The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-30
TERRE HAUTE, April %.


sWhat Are You Going to Do About It?'
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journals
After a patient personal examination upon the
spot am satisfied, and will be auy reason
able man that will take the pains to make such
Investigation, that all that is charged against
the Southern wing of the Democratic party
about suppressing the black Republican vote is
true, both in substance and fact Speaker Car
lisle, in his article in the Forum, does not
attempt to deny it, but only says, 1T cannot be
proven Watterson admits il frankly and
above board, and justi6es 1t by stigmatizing the
fourteenth amendment as im5racticable-
The saddest thing about the whole business IS
the deadening of the political conscience OF .
great party upon this monstrous fraud. Men or
the highest religious and social standing. men
whose lives and honor are otherwise without a
stain justify this violation of the organic law OF
and are not fit to vote any way" For the sake
or preserving party supremacy the Democratic
party is willing to sacrifice the value of their
own votes as well as palliate. the greatest fraud
of the age. Only niggers" What are you
going TO do about itq
The remedy for this monstrous iniquity is a
question of the highest craftsmanship. The
greatest tribunal liz the land-the United STATES
Supreme Court--eeemS to construe the fonr-
tenth amendment as addressed to States alone
$50 long as there no State laws depriving
the freedmen of their votes there is no violation
of this amendment That seems TO be the con-
struction that the highest court in the land
gives and will continue give to this great
constitutional safeguard that cost US so much
blood and treasure. Under this doctrine no
matter what the offenses of individuals wheth-
or acting singly or In organized band; that Is
matter exclusively for State laws But there Is
another clause of the United States Constitu-
ton applicable to the subject.
Congress has full control of all federal cleo
tions. It may by law make alter all State
regulations" as to federal elections. except las
to places for choosing Senator'S IL the Demo
cratic party persist in its present plan of holding
power by notification, Congress can take all
federal elections into it's own hands and provide
against this great robbery SO far as the election
of President and Vice-president. Congressman
and other federal officers concerned Of
course Congress cannot control State elections
for State officers This power was fully pro-
tected, so far as United States elections are
concerned, until about ten years ago, when in
goody goody gush of sentiment, Congress con-
sented to turn over this matter to the State
rebel Democracy The result has been and is
the actual acknowledgements of 100000 Ameri-
can citizens.
We must reverse this policy. Ten years has
brought forth its fruits. 1t Is time TO call
halt. How the Republican party came to be
hoodwinked into this weak-kneed sentimentalitY
is matter of history. The cry about troops
at the polls" was so persistently kept up that at
last it was believed, although the cry was
without even a semblance of truth.
Having obtained the desired end Of local con-
troll OF United States elections the rebel Democ-
racy instantly DISTINGUISHED the Republicans,
and now, like Boss Tweed. snap their fingers
and say, What are you going to do about It'll"
For one do not underrate the Importance
of the tariff question. But the Republican party
will never consent to allowing the rights of
1000, 900 disfran chsed voters be lost sight of
for the sake of reducing the price of overcoats.
sweetening or pig-iron. Our friends, ..the enc
N.Y." fear this Southern question more than any
other, and are making desperate effort to
avoid it under the cry of ''bloody- shirtn and
Oppressive taxation" No, gentlemen; we have
your record and we mean to go before the peo-
pie upon the greatest of all living issues-Shall
the Constitution be disregarded south of the
Ohio and rigidly enforced only in the States
north of that riverl Free and fair elections and
honest counting, a free fight.
D. P. BALDWIN.
LoGANsPoRT April 25 1888.