Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-10-07
BLAINE ON THE SOUTHERN CUES
ION
From his recent speech at Etna, Maine.

aumsslon, even after sne mas Ten tunes tho
population that certain Southern States had
when they were admitted. The wrongfulness
of this step is made the more marked and
more ntolcrable when II Is remembered that
material proportion of the vote by which
the Democrats accomplished the exclusion OF
Dakota is obtained by the Acknowledgement OF
6,0000)0 Of the Southern population, thus en-
aiding them to cast from IS to 20 votes In
Congress to which they have no moral title,
nor legal title, nor constitutional title, and no
title at all except that which is founded upon
force aud fraud. [Applause.l 1 know 1t Is
regarded by large number as useless, II not
unwlse to continue the discussion OF the
Southern vote. But in no feature connected
with that vote eau the end DO so de-
plorable and destructive as that tho whole
Nation should quietly acquiesce In the outrage
have only the voice and influence of private
citizen, but as long as have that | will pro-
test aga INST a wrong which not NEARLY blots
out all the rights Of the colorcd men, but abso-
lutely siezes the votes to which they are entitled
with that wrongfully acquired electoral
strength that controls the legislative powers of
the United States, Cheers and cries OF
''good."l II the matter involved only the eS-
clusion of the colorod man from tho ballot,
aud thus from the highest right of citizenship,
II would surely be bad enough, but he is
marked with the possession of the ballot and
his electoral strength is turned to the support
Of the party whose success Is his lasting in
Jury. A Southern gentleman with whom |
have long held personal relations Of kindness,
said TO me, with a candor which was as sur
prsing as his lack of perception OF the enor-
nifty which he was apparently ind rising, that
In recent election in Mississippi and also In
South Carolina, the colored men, who arc in
a large majority In both States, were actually
well organized for the election, and would have
carried 1t but for the great activity and vigil
ancc of the white men at the last moment
| said to him, did these colored men in-
tend any violence or fraudp "Ohl no." says
he, "but they would have outyoted us II they
had the numbers, and 1t took great exertion
on our part to outvote them" He was appar-
emily quite unconcious Of the magnitude of
the crime which was involved in the dCstruc.
ton of the electoral rights Of an entire race,
and yet this incident shows the extent TO which
this disregard of natural and legal rights have
proceeded In the South. The refusal to allow
the colored men to vote, and the cool appro-
prlation of their electoral strength by the
white men, has become the common custom
and the common law Of the South, and Will
remain so until some great moral shock shall
awaken those people to the enormlty of the of
Tense. 1t will read very strangely In the future
history Of the United States, that minority
Of the white citizens of the country could
neutralze aud destroy the franchise OF 6,O00-
900 colorcd people, sIeze their representative
and elcctor strength, and control the admin
stration of the National government against
large majority of the undoubted legal voters.
And yet that is what Is going on in the South,
and what has gone on in the South ever since
1877. Acquiescence In its practice does not
change its character, but only involves Others
in the moral responsibility attending so grave
an oifense. 1t is an extraordinary fact that the
Wealthiest, the IN st educated States of the
Union quietly acquicsce in the wrong OF CIV
ing the white men OF Mississippi and Carolina
double the political power in the country that
any equal number Of Northern white men pos
sess. Government by the free suffrage of the
people, proceeds upon the assumption that the
voting shall be legal and fair. When 1t be-
comes corrupted, either under the domination
Of violence or through the influence Of bribery
the whole republican system is impregnated
with deadly poison, which, II long continued
will sap It's life. [Applause.l And yet we
find many gentlemen in the Northern States
justly and keenly alive to the evil influence of
bribery, even in tho smallest and most indl-
rect manner, setting out to check 1t by the
most stringent legislation, and yet constantly
turning deaf ear when 1t is suggested to them
that the corruption Of the ballot In certain
Southern States is chronic and universal, work.
ing out results that utterly destroy the prn-
ci pie of majority government.
Let me state the case in an arithmetlcal
way. If you deprive the colored people Of the
right Of suffrage and exclude them from the
basis of representation, the Republican party
would have had majority in Congress at any
time within the last ten years, and majority
of the electoral strength of the country; or,
II you secure to the colored men perfect free
dom Of suffrage and include them in the
basis Of representation, the Republican party
would readily have controlled Congress
for the same period. But Democratic sue
cess has been attained by including them in
the basis OF representation, and excluding
them from the enjoyment OF suffrage, thu
appropriating the electoral strength Of the
colortd men for the sole benefit Of the Demo
cratic party. When the Old Scotch cove
nanter was stripped of all power e
charge the current Of events against which
he Dc creed, he still had the power to give his
testimony and to enter bis protest For my
self, said two years ago, and say now, re
guardless Of its popularity or It's unpopularlty
looking only TO the injustice which Expresses
and the wrong which outrages, that / will
steadily give my testimony and enter my pro
test against 1t as rank and odious injustice
10 the colored and white citizens alike. l pro
test against it as utterly destructive to repub
lcan government. / know that l am thus
protesting against consolidated power In the
North, which gets the advantage and the pro
fit and the gain of this unjust aggregation OF
political power in the hands OF Southern white
men. When the Southern States can say
1--WE are solid; we have the entire white vote
Of our states AMI we have seized the coloreC
vote; we offer you artnership; we offer t.
any minority Of the Northern States that will
join us in the complete government Of The
country the temptation, Isay, Is very storing
1t imposes upon the party that entertains Q
proposition for such an alliance, the duty OF
carrying but three or four States in the North
and when three or four states in the North
find that they can cement the alliance, the
temptation becomes so strong that poor hu
man nature is not equal to resistance. Thus
In addition to the power Of the white man Of
the South, they get portion of the North
committed by all the instincts Of self-interest
to perpetuate the odious destruction of free
suffrage. lido not assume that my voice will bt
potential in the correction Of a wrong so mon
strous, OF an evil so gigantic, of an injustlc'
so fragrant; but l can, at least, be one of thai
great cloud Of witnesses certain TO arise IN
time, and OF that great host, which in the fu
ture will find remedy for the wrong and red
ress for the grievance. To doubt that thu
right will, in the end, prevail, Is to despair o.
human justice, and to dIstrust the enterna
law of God. Enthusiastic cheerlng.l
Satisfied Savages.
Washington special: The northwest In
dian commission that Commissioner At