The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-09-02
The First Republican Duty.

IdulOn VI WUdJ is Cdlleu lne sOuIuciH
question; and it is evident that they
would like to have republicans shut
their eyes to the methods by which the
democratic party, with some assistance
from the mugwumps, was enabled to
regain power. They affect to regard
any discussion of the subject from a
republican standpoint as an attempt to
rekindle the embers of an old strife.
The southern people are sensitive about
their past conduct; they must be con-
ciliated, and made to forget that they
were ever arrayed in hostility to the
Union. This at least seems to be the
present attitude of the mugwumps on
the question. They seem to think that
the manner of office-getting and hold
ing is now of more moment than the
right of franchise and the protection
of the voter in the exercise of that
right.
In the first place, the question of
free ballot and fair count is not war
issue. 1t was created in the reconstruc-
ton period; it is leading issue to-day
because it has never been settled, and
those people who would have the
acts of the southern bulldozers and
tissue ballot manipulators condoned, in
order to allay sectional feeling, cannot
eliminate it from national politics. 1t
is no slight matter to have the choice
of chief magistrate of the nation and
of large number of congressman de-
termined by the vote of states where
fair expression of the popular will is
nullified by the dominant political ele-
ment. BY nefarious devices of differ
ent descriptions-in creating trouble
some technical qualifications for voters,
by rendering the polls difficult of access,
and by tricks to dupe negro ignorance
and simplicity-southern laws and
usages have almost as completely
stripped the colored race of its voting
rights as if it were still in slavery.
We do not overlook the fact that the
southern people have suffered good
deal from carpet-bag rule, or that they
are naturally adverse to negro domino
ton in their political affairs; but one
wrong does not justify another, and the
country cannot submit to have the re-
suit of its national elections controlled
by fraud and violence.
In his opening speech in the Ohio
campaign Senator Sherman, who has
never wavered in his support of repub-
lican principles and candidates, de-
clared that the real contest of to-day is
"for the equal political rights of all
men and the faithful observance of the
Constitutional amendments" He does
not regard it as matter of small mo-
ment that the votes of large bodies of
men are virtually suppressed, while the
numerical strength which they repre-
sent is utilized to give the democracy
more votes in congress and the electoral
college. He says that the federal govern
ment has authority, under the Consti-
tuition, to protect every citizen in the
full enjoyment of his right to vote and
have his vote fairly counted at every
election in which presidential electors
or representatives in congress are to be
chosen. And {" if the republican party
is true to its principles, it will enforce
this doctrine. IT," continues the Ohio
senator, " the people of the South will
themselves put an end to this state of
affairs, then there can be peace between
the sections, based upon justice and
right; but if not" he declares, " it is
the duty of the people of the Northern
States, without distinction of party, to
unite the North in the execution of the
Constitutional amendments, and, under
the fourteenth amendment, to deny the
states that do not protect their citizens
in the elective franchise representa-
ton, based upon the number so dis
franchised"
The grave features of the situation
are comprehended by all intelligent
and candid political observers, and
there is presented the practical ques-
ton as to what can be done about it.
The mugwump papers insist that there
is no remedy except in dropping the
old issues and bringing new issues to the
front This, however, is conjectural
view and does not furnish practical
solution of the difficulty. The country
Is not demanding new issues so much
as the settlement of some old ones
and none have been suggested that
would be likely to divide the democratic
party in the South to such an extent as
to imperil its domination. The lead
ers of the ruling element in that sec
ton understand that their persona
interests will be best served by keep
ing the South solid for the democratic
party.
Now, because the republicans insis
upon "a free ballot and fair count,
they are charged with reviving the bit
ter memories and faded issues of TIT
war. Nothing could be more baseles