The Portland daily press., 1885-10-02
TAEsouTHAND the NEGRO VOTE.

One OF the most notable speeches of the
year was that of Senator Hoar at the Spring
field Republican Convention on Wednesday
We greatly regret that the pressure on our
columns preclude the publication of it in full.
1t was full of sound Republican doctrine,
presented in striking manner, and enforc-
ed by cogent argument His discussion of
the suppression of the negro vote was pecu-
liarly edifying. sThe Republican party
said he, Stands upon four propositions, two
of fact and two of principle" and chal-
lenges its opponents to encounter either of
them, otherwise than by shouting 'bloody
shirt. These four propositions the Senator
stated as follows:
l. In many States of the South, enough in
number to change the result in the election OF the
President and to change the majority in the
House OF Representatives. the Republican major
lty has been deprived BY the Democratic minority
OF its right to vote and its right of free discussion
IhiS has been accomplished in the States where
the Republican majorities were largest, by vio-
lence and crime until the minority got control of
the offices and machinery of elections and there
after, by the method of fraud in counting and re-
turns This violence has not been repeated in ev-
cry State in every particular year. but has been
repeated whenever an attempt has been made by
tne majority to reassert its rights and everywhere
often enough to show that it would be repeated
and Danville.
z-lheSe IacIS are 1ully and 1nconteStably prov
ed by great mass OF public testimony taken by
order OF Congress, by abundant admissions of the
southern Democratic press, and private acknowl-
edgementS OF Southern Democrats, as well as by
the uniform testimony of Republicans in the
States concerned.
3. This condition of things constitutes great
evil and still greater danger, an evil and danger
more important than any other matter now de-
manding public attention
4. The true remedy for this evil is the Republi-
Take away the great motives to it by preventing
the election of any candidate for the presidency
willing TO accept office gained by these means;
Have House of Representatives who will allow
no man Illegally chosen to retain his seat;
hefuSe political afhliation with men who do
Treat man who would accept an Office so
gained as unfit to be voted for, as you would treat
by corruption =
Have Congress who will pass effective laws
Tor the restraint Of these things, and who will
make appropriations for the enforcement of such
laws;
Have an executive who will do his best to en-
force such laws, who will not reward criminals
against the purity of elections with high public
ONCE and who will not interpose to prevent such
CRIMINALS, when convicted, from receiving their
Promote by every public and private instrumen-
t1llty education all over the country;
Keep aroused and alive public sentiment strong
er than laws or than armies-that public sentiment
With which Daniel Webster threatened to shake
the Gar Of Russia from his throne, if he dared TO
NEEDLE with Kossuth;
Appeal earnestly and simply to the men of the
South themselves to desst from doing these things
and from training their young men in these process
ses-an appeal never yet heard from Democratic
lips;
Satisfy the white men of the South that we are
their trueSt friends, by emuating their OWE lead
ers III heartest support of every interest of theirs
material or moral;
Above all, remember that the remedy for this evil
must be- very largely, with the negro race itself.
verify believe that in spite of all disbursements,
or rather because of all discOuragemens, there is
an opportunity for the coored man in this country
at this hour greater than ever offered to hui
man being in the world before. Let him cease to be
ward, and take his place among the guardians.
The correctness of the statement of facts
contained in the above nobody can deny, in
deed, nobody undertakes to. The Demo-
cratic press makes no answer to it. 1t tacit-
ly admits that the State of things exists
which Senator Hoar describes, and then de-
family turns and asks, "What are you going
to do about it?' Senator Hoar answers this
question, and his answer should be in the
hands of every voter at the North and at the
South as the best one yet formulated.