The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1888-01-26
THE SOUTHERN NEGROES.
Cutting Rehukc OF Malignant PartIsans
nnfrp-

Malignant TartlsAns
and OniCe-Sc ekcrs.
1t seems strange to find the New
York Times taking prominent stand
in defense of the South against the
charge Of suppression of the colorcd
vote, and yet this able journal, at one
time foremost among those whose
abuse and dcnunCiatiou of the election
methods of the South was character
lied by partisan hatred and sectional
malignity, contains in recent issue
the most striking protest which has
yet appeared in any Northern paper
against the bloody shirt policy of the
Republicans for 1888.
The Times is a Republican paper,
but is generally very fair one. Its
criticisms are open and frank, and its
course is not controlled by the lash of
its party. 1t believed Mr. Blaine to
be a corrupt man and Mr.. Cleveland
an honest one, and it supported the
latter for the Presidency. 1t did not
sever its party alliance, but has since
stood with the organization of which
1t was for many years thc.chicf organ.
In outlining its policy for the next
campaign, the Republican party has
clearly determined to make the al
legged suppression of the colorcd vote
in the South one of its leading issues.
On this the Times has column ed
itorial, which is an admirable produc-
ton, and should commend itself to
the fair-minded voters of all parties. 1t
says:
Those Republican politicians who still think
there is capital for their party in keeping up
sectional agitation ard firing the Northern
heart with Southern outrageS are trying des-
perately to make an issue of the alleged sup
preston OF the Republican vote in Southern
States. The difficulty which confronts them
lies in the fact that the Northern people want
no more sectional agitation, and are entirely
willing to leave the elections in Southern States
10 the control Of tie people Of those states.
Speaking of the outragcs of the Re
publican carpet-baggers who overran
the South after the war. and of the
causes which prompted the necessity
of counteracting the evils of their das-
tardly regime, in which they ran
rough shod over the people by their
control over the negro vote, the Times
SAYS:
Unprepared to exercise nrellieentlv or CON
scicntiousy their newly acquired rights, the
negroes fell under the leadership OF up-crupu-
lous men and were arraycd aga rst the people
who had the largest interest in the good order
and good government of the reconstructed
States. The result was ircapacitr, cxtrsva-
gance and fraud IN public affairs, and bur
lcsQue on popular governments The native
Southern people, who felt that they had the
right To control affairs in their own States saw
no salvation for their public or private inter-
ests except in overcoming The power which
was thrust upon them.
The North soon admitted that Federal inter.
ference to sustain State Governments which
rested on the ignorant negro vote and were
managed mainly by greedy and Inscriptions
adventures, could not be maintained. Public
opinion withdrew all support and nearly
dozen years ago the whole fabric went TO
pieces.
As to the so-called suppression of
the cOlored vote in the South at this
time, the Times dismlsses the question,
as being an appeal to sectional pas
sion, which can not deceive the intelli-
gent people of the North saying
Outrage, violence and election frauds dimn-
ish in propOrt on the necessity for them
ceased. For the last two years little mas been
heard of them, but election returns show that
many votes withheld from the ballot box
Tor one reason or another. Colorcd voters may
have become ind ifcrent, after find ng that the
ills which they were taught TO expert from
Democratic ascendcncy did not bcfalI item,
and easily induced not to vote. More or less,
also they have begun to divide their votes be
tween the part.c In not voting or in votiu.
for Democrats candidates, they are probably
Inducements ~