The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-09-24
Violation Of Our Colored Citizens Rights
in the South Plainly
Shown Up.
The Ohio Governor as the Alleged
Friend of the CoIored
Man.

attention to some parts OF Governor Hoadly s
speech IA the best means possible of ascertain
ing the position OF the Democratic party in this
canvass.
wish to answer Gov Hoadly with all the re-
spect due TO his high Office and his personal
character ald ability.
do not think he fairly maintains his reputa-
ton In his recent speech at Hamilton, but can
forgive him to some extent by reason OF his
present political associations. / think he owed
IL TO his past record. and. believe, his consci-
entious conviction. to answer arguments rather
than 10 eyade or avoid the position OF his ad-
versaries by cant phrases about the bloody
shirt and the like / will do what can to see
that he shall understand distinctly the issue we
present to him, and hope he will meet IL.
In his sTeech he has not fairly stated my po-
sition. Uron the important issues growing out
of the condition of affairs in the South, he has
evaded and avoided, with the skill of lawyer
in way practically to admit all 1 claim, and
this is the less bile in him, for during the
greater portion of the long struggle in respect
to slavery he was Republican, and agreed
He claims to be the friend of the colored
people, but does not do them the justice to truly
state the injustice done them according to his
own wel-considered opinions in the past.
In my speech at Mount Gilead stated that
the war was over, and that was willing to for
give and forget all that the rebels did in the war;
and only demanded what was fairly won by the
Union soldiers as the results of the war He
agreed with me in support ng all the constitu-
tional amendments, and all ask, or have ever
asked, is that they shall be fairly observed and
enforced. Six million people were emancipated
and enfranehised by the war, and the amend
ments made with his hearty approval, and as a
result of this they were entitled TO vote and
were granted representation in Congress and in
the Electoral College. They have been practi-
cally denied many OF the necessary incidents OF
liberty, among the most precious OF which Is the
right to free discussion, and they are now dis
franchised, anc thus, openly and boldly, depriv-
ed OF all the safeguards by which alone their
liberties can be preserved. He does not deny this
III he did, then the proof is so clear upon the
records that the argument between us would
soon be ended. At first they were excluded
from the franchise by acts OF violence, amount
ing in thousands OF cases TO murder. in the
States where they were largely in the majority,
but where, from their feebleness and want OF
less TO resist. By such means the Democratic
party obtained absolute power, and then.
though the violence became less, the disfran-
Lutte and complete by fraud so gross and univer-
sal that In scarcely a district in the South was
there any pretense OF ia election.
In some cases election districts were organ
lied 80 that the negro could not vote In
others they were openly cheated and def auded
by the use of tissue ballots, and by every
device which the ingenuity OF crime could in
vent. These facts were over and over again adj
mitted and justified on the ground that the
white people of the South would not submit TO
what they chose to call negro rule" The re-
suit is a complete and effective disfranchise-
ment Of the colored people in every district
where their votes would probably change the
result. Can Governor Hoadly deny this in the
face of the accumulated testimony known to
him perfectly we'll? He does not attempt TO
deny it, and yet he pretends to be the friend OF
the colored man.
But not only is this unjust to the colored men,
but IL is unjust to the white men OF the North
Thirty eight members of Congress and of the
Electoral College are based upon the six million
OF colored people in the South. The effect of
the crimes have mentioned is to confer upon
the white people of the South not only the num-
Der Of votes TO which they are entitled for the
white population, but also the thirty-eieht votes
based upon the colored population, and. in this
way, in some of the Southern States, every
white voter possesses the political power OF two
white voters in the Northern States. The
colored people have, practically. no voice in
Congress and no voice in the Electoral College
Mr.. Cleveland Is now President of the United
States instead of James Il. Blaine by reason OF
these crimes
/ claim that this should be corrected. An in
Justice SO gross and palpabe will not be sub
mitted TO by the colored people of the South,
nor by fair-minded white men in the South who
hate wrong and injustice, nor by the great body
OF the Northern people, by whose sacrifices in
the Union cause the war was brought to a sue
cessful termination. 1t will not be submitted
to. and Governor Hoadly. from his former po-
sition, ought TO be one of the first TO demand
and insist upon remedy, and net avoid or be-
little II by cant phrases.
confess there are difficulties in the way of
proper settlement This may be brought about
first by an al peal to the South to correct an
injustice and wrong which will, as long as It
lasts, tend to make our politics sectional and
inspire the same resistance TO the Democratic
party encountered at the beginning of the war.
In every State of the South there are thousands
of patriotic men who feel as / do about it, and
they would make their voice heard but for an
aggressive and tntolerant sentiment which Will
not even allow discussion of the subject or the
formation OF parties in the South based upon
this issue. Still, this appeal has been made,
and will continue to be made, in several Of the
States, and especially in Virginia and North
Carolina. In South Carolina, Mississippi, and
Louisiana. and perhaps In other States, fair
election would at once correct this evil; but IL
VIII be resisted, as a matter of course, by the
dominant elements that now control the South.
In Virginia and North Carolina distinct pres
entation OF these questions, followed by a fair
election, would, as shown by the returns of the
recent election, place these two powerful States
upon the side Of justice and right. We will, as
a matter of course, be resisted by most of the
lawless elements of the South and by the Dem
ocratic party in the North, which is now. as it
has always been, absolutely opposed TO the
rights of any porti n of our people where these
stand In the way OF their success.
IL the policy of the past is to be pursued, and
there is no redress for the colored people OF the
South for these offenses, committed under the
color of State laws, then, under the fourteenth
amendment 20 the Constitution, we may faIrly
appeal TO all the Northern States TO st nd to-
gether TO reduce the repre- sentation based upon
the colored VOTE and on this question Governor
Hoadly ought to be where he was during the
war.
again repeat the substance of what said at
Mt Gilead, that the issues OF the war will never
end until every man in the country who by the
Constitution Is entitled to vote in any State
Snail DE ADlc freely 10 eAcTClsc JndL flRnt, ana
to have his vote fairly counted, and the sym
pathy of every just man who has any respect
for the obligations of the Constitution or OF
duty or honor. ought TO be on the side of the
Republican party.
That this question is exciting the careful con-
sideration OF refycting men in the South IL
shown in the discussion OF many OF the South
ern papers, and. very clearly. in recent articles
In the Century magazine, written by Southern
men. Mr.. George w. Cable, in the January
number OF that magazine says of the negro:
There IL scarcely one public relation OF life
in the South where he is not arbit arily and un-
man the attitude of an alien, a mental, and a
probable reprobate, by reason of his race and
color One Of the marvels OF future history
will be that IL was counted a small matter by a
majority OF our nation for six millions of peo-
pie within it, made by its own decree n compo-
nent part of IL, to be subjected to system of op-
preston so rank that nothing could make IL
seem small excertth fact that they had already
been ground under for century and half
Were we whites OF the South TO remain every
way az we arc and our SIX million blacks TO
give place to any sort of whites exactly their
equal man for man, in mind, morals, and
wealth. provided only that they have tast d two
years OF American freedom, aud were this same
system OF tyrannies attempted upon them.
there would be al bloody an uprising as this
continent has eyer seen"
When we reflect that this gross oppression of
the colored people Is accompanied byinequality
Of the representation between the whites OF the
the time Is not far distant when both will be
corrected I'm spite Of the jeers OF politicians.