The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-22
all international differences shall be decided by
peaceful arbitration is not far of.


The central idea OF a republican form of gov
ernment is the rule of the whole people as OPP
posed to the other forms which rest upon a priv
LEGGED class.
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 thus laid
the basis of our present republic. While tech
nically a government of the people, it was in
strictness only a government of a portion Of the
people, excluding from all participation a certain
other portion, held in a condition of absolute,
despotic and hopeless servitude, the parallel to
which, fortunately, does not now exist in any
modern Christian nation.
With the elimination, however, of another
cycle of advanced thought, the American repub-
lie suddenly assumed the full character of a
government Of the whole people, and four mill
ion hurnsu creatures emerged from the condi-
ton of bonusmen to the full status of freedmen,
theoretically invested with the same civil and
political rights possessed by their former mas
ters. The subsequent legislation which guar
anteed by every legal title the citizenship and
full equality before the law in all respects of
this previously disfranchised people, amply
covers the requirements and secures to them, 50
far as legislation can, the privileges of Ameri-
can citizenship. But the disagreeable fact of
the case is, that while, theoretically, we are in
the enjoyment of a government of the whole
people. practically we are almost as far from it
rs we were in the antebellum days of the Repub-
bic. There are but a few leading and indisput-
able facts which cover the whole statement of
the case. In many of Southern States the col
cred population is in large excess of the white.
The colored people are Republicans, as
are also a considerable portion Of the white
people. The remaining portion of the latter
are Democrats. In face of this incontesti-
bic truth these States invariably return Demo
cratic majorities. In other States of the South
the colored people, although not a majority,
form a very considerable body of the popula-
ton, and, with the white Republicans, are nu-
merically in excess of the Democrats, yet pre-
cisely the same political result obtains-the
Democratic party invariably carrying the cleo
lions. 1t is not even thought advisable to allow
On occasional or unimportant election to be car
ried by the Republicans as a ''blinds or a stroke
Of fnesse.
Careful and impartial investigation has shown
these results to follow the systematic exercise of
physical intimidation and violence, conjoined
with the most shameful devices ever practiced
In the name of free elections. So confirmed has
this result become that we are brought face to
face with the extraordinary political fact that
the Democratic party Of the South relies almost
entirely upon the methods stated for its success
IN national elections.
This unlawful perversion of the popular fran
chise, which l desire to state dispassionately,
and in a manner COMFORTING with the proper
dignity of the occasion, is one of deep gravity to
the American people-in a double sense.
First-It is in violation, open, direct, and fla
grant, of the primary principle upon which our
government is supposed to rest, viz; that the
control of the government is participated in by
all legally qualified citizens, in accordance with
she plan of popular government, that majorities
must rule in the decision of all questions.
Second-It is in violation of the rights and in
terests of the States wherein are particularly
conferred the great wealth and industries of the
Nation, and which pay an overwhelming portion
Of the national taxes. The immense aggregation
VI luJtI0SLS 0mDTdCSQ WlGllu, anu Gu0 6nOr
mously greater population of these other States
Of the Union, are subjected every four
years to the dangers of a wholly
fraudulent show of numerical strength.
Under this system minorities actually attempt
10 direct the course of national affairs, and,
though up to this time success has not attended
their efforts to elect a President, yet success has
been so perilously imminent as to encourage a
repetition Of the effort at each quadrennial cleo
lion, and to subject the interests of an over
whelming majority Of our people, North and
South, to the hazards of illegal subversion.
The stereotyped argument in REPUTATION Of
these plain truths is that if the Republican ele-
ment was really in the majority they could not
be deprived Of their rights and privileges by a
minority; but neither statistics of population,
nor the unavoidable logic of the situation, can
be overridden or escaped. The colored people of
the South have recently emerged from the
bondage of their present political oppressors;
they have had but few Of the advantages of edu-
cation which might enable them to compete
with the whites.
As have heretofore maintained, in order to
achieve the ideal perfection of a popular govern
menu, IL Is aDSoluIely necessary Inab the masses
should be educated This proposition applies
itself with full force to the colored people Of the
South. They must have better educational ad-
vantages, and thus be enabled to become the
intellectual peers of their white brethren, as
many Of them undoubtedly already are. A lib
eral school system should be provided for the
rising generation of the South, and the colored
people be made as capable of exercising the
duties Of electors as the white people. In the
meantime it is the duty Of the national govern
ment to go beyond resolutions and declarations
on the subject, and to take such action as may
He in its power to secure the absolute freedom
Of national elections everywhere, to the end that
our Congress may cease to contain members
representing fictitious majorities Of their people,
aus misdirecting the popular win concerning