The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-04-06
ASK OF THE WISE MEN
Diseussioa d the Race Prob
lem BY ! Southerner.
THe REPUBLICANS AaRAicsEo


on The nbg0fh1nG S0uJecI ns ssuas esS
ls~afsxnsssw cosamunication which - too
long 20 Print entire, and too good 70 leave
out sitorsshu. AZ The risk Of presenting
his idsas IN sonses hist disiointsd fashion,
the erttcie h rspfodueed In part.
After referring 70 The bitterness WITH
which Gouthsrn civilization and traditions
are ssasissd. Mr.. smith makes the Just
commeps that:
sIt viii b. conceded by eli impartial OBJ
servers, thss much vspid nonsense has
found its wsy into the public press, and
shss the discussion, thns far. has not IN
vowed any policy. worthy the serious con-
ssxserssion Of the Statesman or phitanfhro-
pixk We still find ourselves.
son the tsbsosA. error sost
without . guids sad compass lost
Mons psys,sssf ef rs6icsiss rsss. Is the pain
rl sequel Of oil the stormy poiemics-
He then quotes Tourges's article In the
New York Tyibsrse. - follows:
me present claim Of the dominant party in
- former slave states. n, that the white popu
isston has not oniy right 10 deprive the coiored
man 81 any yotcs tn the control, either OF the
states or the general government, but, also. ihar
they hare . night 70 exercise the power In Tie
latter which the nation attempted 10 confer On
the eo;srcd man. Agsin. We are not safisned
with the arrogant assurance Of the soutnsrn
people. that they con manage the negro Their
way TAKES too much blood WHY does be not
grow desperate shed blood. bnra. rsEage and
give NJ . chance 20 destroy him In the interest
OF peace, fraternity and Christian civilization.
To this Mr.. Smith replies: His charge
Is either true or false. II IL Is true that
there IL any such assumption by the peo-
pie. then the South IL in open rebellion
against the organic Law. The state govern
ments are not republican in form. and all
the presidents from General Grant down
have violated their oaths Of Office. which
required them TO preserve. protect and
defend the constitution of the United
states To charge this would be very
silly. II the statement OF the judge Is uf-
true, the only charitable view to take Is
that eithsr he has never personally invessi-
gated the facts or has been purposeiy mis-
led by designing politicians"
Now. In the first place, the dominant
party In the South has never claimed the
right 10 control the Southern vote. II the
South has ever claimed such right. Its
assertion has never changed . single negro
vote. for. Is Judge Tourgee says. they all
vote the Republican ticket. Bat when and
dominant race In the South did doubt the
wisdom Of the constitutional amendment
which made the colorcd man voter. But
the people acquiesced in tho reconstrue-
ton legislation. and now. after . quarter
Of . century OF trial, IL Is the dominant
party ct the North that raises the howl
over the increased representation from the
South, and the very men who favored the
enfranchisement Of the negro would gladly
disfranchise him. liz Was the other Eel
lows on that was gored. A campaign
buncombe. Judge Tonrgee's charges may
be read from the hustiAgs and may catch
the ear Of the rabble, bat they have been
so often refuted that no intelligent reader
Ii likely to be deceived by his bold deciara-
tons, without proof"
After referring to the rancor Of Senator
Ingalls,. Mr.. Smith makes this frank and
able defense Of the course and attitude OF
the South:
That dangerous breaches OF the peace
hare occurred at the South. and that col
iored - we'll A. white people have often
suffered 81 the hands of lawiess mobs.
cannot be denied by anyone who values
truth or consistency.
MORE INTIMIDATION or vorEEs NORTH
Nor are such disturbances OF the pub
lie tranquility peculiar 10 the South. They
have occurred q the North. and will likely
occur again. and with less excuse.
THE CHAOS or RECONSTRUCTION.
The sudden transition of millions of
human beings from sbject slavery to abso-
lutte freedom. clothed with all the civil and
political rights Of the former master, while
yet grossly ignorant OF the new obligations
imposed by their changed relations. the
widened and dangerous breach in the
bosom Of the Old southern civilization,
caused by injecting into il crude element,
50 obnoxious to all It's instincts and veneer
able traditions. the unhearahle tension pro-
duced by the abrupt reversal of the accus-
toned rules Of social and political exist
snce. were naturally attended by friction
and convulsion. II was the birth wall OF
the new system. the death grasp OF the
old.
billions of money. in property, hitherto
recognized by the organic law and pro-
sseted by the solemn Judicial sanctions of
the highest courts. had been swept away
In an hour. nestiEution stared the South
In the face. The condition OF the Irish
ressantry. pushed 10 the verge of s,arva-
ton. by the greed of English landlords.
Was hardly less tolerahle than that OF the
roor people OF the South
raE rrHRavAL oy WAR
a bloody revolution which furnished no
exception 10 the rule, had sgisatei all the
social currents 10 their depths aud brought
conspscuously 10 the surface swarm OF
evils, which had else lain dormant. under
The suheluing influences ef Christian esviii-
sa,son and an orderly civil administration.
The countless spawn of vice, warmed II,
the hot-hed Of the conflict. srread viii,
amazing increase and left nothing IN.
touched hy the blight of It's witherins
greed. The worst clements in society were
on top
bat xurersdded to the soath's insup
portable weight OF SORROWS, Was thai
moekery and sravessy on government, ,hs
hsdeous nightmare that stu darkly lingvr,
IN our dream and saddens our waking hours
the
COLOSSAL Tsrasy OF rHg saxs.
the hackess and toules, record ever I've
aaessAed 70 history. tie curse OF all the 500,
and The shame Of ell the wicked, eaxpet
has government in the Soath. Measures
nv any test or standard ever erected h,
essiissed codes. the rule at the ignorant aas
vicious classes. dictated hy worthless poli
teal adventures frcm the North, anrsn,
the wears Immediately succeeding the war
has no parallel. for rvekieSs corruption. /,
nedern tsuae<
III ths records q those days shall serv,
10 other end. they viii al least furnish ,
warning 10 the world 10 what dans.ros,.
extremes sAs ltceaticas raAhse snav rus,