, 1890-08-07
THE ELECTION LAW.
Judge Thurston Expresses
His Views Thereon.
THE RIGHTS OF THE NEGRO
No Boyoott of Northern Commerce
to b Feared in the
South.

Nebraska, president OF the Nu,io'"'
Republican League, was at natlo'lai
headquarters yesterday, says tnc
New York Tribune of July -. lie
is consulting with the other league
officers as to the plans of the league
for the congressional elections TINS
fall, and says the league Is III
llourlshing condition, particularly
In the Western states, and he reports
n rapid growth of the league in the
South. Since the national collVeh-
ton was held ut Nashvil last
spring hundreds of republican clups
have been formed in the southern
states. He attributes this rapid
growth of republican clubs in that
region to the prospective passage oil
the federal election bill, and predicts
great discOuragement among south
ern republicans In the event OF tlle
failure of the bill to become law In
time for the coming election.
Judge Thurston has Travelled over
60, 600 miles through the United
states during the past year, and has
had unusual facilities for studying
the political situation. Concerning
public sentiment and the proposed
bill he expressed himself freely as
follows:
II hope and believe the senate
will pass the federal election law.
The grand party born of conviction
and courage must not perish of
cowardicc. Popular government Is
based upon political freedom and
equality; in 1t the unit of power Is
individual citizenship; when that
unit is suppressed liberty is dead.
The negro is not permitted To vote
in large part of the South, BY
intimidation, violence. bloodshed
and fraud, his right of citizenship
is denied. This fact Is not only
conceded, it is eXultingly pro-
claimed 10y the democratic party
of the South, and the
power of the nation is
openly defied. What is to be done?
Will the conscience which would
not tolerate the auction-block and
the whipping-post submit to the
graver crime, which Is neither eX-
cused by inherited belief nor per-
mitted by constitutional provision?
The negro of to-day was born In this
country; he Is II native American;
he has always shown himself loyal
and devout 10 our government. His
citizenship was awarded him on
bayonets. The republican party
was sponsor at the altar of his
baptism into freedom, and II is re-.
sponsible for his safety and equality
at every ballot box opened under
the stars and stripes.
"What Is the proposed federal
election law? IL is measure
guaranteeing to every American
citizen, in every state of the Union,
the right TO cast and have counted
one free ballot at each congressional
election. This law will not bc en-
forced where elections are free. 1t
can only be used to prevent crime,
No man complains of IA law against
larceny but the thief. No man or
party will protest against 50 just and
harmless Il measure unless hc or II Is
meditating political crime.
"Who in the republican party OPP
poses its passage? The commercial
interests of certain Northern cities.
These same commercial interests OPP
posed the slavery agitation; they
opposed the election of Abraham
\ n h.. Il
patton Proclamation; they opposed
every war measure Intended to save
the Union. The great political bat.
ties of the future can not he fought
and won ON the money issues. II
the East is to Insist upon protecting
its manufacturing and business in
terests by the most radical legisla-
ton, while for commercial CON
sideration IL denies protection to
citizenship, then do not count on
the support of the West.
"The mighty West IL loyal
through and through. 1t is ready
to protect everything American. IL
will bravcly vote to protect men,
manufactures and money; but
with ii the protection of the man
comes first. This talk that the
South will boycott Northern COM
merce If congress insists upon
enforcing the constitution is
all nonsense. The South liz keenly
alive to the fact that 1t needs North
crn capital. IL Is full of white men
who respect law and admire BRAY
cry. If the North insists upon
equal rights for all men, and has the
to. aNaN.. =,
respected in the South 10y brave
people, who will despise il If its con-
science is subordinated to its COM
merce.
81 do not think this proposed leg
islation viii accomplish all that Is
claimed, but IL Is II step in the right
direction and no republican should
hesitate TO support 1t. | believe COLI
gress should go farther. 1t should.
before it adjourns, reapportion the
congressional representation under
the new census, and in doing so IL
should reduce the representation
wherever the right of citizenship is
abridged or denied. 1t has the
power to do so under the fourteenth
amendment, l know it is claimed
that representation can only be re-
dueed when the right of citizenship
Is denied or abridged bv
state legislation, but such is not tile
language OF the constitution, and
congress has the right to determine
for itself as to how far the electors
In any locality have been denied
their franchise. If congress decides
there is such denial, lis finding is
absolute, and it is the sole judge OF