National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-11-20

Mr.. Blaine's speech, delivered at Au.
gusta Tuesday night will more surely
arrest the attention Of the country than
If IL had been delivered In the course OF
heated campaign. Between now and
tho noxt presidential contest IL is alto
gother likely that the disfranchisement
OF the colored voters Of the south will be-
como u question of national concern, and
1t Is morally certain that the conflict
between tho opposing theories Of free
trade aud protection will become even
moro marked than 1t was in the cam
paign just closed Mr.. Blaine's utter
auccs concerning these two topics como
with weight aud authority owing to his
present disiutcrested position.
The point that Mr.. Blaine emphasizes
as being the most striking outgrowth OF
tho practical disfrAnchisoment of the col
orod voters is one that cannot be escaped,
and will certainly arouse tho natural re-
sentiment of tho whito northern voter
presently. Why should tho white mau
of tho southern states be able to exert
lNAHt AllD luhuNhNb Wy llb Nolt lIhb Nllt
white man in the north is ablo to exort
through the same medium? No reply can
be given to the query that will be q suf.
ilCent Justification of the difference.
There is an injustice involved in this
question that has not 50 far fully en-
crossed the mind of the voter in the
north. but sooner or later IL Is bound to
do 50. When that day comes it will in-
evitably force an adjustment of this dan
gerous problem. Looking back over the
history Of the last quarter of century
it is not speaking wide of the mark tc
SAY that in all justice, if any preponder'
anco of weight is to bo given to the
voters Of one section as against those of
the other, the discrimination should bo In
favor of the northern voter. 1t is owing
to his devotion to tho union that our gov
ernment Is now in existence in its pres.
ent form, while it is not tho fault of the
southern voter that tho union has no
been blotted out of existence rs one o.
the family of nations. But the
man who essaycd to destroy tho union Ii
now Of greater weight in determining IT.
control than the man who vontured hi
life for its preservation. Mr.. Blaine ha
sharply outlined this point, and it canno
bo got away from. The ordinary in
stincts of manly sclf-respeet will pres
emily compel tho northern voter to ask
tho southern voter to concedo II redress o
tho manifest wrong through, which
ballot cast by one OF tho idttor is NOR
than equal in effect to those cast by tw,
of the former If the southern voter viii
consider this matter calmly in advance
it must soon become plain to him that i
would BE infinitely to his own advantag,
to. give up his present uiurpatlon of powei
fby restoring political freedom of actor
! to the cOlored men. If then he can wir
the latter to his way of thinking without
the exercise Of compulsion, no complaint
on the score of inequality of voting power
will come from the north. But SO long a'
it is notorious that the colored man can
not exert the political powers guaranteed
him by the north aud is deprived of then
by means so shameful that they stain oul
national honor, an issue will be impend.
| ing that the south will eventually hav,
to face with moral certainty that th
result will be to its disadvantage.