The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-11-29
MIR. BLAINE SERENADE
He Makes a Speech--The Effect OF
Southern Success.


number of the devoted personal and
political friends of Mr.. Blaine sere-
naded him this evening as an expires
sion of personal good will and admi-
ration of his conduct of the National
campaign. Mr.. Blaine appeared and
made speech, In which, after eX-
pressing his gratitude for the support
he had received, he said: ga change
Oflittle more than FIVE thousand votes
would have transferred New York,
Indiana, New Jersey and Connecti-
cut to the Republican standard, and
would have made the North as solid
as the South. =
..The result of the election, my
friends, will be regarded in the future,
| think, as extraordinary. The North
ern States, leaying out the cities Of
New York and Brooklyn from the
count, sustained the Republican cause
by a majority of more than 100000
almost half a million, indeed-ofthe
popular vote. The cities of New
York and Brooklyn threw their great
strength and influence with the solid
South and were the decisive element
which gave to that section the control
of the National government. Speak
ing now not at all as a defeated cam
didate. but as a loyal and devoted
American, l think the transfer of the
political power of the government to
the South is great National miSfOr-
tue. 1t is a misfortune because it in
PRODUCES an element which cannot
insure harmony and prosperity to the
people, because it introduces into a
republic the rule of a minority.
"The course of affairs in the South
has crushed out the political power
of more than six million American
citizens, and has transferred it by
violence to others. Forty.two Presi
Dental electors are assigned to the
South on account of the cOlOred pop
ulation, and yet the colored popula-
ton, which with more than 100000
legal votes, have been unable to
choose a single elector. Even in those
States where they have majority of
more than hundred thousand they
are deprived of free suffrage. and
their rights as citizens scornfully
trodden under foot. The eleven States
that comprised the rebel cOnfederacy
had by the census of 1880 seven and
a half millions white population and
100000 colored population. The
cOlored population, almost to a man,
desire to support the Republican
party, but by IA system of cruel intim-
idation and by violence and murder,
whenever violence and murder are
thought necessary, they are absolute
~ deprived of all political power.
ITO illustrate just how it works to
the destruction of all fair elections,
let me present to you five State in
the late confederacy and five loyal
States of the North possessing in
each section the same number of elec-
toral votes. In the South the States
Of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama,
Georgia and South Carolina have in
the aggregate 4S electoral votes. They
have 2,S00,000 white people and over
100000 cOlored people. In the North
the States of Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Iowa, Kansas and California have
likewise in the aggregate 48 electoral
votes, and they have a white popula
ton of 5,600,000. or just double the
five Southern States which l have
named. These Northern States have
practically no colOred population. 1t
is therefore evident that the white
men in those Southern States by
usurping and absorbing the rights of
the cOlored men are exerting Just
double the political power of the
white men in the Northern States. l
submit that such condition of affairs
is extraordinary, unjust and derogd-
tory to the manhood of the North.
Even those who are vindictiyely OPP
posed to negro suffrage will not deny
that If Presidential electors are as
signed to the South by reason of the
negro population, that population
ought to be permitted free suffrage.
To deny that clear proposition is to
affirm that Southern white man in
the Gulf States is entitled to double
the political power of a Northern
white man in the Lake States it Is
to affirm that a Confederate soldier
shall WELD twice the influence in the
nation that Union soldier can, and
that perpetual and constantly in
creasing superiority shall be conceded
to the Southern white man in the
government of the Union.
"If that be quietly conceded in this
generation it will harden into GUS
tom, until the badge of inferiority
,yilI otfnoh m tho NnrthavO u,bit,