National Republican., 1888-01-19
Keen This in View.

| The central organ OF the administration,
in common with its brethren OF the Bour-
bon persuasion, is considerably wrought
| up by the anticipation Of reduced political
| power in the solid south as a consequence
of the suppressed colored vote. The sit
80 .'~s Ia sar 'nhe's particularly lucid AMI
learned opinion of the matter. Possibly its
new Justice OF the Supreme Court fur
nished 1t for publication. This opinion ia
| 10 this elect, namely, the fourteenth
| amendment provides that In case "a staten
denies or abridees the suffrage, its repre-.
sentation in Congress and IN the electoral
college may be reduced to that extent; but
the suppression OF the ballot in the south Il
not caused by "the staten but by "lawless
indivlduals;' therefore the provision does
not apply, aud nothing can be done to cor
rect the evil. Were the organs premises
correct, Its conclusion would be foolish 1t
would, in effect, be saying that state Is
not responsible for the acts of its people,
VINO might invade another state, or commiG
outrages upon the citizens Of another state
with impunity. This kind of sophistry was
relegated to the background by the same
agency that demolished the heresv of estate
fights" as superior to national authority.
But the organs premises are as false az
It's conclusion is feeble. It SAYS that while
thne is provision for the PRODUCTION O;
representation" In cases stated "the de.
MAJ or abridgment (ot suirrage) must be
the act OF the state" In this 1t simply fol-
lows the lead Of other organs without itself
knoWlHg anything about the constitution,
Which contains no reference to "the act of
the state" This subject is dealt with In
the second section of the fourteenth amend
ment, which is as follows:
SECTION ,. Representatives shall he ann,r.
toned among the several states according 10
tueif respective numbers, counting the
Nhoie number OF persons in each
STATE, excluding IUdians not taxed
But when the right to vote at any
election for the choice of electors for President
and Vice President of the united States, repre.
sehlatlves in Congress, the executive and
ludlcial officers Of state, or the members of
lhe legislature thereof, t. deAicd 10 ann nj ne |
""e "WND"daS " such @0is, being twenty.1nc |
years OF age, aud citizens OF the United States |
" " "Hg ""HWI"g'd, except for participation |
III leOeIIloh or other crime, the basis of repre-.
'entalion therein shall he reduced In the nro.
ems shall bear to the whole number of mai.
'I'laens lwenty-one years of age in suoh STATE
Language could not state a proposltion
stronger than this in contradiction OF the
Democratic Misrepresentation. SulFarg.
being "deniei" TO any citizen, or SIN any
way abridged, shall involve reduction of
cpresenlatIon, In such states as South
-aroIina, Georgia, and Mississippi the rem.
sscnlatloN IN Congress and IN the electoral
olltge should be reduced ab1u, one half,
one important point Ia this controversy |
settled by the admissions Of the organs
lcmsejyes In their zeal to prove some.
Iing that the constitution docs not con.
smplate they say in terns that the abndg-
'ent OF the ballot htg been accomplished.
ut by "mwless individuals" whichis one
the "ways' covered by the provision
hove quoted.
They admit that Mr.. Cleveland and the
aiority in the House Of REPRESENTATIVE,
old their irpositons wropgfully anu uncon-
This Is au outrage which I
public cannot long endure. {