Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-11-02
CHARLES F. TOWNSEND
FATE or VIOLENT LEGLsLA TION


Under the above caption the New York
San takes occasion TO indulge in the fol-
lowing remarks. They are so clever and
SO strong, that no one can fail to be i'm
pressed, and we heartily recommend them
to the attention Of our readers:
"All the violent measures OF the Repub-
lican party, which were devised in the heat
of political passion and for purposes of po-
alitical advantage, have now come to grief
They have failed and reacted against their
authors because 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 meth
DDS dominated in the public councils.
When suffrage was conferred on the ne
gro, fresh from the bonds of slavery, with
out condition and without preparation of
any kind, against the protest Of some of the
ablest Republican leaders, the intention was
TO humiliate the South by negro representa-
ton in Congress. The amendment TO the
Constitution was adopted five years after
the close OF the rebellion, when 1t might be
supposed the passions Of the civil war had
cooled. Intoxicated by success after the
election of Gen. Grant in 1868, the party
managers could not sec beyond their limited
horizon, nor would they listen to the voice
of moderation. Opposition TO the arbitrary
DEGREES OF the caucus was denounced as
disloyalty to the Government.
And now, after thirteen years experience,
what is the practical result OF this policy 7
The South, against which it was aimed, has
an increased representation in the House of
Representatives,, and in the electoral colleges
correspondingly, by the addition of the ne
gro vote. 1t is politically stronger, section
ally considered, than at any former time in
the history OF the country, aud 1t was made
stronger by the Republican party. The con-
ditions Of 1870 and Of 1888 are reversed.
The Republican leaders would now gladly
revoke negro suffrage il they could; while
the Democrats wish to preserve it,
The reconstruction laws were animated
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 authority of their party and with the
full support OF Grants Administration. A
reaction ensued. Atrocious force hills aud
other schemes were defeated in Congress.
Robbery and oppression became unpopular.
The enormities committed in the Legisla-
lures Of South Carolina, Mississippi, Loui.
siana, and other Southern States turned the
currents Of public opinion, and finally led
TO the emancipation Of the South from "a
vulgar and a vicious despotism.
The last Of this partisan legislation, com
monty known as the Civil Rights act, has
been pronounced Unconstitutional by Su.
preme Court, Of which eight OF the nine
Justices are Republicans. The single dis
senting opinion was delivered by the only
Southern man on the bench
The Fourteenth Amendment prohibits
. States from making or enforcing any law
which shall abridge the privileges or immu.
mites Of citizens of the United States. Con.
gress has no more power 10 make laws reg.
ulating social conditions In the States than
il has To make police regulations there.
When the Civil Rights bill, rs originally
proposed by Mr.. Sumner, and In the present
form, rs reported by Gen. Butler from the
Judiciary COMMITTEES Of the House. was be.
fore the Senate, the 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
II was impotent and worthless from the
start. Instead Of being benefit to the ne.
gro, II has proved 10 be an aggrayating in
jury, by Stimulating race prejudices and by
exciting discomfort. II was part of the
general plan OF the Republicans To capture
and keep the negro vote by a pretended
friendship, which was in the main hollow
and heartless.
For thirteen years the negro has been a
political slave Of the Republican party. As he
improves by education and by contact with
independent opinion, he begins TO see the
Ialsity of the professions made in his behalf,
and the selfshness Of policy which has
really retarded his advancement TO higher
plane. Hereafter the colored vote will I've
apt 10 divide ia politics. TheD the negro
will get new start in the battle of lle."
The election takes place next Tuesday,