Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-12-05
Negro Suffrage in the South.

view OF Mr.. Blaine's late incendiary
leech which has been so extensively COM
'mented on the following history of the
origin Of negro suffrage in the Souh of
which the defeated candidate so bitterly
complains, as taken from the book of
Judge A. W. Tourgee, II Republican of re-
cegnlzed prominence, may not be at this
time uninteresting:
For two years there We're indecision and bick
ering and cross purposes and false promises
The South waited Sulenly; the North wonder
ingly.
There were fonr pluus proposed
The Hrt was that the state machinery OF the
ante 6eLum days in the lately der ationalized Sec
tons should be set in motion, and the reorganZ
ed communities restored to their former posi-
tons without change, except as to individuals;
Just you renew Il wheel i'll Il WORKOUT clock,
and, starting the pendulum, set it again To its
work. This, without unnecessary verbiage was
the Presidents plan.
The second scheme WAS IA maleshift, inspired
by fright at what had been done, and a desire to
avoid what must be done. 1t was, in short,
to allow the vagrapt States to come back into
the national fold, Shorn of such strength as they
might lose by deducting from their representa-
ton the ratio of representative power formerly
allowed to the non-voting colored race, unless
the same should be enfranchised by their organ
lc law.
/ The third plan, which remains to be considered
was of different character. 1t did not re-
gard the immed ate reorganization of the re-
Gently rebellious communities upon a Federal
basis, AS necessary or desirable. = 1t recog-
niZed the fact that a doctrine which had been
known as state Sovereignty was at the root OF
the evil. and that the nation had taken race
from bondage which ii was morally bound To
prepare for freedom. SO it is proposed that the
States which had been in the infected region
should be quietly left to moulder in the grave of
rebcllion,-the bed they had themselves prepar-
ed; that the region they once embraced should
be divided up into Territories without regard To
former Stata lines, and so remain for a score OF
wears under national control but without power
To mould or fashion the national legiSlaton-un-
til time should naturally and thoroughly have
healed the breaches of the past. till commerce
had become re-cStahliShed, and the crude ideas
of the present had been clarified by the light OF
experience 1t recognized undeniahle fact
that men who had gazed into each others faces
over cleaning barrels. by the fateful blaze
of battle, Were not so tit to adjust the questions
arising ont of the conflict aS those yet unborn
Ii was based upon the fact. too. that the slave
was not made hit for unrestrained political power
by the simple act of freedom. Slavery might he
ended rs legal status by proclamation, but a> a
living fact 1t could not. The hands could he un.
>hackled by n constitutional amendment: but
heart and brain must have an opportunity 10 eN-
pand before the freedman could be capable oil
Automatic liberty.
The second Christmas had come before any
thing was done: then plan was adopted which
was compromise among all these ideas. Thi,
was the fourth PLAN 1t was not selected because
for settling the ills with which the body polite
, had been afflicted; not ut all. No one can be -
simple minded as to believe that. The far future
was very dim to the legislators eyes when they
adopted il the RrIr future what they dread
ed. 4 great election TTS al hand tn" PTTsid"ri
and his supporters going 10 The country on hi'
plan ii recOnx'ruc' ion. When the Congress threat
eJed mip-nchHe nj. he sought Tor justification nj th'
bdii0f Dor. Sfnle plan must be deriSed trih Thich
10 meet him. What should ii be" The logic
which carries elections answered. "One on which
all who are opposed 10 the presidential plan IL
the North can be induced To unite" From Mi
lCoHIb Of party necessity and political fnsincerEl
came forth this abortion. rather This monster
dDOHed Ia pu"ricdc IN the hour 0f is birth.
Like all compromises. il had the evils of nj
the plans from which its pieces came, and In,
merits Of none of them. The coward, who. run
ming with his conscience and holding with IN
fear, makes a comp rOmiSe by taking the head o
one thought and the tail OF another il sure I;
get the wrong ends OF both"