Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1883-10-30

purpOses VI pOiltichi huNhnthBc, haN'
now come to grief. They have failed
and reacted against their authors be-
cause none Of them rested on the basis
Of broad and enlightened statesman
ship. Sectional prejudice. personal
hatreds, and bigoted, narrow policy
prompted most Of the legislation which
disfgured the statute books during
the years when extreme methods dom.
mated In the public councils.
When suffrage was conferred on the
negro, fresh from the bonds Of slavery,
without condition and without prepsr-
alton Of any kind, against the protest
Of some Of the ablest republican lead
ers, the intention was 10 humiliate the
South by negro representation In Con.
gress. The amendment 10 the Consti-
tuition was adopted five years after the
close Of the rebellion, when IL might
be supposed the passions Of the civil
war had cooled. intoxicated by sue.
cess after the election Of Gen. Grant
in 1868. the party managers could
not see beyond their limited horizon,
nor would they listen to the voice Of
moderation. Opposition to the arbi-
trary DEGREES Of the caucus was de-
nounced as disloyalty to the Govern
ment.
And now, after thirteen years ex-
perience, what is the practical result
Of this policyH The South, against
which it was aimed, has an increased
representation in the House of Rep
resentatives, and in the electoral col
leges correspondingly, by the addition
Of the negro vote. II Is politically
stronger, sectionally considered, than
at any former time in the history Of
the country, and it was made stronger
BY the republican party. The condi-
tons Of 1870 aud 1883 are reversed.
The republicans leaders would now
gladly revoke negro suffrage il they
could; while the democrats wish to
preserve it.
The reconstruction laws were ami.
mated by the spirit that originated
the suffrage amendment. Their main
purpose was to make the uneducated
race rule in the South by putting the
late slaves over their former masters.
To this end, military power was used
to supersede civil authority in time Of
peace.
A carnival Of villainy followed in
the wake Of these laws. Honest and
influential republicans at the North
became indignant at the outrages in
the South, perpetrated by the authori-
ty Of their party and with the full
support of Grants Administration. A
reaction ensued. Atrocious force bills
and other schemes were defeated in
Congress. Robbery and oppression
became unpopular. The enormities
committed in the Legislatures of
South Carolina, Mississippi, Louis
lana, and other Southern States turn.
ed the currents Of public opinion. and
finally led to the emancipation of the
South from vulgar and vicious des-
potism. CO. LIEf
The last of this partisan legislation,
commonly known Ms the Civil Rights
act, has been pronounced unconstitu.
tional by Supreme Court. of which
eight of the nine Justices are republi.
cans. The single dissenting opinion
was delivered by the only Southern
man on the bench.
The Fourteenth Amendment pro.
hibits States from making or enforc.
ing any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities Of citizens of
the United States. Congress has no
more power to make laws regulating
social conditions in the States than it
has to make police regulations there.
When the Civil Rights bill, as origin.
ally proposed by Mr.. Summer, and in
be present form, as reported by Gen.
Butler from the Judiciary Committee
Of the House, was before the Senate,
foremost republican lawyers of that
body opposed it. on the very grounds
now taken by the Supreme Court.
The authors of the Civil Rights act
knew it was impotent and worthless
from the start. Instead of being a
benefit to the negro, it has proved to
be an sggravating injury, by stimula.
ling race preiudices and by exciting
discomfort. 1t was part of the gen.
sral plan of the republicans to cap
lure and keep the negro vote by
pretended friendship. which was in
The main hollow and heartless.
For thirteen years the negro has
kaa., a .,ol;tso.I ala.,. - Al woo,.ls |