Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1889-01-11
DortG obQcroGimes
PORT TOBACCO
Friday Morning january 18th, 1889.
How 1t Happened.

to ''free ballot" in the South renders
it proper that, for the benefit of the
younger generation, some review of
the origin and history of negro suf-
frage in the South should be made.
1t is proper that the real purpose for
which the American citizens preroga-
tive, the elective franchise, was con-
ferred by one stroke of the pen upon
the emancipated slaves of the South,
should be seen. in the true light of
historical truth IN order that the
"rage, resentment and dis air" Of the
average demagogue upon the question
Of 'lree ballot in the South" can be
better understood.
During the war of secession the
Republicans, who we're in charge of
the Federal government, took the po-
sition. that no State had the power to
withdraw from the Union or sever the
Federal compact. 1t was then held
that the ordinances of secession were
nugatory and void and that the South
ern States were still in the Union and
could not 60 out. But when the Con-
federate armies had laid down their
arms and surrendered under the hon
orable terms proposed by Gen Grant,
great conflict of opinion sprsng up
in the Republican party as to the
status of the State. which had at
tempted secession.
President Johnson, representing the
conservative sentiment. adhered to the
position maintained by the Republi-
cans during the war, viz: that those
States had never been out Of the I'm.
ion. He held that all they had to do
was to renew their allegiance and re-
assert their rights as members of the
Union. But the demagogues Of the
party, which proved to be the controll-
ing influence, stoutly main tained that
the Southern States were out Of the
Union aad could not come in, except
upon such terms aud conditions as
the Republican Congress saw fit to
impose. 1t was in vain that President
johnson admonished them of the
glaring inconsistency of their position
in denying and rejecting the right of
secession 80 long as the States we're on
war footing and, then insisting that
they had seeded AS soon they had
laid down their arms. The predomi-
mating influence in Congress insisted
that the Southern States had seeded
and could only be readmitted when
they have conformed TO such condi-
tions as shenld beimposed upon them
bv Congress-.
These conditions we're to be such
sswonla apparently ensure the suprem.
acy of the Republican party in the
Southern States. The Northern pa
triots saw that if the Southern States
were allowed to re-assert their rights
in the. Union, in conformity with the
Presidents plan, that the material in
terests of that section and the we'll
formed convictions of the people upon
the economic principles Of the day
would result in their. retaliation
with the Democratic PARTY and the
probable downfall Of the Republican
party. But while the radical Repub-
licaps in Congress were united in the
determination to keep the South in
state of bondage to tie Republican
party, they we're divided as to the means
of accomplishing the desired end. A
large influence favored the domina-
tion of the subjugated States by asys-
tenn Of military government and
martial law for an indefinite period
of time. And this plan would no
doubt have prevailed. but the willy
leaders were afraid to submit this
harsh and barbarous scheme to the
conservative people of the North as
against President Johnson's human
and statesmamllke plan of uncondi-
tional recognition as indestructible
States of an indissoluble Union.
This misgiving and fear of an advance
popular judgment on the part of the
Republican leaders, I've are informed
by so reliable an authority az Judge
A. W. Tourgee) gave rise to COM
promise plan. which was. under the
pretense of universal suffrage, to sub
ject the South to negro denomination
and thus keep her in bondage to the
Republican party. And this was the
plan adopted. 1t was determined that
secession had not been a failure. but
had succeeded and that the only
way the, seeded States could get back
into the Union would be by the adop-
tion Of constitutional amendments by
which, negro suffrage would be accept
ed asa principal in their government.
The result of this enfranchisement
of the. negroes, as is we'll known, was
to largelS'sin increase the representation
of the South in Congress and in the
, electoral college. Instead of three
fifths of the negro population being
reckoned in the basis of representa-
tion, 20 formerly. the whole popula-
ton has since been counted.