National Republican., 1883-11-26

war cannot be completely healed, and
tho spirit of brotherhood cannot fully per-
wade tho whole country, until every citizen,
rich or poor, white or black, is secure in the
free and equal enjoyment of every civil and
political right guaranteed by the constitution
and the laws Wherever the enjoyment Of
these rights is not assured, discomfort will
prevail immigration will cease, and the social
and industrial forces will continue to be dis
tuibed by the migration OF laborers and the
consequent diminution of prosperity. The
national government should exercise all its con-
stitutional authority to put an end to these
evils; for all the people and all the states are
members of ono body, and no member can
suffer without injury to oil.
The most serious evils which now afilict
the south arise from tho fact that there is not
such freedom and liberation of political
opinion and action that tho minority party
can exercise an effective and wholesome re-
straint upon tho party in power. Without
such restraint, party rule becomes tyrannical
and corrupt The prosperity which is made
possible in tho south by its great advantages
of soil and climate will never be realized until
every voter can freely and safely support any
party he pleasos.
Tho doctrines announced by the Chicago
convention are not the temporary devices of
party to attract votes and carry an cleo
tion. They are deliberate convictions, re-
sulting from careful study of the spirit of
our institutions, the events of our history,
and the best impulses of our people In my
judgment these principles should control tho
legislation and administration Of the govern
mont.
From Arihur's Lettr Of Acceptance.
The right and duty to secure honesty and
order in popular elections is matter so vital
that it must stand IN front. The authority of
tho national government TO preserUo from fraud
aud force elections at which its ot0n officers are
chosen is chief point OArhic the t,ro parties are
plainly and Intensely opposed Acts of congress
for ten years have, in New York and else
whore, done much to curb tho violence and
wrong to which the ballot and the count have
been again and again ubjected-sometimes
despoiling great cities, sometimes sitting the
voice of a whole state, often seating, not only
in congress, but on the bench and in legisla-
lures, numbers of men never chosen by the
people. The democratic party, since gain
ing possession of the two houses of
congress, has made these just laws
the object of bitter, ceaseless assault, and,
despite all resistance, has hedged them with
restrictions cunningly contrived to battle and
paralyze them. This aggressive majority
boldly attempted TO oxtort from the executive
his approval of various onactmonts destruct-
i've of these election laws by revolutionary
threats that q constitutional exercise of the
veto power would be punished by withhold
ing the appropriations necessary to carry on
the government. And these threats were
actually carried out by refusing the needed
appropriations, and by forcing an extra
session of congress, lasting for months, and
resulting in concessions to this usurping de-
mand which are likely, in many states, to
subject the majority to the lawless will of q
minority.
Ominous signs Of public disapproval alone
subdued this arrogant power into q sullen
surrender for the time being of part Of its de.
mands. The republican party has strongly
approved the stern refusal of its representa-
tives to suffer the overthrow of statutes be-
lieved to be salutary and Just. 1t has always
insited, and now insists, that The gorcrnmem Of
the United States of Americd is empowered aud ia
duty bound TO ctectualy protect the elections de-
noted By the constitution as national.
More than this, the republican party holds,
as cardinal point i'll its creed, that The goU-
e'1'mem should, by every means known to the
| constitution, protect all american citizens
| everywhere in the full enjoyment of their ciril
aud political rights. AS great part of its work
of reconstruction, the republican party gave
| the ballot to the emancipated slave as his
| right and defense. A large increase in the
\ number of members of congress and of the
electoral college from the former slaveholding
states was the immediate result. The his.
| tory of recent years abounds in evidence
that in many ways and many places
especially whore their number has been
great enough to endanger democratic
control-the very men by whose elevation
to citizenship this increase of representation
was effected have been debarred and robbed o.
their Uoice and their cote. IL is true that no stat
Stdtte or constitution in so many acords denies OF
dbridges the exercise of their political rights, Ju
the modes employed TO bar their pdy are no les
| eGectuai. 1t is o suggestive and startling
thought that the increased po,cer derired from
| the Acknowledgement bg race now denied IFS shdrt
il governing The country, welded by those who
lately sought tho overthrow of the govern
ment, ia now The sole reliance to defeat the part,
phich represented the Sovereignty and nationally
| Of the American people in the greatest crisis II
our history. Republicans cherish mono of the
resentments which may have animated them
during the actual conflict of arms. They
| long for full and real reconciliation between
tho sections which were necdlessly and
lamentably at strife. They sincerely offer the
hand of good will, but they ask in return q
pledge of good faith. They deeply feel tha
the party whose career is so illustrous in
great and patriotic achievements will not ful
fill its destiny until peace and prosperity are
established in all tho land, nor until liberty
| of thought, conscience, and action, and
equality of opportunity, shall besnot merely
| cold formalities Of statute, but living birth
| rights, which the humble may confidently
claim and the powerful dare not deny.
|
A LONG PENDING QUESTION.