Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-04

man to have free ballot? When is he, in fact,
to have those civil rights which have so long
been his in law? When is that equality of infiu-
enee which our form of government was in
This generation should courageously face these
grave questions and NOT leave them as a herit-
age of woe to the next. The consultation should
proceed with candor, calmueSs and great pa
tence upon the lines of justice and humanity,
not of prejudice and cruelty.
No question in our country can be at rest eX-
cept upon The firm basis of justice and of the
law. Iearnestly invoke the attention OF Congress
to the consideration of such measures within
its weil-defned constitutional powers as will
secure to our people free exercise of the rights
of suffrage and every other civil right under
the Constitution and laws of the United States.
No evil, however deplorable, can justify the as
SUMPTION either on the part of the Executive
or of congress, of powers not granted; but both
will be highly blameable if all the powers
granted are not wisely but firmly used 10 correct
these evils. The power to take the whole di-
rection and control of the election of members
of the House of Representatives is clearly given
to the General Government. partial and
qualified supervision OF these elections is now
provided for by law. and ia my opinion this
law may be strengthened and extended to Sc
cure, on the whole, better results than can be
attained by a law taking all the processes of
such elections into Federal control.
The colored man shou be protected in all Of
his relations 10 the Federal Government,
whether rs litigant. juror or witness in our
Courts: rs n ecior of members Of Congress or
as peaceful rave er on our interstate railways.
oUK MERCHANT MARINE.
There is noting more Justly humililting to
the national pride and nothing more hur'fu' 10
the national pr, serty than the inf -rOrIy VI our
merchant mAribe c..mpired with that OF other
Il -tious whose geueralr sources wealth ana sea
coast lines co n suggest any reason tor their
supremacy o. the IL was rot AWAY 50,
aud our people are agreed, think, that it shall
not continue to be So 1t is not possible in this
communication II discu the causes Of the de
methods by which it is proposed 10 restore
them. The stotrmcnt Of a few well-suthentl-
Gated facts and some general suge esti MS a. 10
legislation, IS all that Is practicable.
The great steamship lines sal ing under the
flags OF fnglaud France, Germany, spain and
Italy, and engaged in foreign commerce, were
promoted and have since been ano now are
literally aided by grants of public money in
one form or another 1t is generally known
been abandoned by us to an unequal contest
with the aided lines of other nations, and
where they are still maintained are subject to
serious disadvantages is also a stter of common
knowledge. The present situation is such that
travellers and merchandise finds Liverpool often
necessary intermediate point between New
York and some OF the South American capitals.
The fact that some of the delegates from the
South American States to the conference of
ton, reached our shores by reversing that line
OF travel is very conclusive of the need OF SUCH
conference, and very suggS stive as TO the hIst
and most necessary step iu the direction OF
fuller and more beneficial intercourse with ma
tions that are now our neighbors upon the
lines of latitude, but not upon the lines of es-
tablished commercial intercourse.