Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-07-31

I
aheetionate admiration and as the model for
I them TO build upon, and we should cultivate he-
I tween them and ourselves closer commercial re-
atiouS which will bind all together by the ties of
friendly intercourse and mutual advantage. Fur
/ Their than this, being small commonwealth. In
/ the military and naval sense Of the European
| powers, they look 70 US as at least a moral de
4 fender against a system Of territorial and other
encroachments which aggressive in the past has
not been abandoned az this day Diplomacy and
intrigue nave done much more TO wrest the com
I merce Of Spanish Anne riea from the United States
than has legitimate commercial competition
! Politically we should be bound 10 the republics
| OF our continent by the closest ties, and commu.
nicatipn by ships aud railroads should be encour-
agee 70 the fullest possible extent consistent, with
1 q wise aud conservative public policy Above
ail we should be upon such terms of friendship as
/ 20 preclude the possibility OF national misuHder-
| standings between ourselves and any Of the mem
/ hers OF The American republican family. The
/ best method TO promote uninterrupted peace be-
4 tween one aud all would lie m the meeting of
general conference or congress whereby an agree.
Weut % submit all international difficulties q tine
peaceful decision OF friendly arbitration might De
An agreement of this kind would give 20 our
sister republics confidence Ia each other and IN us,
closer communication would at once ensue, re-
cipr0cally advantageous commercial treaties
might be made whereby much OK The commerce
mich now flows across the Atlantic would seek
its legitimate channels and iuure 10 the greater
prosperity Of al, the Asericsn commonwealth
| The tull advantages of policy of This nature
could not be stated in bHef discussion like the
present
FOREIGN POLITICAL RELATIONS.
The United States has grown to DE q Government
representing more than fifty million people, and Ia
every sense, excepting that uf mere naval power,
Is one OF the first nations of the world. as sucn,
lis citizenship should be valuable, emitting It's pos
SCISSOR to protection IN every quarter Of tine globe
DO not consider it necessary tHat our Govern
meat should construct enormous fleets OF approved
I iron-clads aud maintain "a commensurate body OF
seamen in order to place ourselves on a war foot
ing with the military and naval powers of Europe.
such q course would not be compatible with the
peaceful policy of our country though it seems
absurd that We have not the effective means 10
repel q wunton invasion Of our coast aud give
protection to our coast towns and cities against
any power The great moral force of our country
is so universally recognized as to render an APP
peal TO arms by US, either in protection of our
cuizens abroad or IN recognition OF any just IN
telnauonal right, quite improbable What we
( most need in this direction is firm and vigorous
assertion OF every right and privilege belonging
| 10 our GOYernu1nt or its citizens, as well an
equally firm assertion OF the rights and privileges
belonging 20 the general family of American
Republics situated upon this continent when OPP
posed if ever they should be, by the different
systems Of Government upon another continent
An appeal TO the right BY such Government
as ours could not be disregarded by any civilized
nation In the treaty Of Washington we led The
world TO the means Of escape from the horrors =
war; aud it is 20 be hoped that the era when all
international differences shall be decided by
peaceful arbitration is not far on
EQUAL RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP.
The central idea Of Republican form of g,-
eminent is the rule of the whole people rs
posed 20 the other forms which rest upon ps'-
our forefathers. in the attempt to erect a new
Government which might represent the advanced
thought of The world at that period upon the
subject of governmental reform, adopted the idea
of the peoples sovereignty and linus laid the basis
of our present Republic, While technically
Government OF the people 10 was IN Strictpess
ony Government of a portion Of the people.
excluding from all participation a certain other
portion. held in q condition of absolute, deSpotc,
and hopeless servltude, the parallel to which FOR
tunately, does rot now exist in any modern chris
tan nation.
With the elimination, how YER of another cycle
| OF advanced Thought. the American Republic
/ suddenly assumed the character Of a government
Of the whole people. aud four million creatures
emerged from the condition of bondsmen 70 the
full status of freemcn. theoretically invested with
the same civil and political rights 20 sessed by
their former masters The subsequent legislation
which guaranteed by every legal title the citizen
snip and fun equality before the law in all respects
Ofthis previously DISTINGUISHED people, amply COW
| ers the requirements and secures 20 them SO
far rs legislation can, the privileges OF American
citizenship But the dispgreeable TACT OF the case
is that wAe. theoretically we are in the enjoy
neut Of a government of the whole people, prac-
ticallv we are almost far from it, as we were in
the autebelum days of the republic. There are
1 but a few leading and indisputable facts which
cover the whole statement of the case. In many
of the southern states the coored population is
in large excess of the white. Tie colored people
are republicans, as are also a considerable
portion of the white people The remaining por-
ton Of the latter are democrats. In face of this
incontestble truth these states invariably return
democratic maiorities In other states Of the
south the cOlOred people, although not in ma
io ity, form q very considerable body Of the pop
ulatou, and with the white republicans are nu-
mercally in excess OF the democrats, yet precisely
the same political result obtains 49, the democratic
party invariably carrying the elections. It is not
even thought advisable to allow an occasional
unimportant election to be carried by the repub
Leans rs blind or as a stroke of hnesse
Careful and impartial investigation has shown
these results 20 follow the systematic exercise of
physical intimidation and violence, conioined with
the most shameful devices ever practiced in the
name of free elections. So confirmed has this
result become that are brought face TO face
with the extraordinary political fact that me Dem
ocratic party of the South relies almost entirely
upon the methods stated for its success ia national
| elections
This unlawful perversion Of the popular fran
chise, which desire 10 state dispassionatey, and
In manner COMFORTING with the proper dignity
Of Che occasion, is one of deep gravity 20 the
American people-in double sense.
First Its in viol1tion, open direct, and fragrant,
OF the primary principle upot which our Govern
ment Is supposed to rest, viz that the control or
| tie Government is participated ia by all legally
qualified citizens in accordance with the plan Of
popular government, that maJOrlues must rule IN
The decision Of all questions
Second, 1t is in viola ion Of the rights and in
terests Of the States wherein are particularly cen
tered the great wealth and industries OF the Aau DO,
and which pay an overwhelming portion of the
National taxes The immense aggregation of in
forests embraced within, and the enormously
greater population of these other States Of the
Union are subjected every fOuR years TO the dan
gers Of q wholly fraudulent show Of numerical
strength.
Under this system minorities actually attempt
to direct the course Of National affairs and though
up 10 this time success has not attended their
efforts 10 elect "A President yet success has been
so perousy imminent as TO encourage repeti.
ton of the effort at each quadrennial election, and
to subject the interests Of an Overwhelming ma
jority Of our people North aud South, 10 the haz
ards OF Illegal su6yerslon.
The stereotyped argument in refutation of these
plain truths is that if the Republican element was
really in the majority they could not be deprived
of their rights and privileges by mncrityi but
neither statistics OF population nor the unayoda-
bic logic OF the situation, can be Oyerrqen or
escaped The colored people OF the South nave
recently emerged from the bondage or their pres
emit political oppressors; they have had but few
of tine advantages OF education which might en-
able them to compete with the whites
As have heretofore maintained, in order TO
achieve the ideal perfection Of a popular govern
ment 10 is absolutely necessary that the masses
ssoud be educated. This proposition applies
itself with full force 10 the coiOrcd people o. the
South They must have better educational az
vantlees and t7us be enabled To become the intel