The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-10

He Discusses Southern Republicans and tn,
Race Question.


Race Question.
New York Special
Rufus i. Bullock, an acting assistant
Acknowledgement in the army that
surrendered to Grant at AppomattOx. and
the Republican Governor of Georgia under
the reconstruction laws, whose name has
been mentioned as possible choice of Pres
ident-elect Harrison for place in his Cab
met, was at the Fifth-avenue Hotel yester-
day;
whose name has not been mentioned for
seat in General Harrison's Cabinet is in
hard luck" he said. Il have no means of
knowing whether l am to be thus honored
OF not, for no communication has passed
between. the President-elect and myself
upon the subject, nor have L been
invited to call upon him at Indi-
annapolis; Yes. am a Republic
an, and have been ever since the
war, but am not politician. never was
"a candidate for political office but once,
and never held but one political office, and
that seemed TO be forced upon me by bust
ness and several necessities. 1t was inst
after the enactment of the reconstruction
the purpose of raising money to complete
railroad from Atlanta to Macon. All my
friends said to Inc that they would lend me
money, but not under existing political
back to Georgia and urge the people to ac-
cept the reconstruction plan, and send
representatives to Congress and establish
civil government. There must be laws, and
courts, and executive authority, they
S money. OF They s 'A We're 1'' right, Of
course, and our people saw it, and was
elected Governor of Georgia on that ques-
ton. While am not politician l am a
what Congress, if there should be Re-
publican majority or not, ought and
ought not to do with regard to the South.
/ should be sorry to see any disposition on
the part of the Republicans to arouse any
of the old animosities or to do anything to
solidify the whites, who are now ready to
divide, and frequently do divide upon all
questions that do not involve their suprem-
acy in the local governments of the South.
The best policy General Harrison could pur-
sue would be one of non-interference. The
right of the negro to vote is not questioned
or denied from the Potomac to the Rio
Grande, nor his right to hold Office, and
this is proved by his frequent admittance
in such strong Democratic cities as
New Orleans, Mobile and Charleston.
The political feeling between the whites
and blacks is not strained: In our
State and municipal elections there is al
as natural, division of colored voters
in such elections as there is of whites.
For instance, we have just had our
municipal election in Atlanta. The intelli-
Scnt, iCcPousioiO odA-Poy inS, hiSoo P11o az
ticket which was supported by the colored
people of the same description and elected.
| The idle, drunken, worthless blacks voted
| for the opposition ticket
1.-THE South has this question to settle
| for itself, and and it is making progress
| in it's settlement. The politician who adj
| vOcates harsh measures toward the South
| to protect the franchises of the cOlored
voter is not his friend. He is a disturber,
| and the Republicans of the SOuth-those
who have been Republicans from con-
| victiOn and not for spoils-would resent
| this interference. i sympathize fully with
| the spirit of antagonism in the North to
| the continued practice of Congressman
| coming from Southern districts with the
| certificate of the Governor, but with
only meager and unrepresentative
| vote behind them. Either there should
| be vote somewhere near the ratio. OF
| there should be a decreased representation
in Congress. / believe a proper remedy
| would be applied to the existing evil if the
| lower house of Congress should so amend
| its rules as TO provide that, besides the
| Governors certificate of election, there
| should also be a certificate showing the
| total vote cast for Congressman at tlIeil
election, and that if in any case the number
| did not appear to be certain proper per
| centage of the total population then the
| Clerk of the House should not enter the
| names of those candidates upon the roll
| but their cases should be set aside for the
| subsequent consideration of Congress The
| reason why the vote is small is because
| there is usually but one candidate, anC
| where there is no issue and but one candi
date not the blacks alone, but many of The
whites also, refrain from voting"