Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-21
WHY TIE SOUTH Is SOLID.
Causes That Have Politically United I'll,
Voters OF the Southern states.

Mr.. Jef. Chandler In the New York Herald.I
WASHINGTON, August lon the Dist
| day Of May, 1870, Congress, in the hands OF
| the Republican party, passed, and Rcpub.
| lican President approved, an enactment,
| the third and fourth sections OF which un.
| dertook TO seize and control the whole
election machinery Of the southern States.
and to subject officers OF State elections to
| Federal supervision. The effect OF this
enactment. II sustained, would have been
TO destroy the independence of these
states in their domestic concerns. This
enactment was resisted by the South, and
after breeding political pestilence for four
years was declared void by the Supreme
Court OF the United States. In 1871 Con-
gress enacted what was known in the
Revised Statutes Of the United States as
section 5519. The section was broad
enough in its terms TO extend Federal
criminal jurisdiction TO the trial and pun
ishment OF two or more persons who de-
priyed either directly or indirectly any
person or class OF persons OF the equal
protection of the law or OF equal
privileges or immunities under the laws.
thereby transferring to the Federal Gov
eminent, all offices Of which were filed by
Republicans, power over local police mat
tiers, by the Constitution confded to the
States.
Under this pretended law indictments
were found in Federal courts and proseeu-
tons carried forward until 1882, when the
Supreme Court annulled it. On March /,
1876, the ciyil-rights act, entitled "an act
TO protect all citizens in their civil and
legal rights" was approved. The scope Of
this act is indicated by its title. 1t covered
the remnant Of the State jurisdiction unln-
yaded by former acts OF Congress. In
1889 this act shared the fate OF its reyolu.
tionary predecessors, and was cast out OF
the family OF laws by the Supreme Court
OF the United States. That court saws OF
IT in declaring ii void: I'm other words,
II steps into the domain Of local iurispr,l-
dence, and lays down rules for the conduct
OF individuals in society towards each
other, and imposes sanctions for the en-.
forcement Of these rules withou: referring
In any manner 10 any supposed action OF
the State or its authorities"
That all these so.caIled laws were uncon.
stitutional is no longer questionable. The
supreme Court, composed OF judges all OF
whom were appointed by Republican Pres
idonts, so hold. The destructive effect OF
this legislation upon the Government is
.trikingly vivid. II sustained il would have
disman;led the States. lis revolutionary
force was so potent that it filed the SOUTH
ern mind with alarm, and provoked the
solid opposition OF the intelligent whites.
II can from no standpoint be justified. II
was not to the advantage OF the colored peo.
pie, for their good could in no way be pro.
NOTED by violating the Constitution. Con.
stituilonal government in tins country is
the only and highest hope OF tbs people,
To subyert that government Is TO bury the
liberty Of whites and blacks in one common
grave.
The political effect OF the legislation above
alluded TO was 10 inflame the solored people
OF the South, in whose pretended interest
IL was enacted, against the whites. The
colored men Of the South were melted by
these laws to suspect and distrust the whites.
They were led by them TO abhor the State
governments under which they lived, be.
cause by implication these ensctmcn.s de.
clared that State governments were inefi.
cient 10 do them justice. The white peo-
pie, on the other hand, bebeld the colored
man used az pretext by the Republican
party to centralize the Government. They
all saw the constitutional traditions OF the
fathers being swept away. Suggestions
that this policy OF the Republican
party was estoying the Constitution were
received by the leaders and organs OF that
party in the North and South alike with