their aid to good understanding with
the whites, They cannot Join political
cry Of " Down with the negro p and that
is all there is of Democracy.
But they will forget all past wrongs
and follow the lead oc the white men Of
South Carolina who will leave the Demo-
cratic party to rot with the dead past
which it represents and go forward as
independent supporters of the laws of the
land and the rights of fctizens.
Would it not be better for South Caro-
lina's best and most trusted leaders to ex-
CAahGe lchuClAllc minority RUE Tor IN
dependent majority rule? Would not
nj, c. Butler reflect more credit on the
honorcd name he bears if, instead ofrep-
resenting only an unscrupulous faction,
usurPirg the power it cannot rightrully
command by votes, he would braycly
lead South Carolina out of her
present dishonorable dilemma and
come back to the Senate bearing
the commission Of a majority, led
by Democrats who had destroyed their
party to preserve the principles on
which it was founded? Would this not
be better politics than persistence in the
presen system2 Has South Carolinaany
great interest in making national politics
for Northern Democrats? ? Could she not