New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-19
THE GOSPEL or BARBARISM

The Constitution cannot protect malOrltleS, n
Democratic paper aflrnls. and no Constitution
was ever meant to do thing so unnecessary.
Constitutions were meant TO protect mn0ntles
only, for maiOrities are always expected to be
able to protect themselves by brute force. II
5000 colored Republicans are in fact de-
prived of their rights and driven from their
homes, as they testify, by 5000 white Demo
Gratis in any Southern county, that is their
lookout, the Democ rat reasons. The Constr
tuition can do nothing the laws are absolutely
poweress the colored citizens alone can make
themselves respected by resorting to fire and
force, the pistol and the shotgun. Until they
strike back, when they are threatened or
wronged. there is no power in the United
States that can help them. This is not a
parody or a travesty. It is the literal declara
ton of Democratic journal, which would feel
most uniuStly treated if it were not claSsed as
a bright exemplar of modern civilization.
So our civilization has advanced no further
after all than the club and the tomahaWk oil the
savage. If certain persons are able TO protect
themselves by lawlesS violence they are en-
titled 70 the blessings of Scf-govcrnmcnt. If
not. they are entitled to no defence Whatever
and NAV as well lie down and die or migrate 10
other lands for the civilization OF the lhl'eu
States has for them no redress or Succor lhcN
are Z 600 and Outnumhcr those who assam
them and that is the end of it. | Mess they
are men enough to take care of themselves
there is no law that can by any possibility
help them
This declaration makes one wonder what a
journal of barbariSm might have to oiicr. II
the law is to be dead letter. in any county or
town where a mob of awbrcakcrS may once
succeed in getting control of the ballot-boX
and the local Offices and the power 70 rc-clcct
themselves: if the only duty of the nitcd
States Government is TO see peaceful and law
abiding citizens shot down or driven away At
the pleasure of the lawlcss and criminal, IT l.
about time to put an end TO the farce called
local self government and TO substitute the
methods of the savage tribes which preceded
the Southern Democrats in occupancy. II Is
a cheap trick to say that intelligence and prop
erty will rule. What actually govern in such
localities are the brute force and the lawlcSS
crimes of mob.
The colOred majority, according TO the eYI-
dence given, obeyS the law Through forms
of law persons have been frauduiehtIH pia'cu
in every Office upon which depend protection
of the rights of citizens and maintenance of the
safeguards of freedom. The choice for the
coored man is between mob violence with all
the officers Of the law against him and patient
endurance until the Nation sees fit 70 enforce
it's statutes and protect lis citizens. lie be
HAYES peaceably and a Democrat declares that
he thereby proves himself not fit to be Sharer
in the government He obeyS the law which
others defy and break at pleasure, and his
obedience is held as a proof that he has no
business to take part in making laws Accord
ing to this new gospel of Democracy, the only
men fit TO make laws are those who break them
whenever they are outyotcd. Decent citizens
of the Northern States may well reflect about
this, and consider whether it is not time to
find some remedy.