The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-11-22
MR.. BLAINE'S SPEECH
In Response to a Ssrenade by His Friends
And EallnX -IOMnSmen.

unprecedented vote in Pennsylvania as
well as the splendid result in Ohio and
nearly all the Western states, he pro-
ceeded:
"The result of the election my friends,
will be regarded in the future, | think,
as extraordinary. The Northern states,
leaving out the cities of New York and
BROOKLYN from the count, sustained the
Republican cause by majority of more
than 400. 000 almost 500, 600 indeed, of
the popular vote. New York city and
Brooklyn united their great strength
and intiu. nee with the SOLID South, and
were the decisive element which gave to
that section the control of the national
government. Speaking now not at all
as defeated candidate, but as a loyal
and devoted American. think the trans
fer of the political power of the govern
ment TO the South is IA great national
misfortune. 1t is a misfortune because
it introduces an element which cannot
insure harmony and prosperity to the
people. because it introduces into the
republic the rule of minority. The first
instinct of an American is equality of
right, equality of privilege, equality of
political power-that equality which says
to every citizen your vote is just as
good, just as potential as the vote of any
other Citizen This cannot be said to-
day in the United States. The course OF
affairs in the South has crushed out the
political power of more than 5000, coo
American citizens, and has transferred
it by violence to others. Forty-two pres
idential electors are assigned to the South
on account of the colored population, who
with more than l, 100, 900 legal votes,
have been unable to choose single cleo
tor. Even in these states where they
have majority Of more than 100, Geo
! they are deprived of free suffrage, aud
| their rights as citizens are scorntully
trodden under foot. The eleven states
that comprised the rebel confederacy had
by the census of 1880 1900, 600 white
population and 300, 900 coiored popula
ton. The colored population, almost to
man. desire to support the Republican
party, but by system of cruel lntimida-
ton and by violence and murder, when
ever violence and murder are thought
necessary, they are absolutely deprived
of all political power If the outrage
stopped there it would be bad enough.
But it dosen stop there; for not only
is the negro population DISTINGUISHED.
stitutionally belongs to them is trans
ferred to the white population, enabling
the white population of the South to
exert an electoral influence far beyond
that exerted by the same number of
white people in the North. To illustrate
Just how 1t works to the destruction of
all fair elections. let me present to you
five states in the late confederacy and
five loyal states of the North possessing
in each section the same number of
electoral votes In the South the states
of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Geor-
gia and South Carolina have in the az
gregate forty eight electoral votes. They
| have $500. coo white people and over
3. 900. 900 culured In the North the states
of Wisconsin. Minnesota. Iowa. Kansas
| and California have likewise in the az
gregate forty-eight electoral votes, and
| these have a white population of 5000
| 600, OF Just double the five Southern
states which have named These North
ern states have practically no colored
population. 1t is therefore evident that
the white men i'll those southern states,
| by usurpiur and absorbing the rights of
| the colored men. are exertiry lust dou-
BILE the political power of the white men
| in the Northern states | submit my
| friends. that such a condition of affairs
| is extraordinary. unjust. and deroratory
to the manhood in the North Even
those who arc vindictively opposed to
negro suffrage. will not deny that if
presidential electors are assigned to the
| South by reason of the negro population,
| that poI,ulatiou ought to be permitted
free suffrage in the election. To deny
| that clear proposjtion. is to affirm that a
| Southern white man in the Gulf states is
| entitled 10 double the political power OF
a Northern white man in the lake sta .es
| 1T is TO affirm that a confederate sol
der shall WELD twice the influence in the
nation that n union soloier can. and that
! a perpetual and constantly increasing
| superiority shall be conceded to the
! Southern white man in the government
| of the union IF that be quietly conceded
| in this oereration if will harden into Gus
! tom mill the had~e oc inferiority will at
! tach to the NnTthern white man as
o.liously as ever Norman noble stamped
II upon Saxon churl. This subject is of
deem interest to the Ltborjnr men of the
| North With the Southern Democracy
,iiumnhant in their states and in the ma
| t;on the rerro will he compeIled to work
| fnr inst snch w.ras as the whites may
! decree v,res which will amount as did
t;,a sunn,;as of the slaves To y hare sinh
s,,tepnn cnnaI in cash ,,erI,ans to n
! onnts nor 6av ;faver.rad over The entire
SI,ntb Tho white lahnrer in the North
vii snon 81 ia diSt;rnt,va ~ Of of
+l',c ,,,,nr III, ,.r, ,.o,.as
Gant1omn, +bara c,nnot ha n,Iitic.l
iunon,I;ty ,,,nnr tho citiyars at = FRA
rannh 10 There cannot h. a mjn,r t.. of
white ms, j, fi,e Sonth rul,nr . M,
;nr;,y ,f ubito man IN rho N.rfh p,,,i.
$780,, sa,f ,,,a,t ~. n.c+. IN for
nars,n and safety for country all cry
ont AGAINST il The very tn N rhr nf It
stirs tho blood IF mer who inherit
eo1aIitv from the nirrrims who first stood
on Plymouth Rocks and from liberty
loving n,+r;n.s who c5me to the u !,
ware viii W;lJiam penn It beccurs
the primal oncstion of American man
hood Il demands a hearing ana a settle
ment and that settlement will yirdicate
the cnI,I;+v of Amer;rao citi ems in ~
narsnnaI and civil r;ghts II viii y, hast
der the national government aud VIII
a,,,,,',,,"t .o.oi,al H., ~