National Republican., 1883-11-26

mere administration; III ventures upon that
large field where are gathering the opposing
hosts for the political battle Of 1884. 1t
assumes that the President is ambitious to
be his own successor, and then generously
shows him how to so shape his message as to
be able to defeat the candidate of its own
party. 1t expresses the opinion that the
President likes the position we'll enough to
hold ON to it," and says that therefore" his
message twill in all probability admit of
more reading between the lines" than was
his first.
After recitng the humdrum routine of COM
mon messages the editor of the Post, apparently
forgetting that, as democrat he may be ex-
pected to favor the candidate of his own party,
proceeds to offer terms upon which it is fair
to presume he would support President Arthur
as the republican candidate. This we say,
because we cannot imagine degree of assur-
ance sufficient to sustain even democratic
editor in marking out course for q man with
no intention disappearing him if the advice
should be accepted. Here are tho words:
We may be permitted to suggest that Mr.. Ar
thur recommend cordial acquiescence in the
civil rights decision of the supreme court If he
adopts the Harlan Eyarts- Sherman theory Oh this
subject, supplemented by an Endorsement of Ma.
homes "appeal to the readjuster party and re-
quest upon the senate to take Virginia politics
under the protecting arm OF a partisan invostiga-
tion, he will not only stand in his own light but
put himself intrusively in the way of the public
Interests. There will be pressure brought to
bear upon him here which it may require some
nerve 10 resist
The civil rights decision of the supreme
court was to the effect that the five suits
in which it was rendered did not present
facts emitting the parties who instituted
them to recover. The opinion in support of
the decision was to tho effect that tho four
teenth amendment to the constitution gives
protection of citizens in any state, unless
such state shall, by law of statute or custom,
deny citizens rights.
1t would be wholly unnecessary for the
President to recon mend acquescence in
the decision. The parties to the suits have
made no resistance nor have any done so in
their behalf.
But the great body of the people of the
United States, outside of the negro hating
democracy, arc profoundly disappointed at
being informed that the constitutional rights
of citizens can only be protected by the
United States when states openly auoU the
wrongs which some of them now stealthily
some of the southern states of tho equal
rights of the people the fourteenth amend
ment was framed, and the express grant of
power to congress to enforce it by appropriate
legislation was added to remove all doubt as
to tho jurisdiction of the nation.
Tho supreme court declares that if the
state enacts no law against citizens rights, and
sanctions none, the nation has no power to
interfere between its citizens and violent
bands of men who mako war upon them for
opinions sake unrebuked by the state.
| This is the courts definition of the law as ii
stands. The state cannot by law constitu-
tionally deny men their God-givon rights,
but lawless individuals or organizations may
do SO, and the state need not interfere and THE
NATION CANNOT!
Thus enlightened by the court as to what
the fourteenth amendment is, viz, mere
J,utcm t,tlmen-an instruction that the state
must not by law avow the barbarism it may
safely refuse to check or restrain-we are
confronted with tho high duty of making
such change in tho national constitution a'
will admit the strong arm of the nation acros!
tho line of q state to paralyze the fcrocty
which makes peaceful citizens afraid, ant
which reigns supreme when tho exigencie
of political faction or any frenzy of tn,
hour require it, This is what tho trainers
of tho fourteenth amendment intended
This is what both parties in congress
thought it meant while it was
under consideration. This is wha
the whole country believed while tho state
were ratifying it. 1t seems that all wer
mistaken. The court say the trainers blum
dered. 1t is right that to that decision. Will,
it stands, all should bow in cordial acqui
escence." But if the President should en-
join that duty it is to be hoped he will urg
congress to propose to tho states ney
amendment which shall fit the constitution t.
the rights of citizens, instead of dwariing tn
rights of citizens to the meaningless phrase
, ology of tho much-vaunted fourteenth amend
: ment.
. BY way of enlightening the Post aud il
o democratic friends as to the tonets of the rC
9 publican party on this subject, We print els'
a whore in this issue some extracts from th
= republican platform of 1880, and from th
= letters of acceptance of the candidates, Ga
r field and Arthur. From these our adversari,
5 may learn what aims our party has, rathC