The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-26


seem to think that II had very much pros
pect in the near future, for the reason thu
while parties were nearly balanced Il
Louisiana (about 10000 voters each) th
overwhelming majority Of the whites wer
on the other side. "Well," said !, General
what Is to be the solution Of this question:
~ confess that l do not see any near pros
pect OF solution" said he. 1.-THE white
are 50 largely on one side and the negroes OF
the other that anything like successful or
ganization on our part is practically impos
sible. The Government will not lend III
efficient protection from frauds and vic
lence and our party Is largely demoralixed
and discouraged. The policy Of the Hayei
administration broke the spirit OF Republi
canism In the South. There is really nj
encouragement to be Republican in THU
region.
"Well," said /, "is 1t not in the eye
OF the Government choice between
negro supremacy, and It's attendant ills or
one side, and white supremacy and bull
doing on the other2"
"Well, no, said he, do not look at II in
that way. l hold that the Government
having given the negro the ballot is bound
to see him projected In the exercise Of hit
franchise. This must be the case II Re-
publican form OF government Is to endure
among US. l also hold that II the Govern.
mcnt was to uphold this right that 1t would
lead to an accession Of strength 10 US from
the whites, who instead OF us would be-
come the discouraged element as to their
peculiar modes Of carrying elections, aud
that in this way we would afterwhile make
Republicanism clean and intelligent and
respectable at the South. White men as
well as all other men respect power, and 1t
only needs to be well understood at the
South that Republicans will be fully protect
ed in the exercise OF their rights TO assure
a gradual raising OF the status OF the
party. As 1t is, Republicans are down
kept under by the power and machinery
OF the State government, which is all in
the hands OF one man, the Governor OF the
State, who appoints the commissioner OF
elections for the whole State, and this COM
missioner in turn appoints all his
suboIdinates in the various parishes,
and they make just such a return OF the
result in their parishes as their consciences
will permit, and l need not tell you what
that means. Fraudulent returns have
taken the place Of the shot gun and the
more violent forms OF terrorism. This
makes success on our part practically i'm.
possible. Votes are matter Of secondary
importance as long as the counting and
declaration Of the result are in the hands Of
our opponents. Therefore we regard It as
practically useless to organize unless we
can be assured OF protection on the part OF
the general Government We have no
hope OF any such protection from the State
government nor, for that matter, from the
Federal government.
"Granting all this, Isaid what Is the alter.
native but state OF war, since the whites
are bent on ruling this country down here.
General Grant tried tho military form OF
government and the Republican party
almost went to pieces at the North. The
sentiment Of the country does not sustain a
military policy"
"That Is true, but the North never fully
appreciated the Southern Republican sit
uation. They expect the same state Of
things with which they are familiar al
home, which has been impossible here.
Republicanism was new on this soil and it
had 10 encounter all the obloquy that at.
tached to abolitionism, the war, the en-.
franchisement Of slaves and social and
political revolution. They expected q hot
house growth to come out OF this anarchi-
cal condition, and because some desperate,
adventurous and questionable characters
came to the front they got impatient and
rather than await our sober second thought,
and the improvement which was sure to
come with time, they deserted us, and left
US to fight the battle against overwhelming
odds"
swell, General, has time brought an
improvement OF the negro racer Are they
more intelligent or Trustworthy now than
at the close Of the WARP"
"No, l can not say much for them in this
respect. They have not improved as much
as we, could have wished. They have OF
course more knowledge in every day mat
ters-understand bargain making better, but
they are still child-like and improvident to q
lamentable degree, and also unimproved
in their social and industrial habits that
beget respect on the part Of those around
them. But the point desire to make is
that by a steady exercise OF o protective
policy, in the matter OF fair vote and d
fair count, We would have worn out the
resentments OF the white race OF the ante.
belium regime, and thus Republicanism at
the South would have lost It's distinctive
color line character. l have constantly
said TO Democrats here, come into our
ranks, forget the past, be one with us and
control Republicanism in the South inside
oil the organization. In this way you will
divest 1t OF most or oil OF It's Objectionable
features TO you" U.t
"But, General, that 1t Is an appeal that
you surely did not expect to be needed.
You did not expect the leopard to change
It's spots In that way in the twinkling OF an
eye as It were. You could not expect the
white people OF the South To Republicanize
themselves as long as they had any hope
of ruling through the Democratic organic.
alton. II would be in opposition-almost
miraculous opposition-to all the ira
ditions oil the past in their history"
"That may be, but it presents the only
way out Of the situation here. 1t Is either
this or an abandonment OF the Republican
idea for an indefinite time in the future.
The alternative method Is TO allow things
to 60 on just as they are going, and Of
course as long as they 60 on in this way
there 10 no inducement to those engaged
to have them go any other way"
"Yes, but it seems TO me, General, that
there is another method, one that time and
peaceful methods will bring about, in the
shape Of independent candidates, Malone
movements, side issues such as those OF
Chalmers in Mississippi, Fenton, in Georgia,
&C., like movements In Texas and else.
where in the South. My observation has
been that a continued preponderanCe
on one side breeds discomfort on the part
OF disappointed political leaders, who 60
outside OF conventions and appeal to the
people direct and thus divide their own
party. In this way the people become &C.
customed TO free discussion and independ.
ent voting, and their apprehensions Of race
rule no longer solidiiy them into one party.
"well, there is OF course some tendency
Of this kind in the South. Some people
point to Kellogg election TO Congress as the