Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-08-14

your social system. And yet, l know
and you know upon your honor that
you do not fear negro domination,
that you do not believe your civilza-
ton, your social fabric would be in
any danger. You know perfectly
well that intellectual and moral
power will control in every part of
this country, does control in every
part of this country, where it makes
the open issue with ignorance and
vice. And you know if you would
make intellect and character the
standards in the south instead of
color that intellect and character
would dominate and guard civiliza-
ton and society and that the race
collisions and race conflict would
end at once. You know as intelli-
gent men that your social circle
would be with you as it is the coun-
try over-the world over-wholly
controlled by mutual concurrence
and mutual choice.
That this is a mere sham, a mere
pretext, is obvious to any one who
has studied your system. You dis
franchise not where the colored rot
ers are in the majority alone, but, if
possible, even more ruthlessly where
they have but small minorities, and
where negro domination would not
be possibility in a Thousand years.
Nay, more than that, in communities
where their educational and social
average is high, where they are
specially prosperous and are making
the most rapid intellectual advance
meat the rigors Of your system are
jealousy advanced rather than re-
Taxed. No, no, gentlemen, you are
still under the spell of your old
idea, and that is your real, your
secret excuse and justification.
Slavery az an institution was pos
sible only with those who held the
belief and conviction that the bond
race were brutes of other shape;
that they were little more valuable
than the horse or mule, but that was
all; that color was the mark of
inferiority set on them by the ON.
nipotent to seal them to slavery. A
lower level than this was not posi-
BILE; higher one could never have
made the stable foundation on which
to rear and maintain the institution
of slavery.
To that old idea and opinion you
still cling blindly, measuring the
rights of all citizens under the con
stitution by its ancient and ignorant
and inhuman standards.
That this is 80 is proven by your
conduct of Federal elections and
your bitter antagonism to this bill.
Yor know you have nothing to fear
from the colored mans vote in Fed
eral elections. There is no POSSIBLE
ity of national negro domination,
even if their votes were solidly cast
and fairly counted for colored can
didates. SO far as race representa-
ton goes the Congress of the Unit
ed States would even under such cir
cumstances still be white fifteen to
one. But you are as much averse to
his voting a Federal ticket as a state
or county ticket and defraud him
as quickly of one as the other. 1t
matters not what his intelligence or
character. Has he negro blood?
That is the test. If he has, strike
the Federal as well as the State bal
lot from his hand. Not because he
can control in State or local affairs
by it; not because it is a certificate
of social equality, card of invita-
ton to your homes or your tables,
but because it lifts from the rank of
mental to that of constitutional citi-
zenship and political equality before
the law; that political equality
which is understood where every
citizen stands political unit. Not
that everyone, white or black, may
be each the measure of the other in
intellectual force and character and
influence; but each acting on his
own convictions, exerting for him
self such influence and power as he
properly may, and each, in the end,
master at least of his own action.
This political, not social, equality
you cannot tolerate. For that rea-
son, and because it will interfere
with your controlling the National
Government by continued false reg
istration, illegal voting and fraudu-
lent certificates, you are violently
hostile to this measure. To mislead
as to the real purpose of this bill, it
has been denounced rather than dis
cussed, and the widest statements
made as to its terms, its cost, and its
direful consequences when enacted
into law.
We have been admonished upon
the other side of the House that its
attempted enforcement in the South
would bring upon that section of
this country disorder and bloodshed