Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-28
Yrlpay.......... NOVEMBER IS. 1881



charge that toe southern States had a
weight IN the Electoral College to which
they we're not cntitIed was an implied az
tack upon negro suffrage for 10 the ne
groes allow the whites to cast their votes
for them--ihaf IL. abstain from voting At
the request or on the demand Of the
whites the natural remedy for such a
wrong would seem TO be to deprive the
negro 81 the right OF suffrage. We cannot
imagine any other constitutional rem
e6y that could De resorted to; and
even this would have TO be done
by constitutional amendment. Surely
nobody would seriously propose to
take the census tables and divide the
/ votes between the two parties in proportion
to the respective numbers Of whites and.
blacks. II there are TO be elections, the
returns OF these elections must be respected.
Congress has no power 10 pass law pro-
y,ding for Federal supervisors over any
other than elections for members OF the
House Of Representatives, and we do not
regard Il ~ Of all certain that II rightfully
passed even the law now in force touching
these elections. II was not strange. there
fore, that we should have looked upon Mr.
BlAISE's Augusta speech as implying
either that the negro was unit TO enjoy
the elective franchise. or that the state OF
things IN the southern States was sncb as
rendered IL improper for the negroes TO be
counted In the basis OF representation In
the House OF Representatives or in the
Electoral College. Whatever Mr.. BLAINE
may have meant 10 say ought to be done In
order 20 secure that ascendency in the
Union which he claimed the Republican
party would have secured on the 4th OF
November but for the electoral votes as
signed 10 the South as consequence OF
making citizens OF the negroes, il GER
txInly was not unfair for the Demo
Gratis TO assume that he meant what |
Re said. And II ne did mean
what he said, he by Implication charged
the negroes with being unfit to be entrusted
with the elective franchise.
Most OF Mr.. BLAISE's friends deny that
he intended to attack negro suffrage; bat
here comes Mr.. HALsrEAD, Of Cincinnati,
and "speaks right out in meeting" lie
was the mau who was induced TO soiourn |
in New York city during the recent
and there send out
BLAINE organ to the public in issues
ot many thousands daily. II Is also said |
that be was to have been rewarded with q
foreign mission II Mr.. BLAINE had been
elected. He Is recognized leader in tue
Republican party, and one of its most in
tiuentlal editors. lie does not mince his
words, but. as we have said. "speaks right
out in meeting" Read what he says:
"We do not think IL fair that the white
citizen OF Georgia should vote for himself
and his black neighbor. II the black man
Is enumerated in Georgia rs a citizen and
voter. he should do his own voting. The
remedy that he would propose Is that those
who do not vote shall moi be enumerated
"The remedy that voc ,,outd propose is
that those uao do moi vote shall not be emu
narrated" Is that plain enough? Mr..
HMsrgAD proposes that the negroes shall
not be Included In the basis OF represents
tion. II his suggestion were carried out,
the South would lose more than thirty cleo
toral votes, and the North would no longer
have to be solid in order to overcome
solid South, so much greater would her
relative voung strength become. Ofcourse,
the ne9oes would not he allowed to vote
II they were not allowed TO be "enu-
meratcd {" as part OF the basis of repre-
sentation In the House Of Representatives.
The people OF the United States have
emancipated the negroes. and have put
them upon perfect equality with the
whites so far as voting is concerned. such
revolutions never 20 backwards. The
negro will continue 10 be a voter, let dis
appointed riace-seekers say aud do what
they will. There is no doubt Of this. We
speak Of MI. HALsrE,p's proposition not
because we fear It's adoption, bun to show
that II was not Illogical TO regard MIR.
RIAIxE's Augusta speech as an attack upon
negro suffrage.