Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-12-06
The Supreme Court Platform

: CATION of the civil rights decision
forecast the designs and policy of tn
Republican party in the following Ian
guage:
If one may read deeper than the surface
looks us If there was some design in the civ
rights decision Mt this time. presidential
campaign is approaching and the Republl
can party is threatened with the loss of tn,
negro vote. The frothing of Bob Ingersol
and leading negrophiles assures tn
prominence that they will endeavor to civ
that question in the campaign, whereby II |
hoped, by rc-openidg the whole question o
negro equality and projecting another con
stitutlonal amendment, to secure tho right,
denied them by the multiplying of the civil
rights legislation, to antagonizc the Demo
Gratis and capture the entire negro vote. AL
ready matters squirt in that direction, bu
there is little danger TO be feared by tn,
Democrats. IL is twenty years since the war
and the Northern heart is not so easily
"nredn at the recital of kulluX oppression IA.
II used 10 bc.
The correctness of this view has
been verified by the attitude of the
Republican party. 1t has thrown of
its disguise and is forcing bloody
shirt campaign, in which the issue
will be the negro. The first move to
that end has been entered upon in
congress. Upon the first day of the
organization of the senate, two Repub-
lican members of that body, Senators
Edmunds and Wilson, brought for
ward bills which are intended to put
in motion the discussion which they
hope to have the North and South
take up and divide upon. The first
of these, that of Senator Edmunds,
gives federal courts jurisdiction over
eases wherein the issue at trial affects
the race, color or previous condition
of servitude," of either of the par
ties thereto. Senator Wilson's BILL
on the other hand, looks to
the adoption ola constitutional amend
ment securing to the negroes those
privileges which the supreme court
declares are not embraced in the four
tenth or fifteenth amendments.
Neither of the authors of these bills
really desires TO secure to the negro
those rights which both pretend to be
so anxious that that race shall enjoy.
If they did they would so about it to
secure that result i'm q more simple and
direct manner. Both are lawyers and
understand the legal obstacles to the
practical working of any mere con-
gressional legislation, since the SUI
preme court has said that under con-
stitutional limitations the enforce
ment of civil rights rests not
with the federal but with the
state courts. Congress may pass Ed
mund's bill, and give federal courts
jurisdiction over certain cases wherein
the rights of negroes are concerned,
and the supreme court, adhering to its
former decision, that this is matter
Tor state legislation, would promptly
declare the new law unconstitutional.
Senator Edmunds is leading consti-
tutional lawyer and fully acquainted
with this fact. Therefore, the insin-
certify OF his pretense that it is in the
interest of the colored race is exposed
and the hypocrisy of Republican pro-
LESSONS laid bare. The real purpose
of this agitation lies deeper. 1t is in
tended to reopen the whole question |
of the negroes condition in the
South, to arouse Northern pref
udice, to excite i'll feeling between the
two sections, and in Il word to inaugu-
rate n "bloody-shirt" campaign for
1881. 1t Is expected that the Demo-
Gratis in congress will oppose and de-
feat the bill. That is what its origina-
tors want. They do not expect ii to
become Il law, and do not want il to.
But IL viii serve their purpose of an
excuse for an onslaught on the South
ana the revival of sectional animosity,
and that is all they ask of it. If any,
body has ever doubted the purpose of
the Republican party to fight the bat
tie of lSsi upon "bloody-shirtn plat
FORM this authorized and concerted
move of the leaders of that party will
settle such doubts.
The Democratic party can afford to
meet the issue by ignoring it. 1t has
been worn threadbare, and outside of n
fanatical few in the North will excite
little interest Democrats will make
the issue one Of tariff reform and tax
reduction. While the Republicans
are raging for securing to the negroes
d the south that absolute equality
which they claim is withheld from
hem, the Democratic party will con- !
iend Tor the amelioration of the people !
u the whole country and the removal i
u the burden of tariff taxation now !
aid upon all, black and white, and
ne perfect equality of all. A few i