Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-01-24

yond all praise. They have been patient,
they have been loyal they have been docile to
their masters and to the country. Timon of
Athens said 1t ia not enough to help tho
feeble, but to support him AFTER Untll 1877
the unstable fabric erected by the architects
OF reconstruction wac upheld by the military
authority of the United States, and when
this was withdrawn the ~ipcongtuous ediice
toppled headlong and vanished like the
baseless fabric of q vision"
Mr.. Ipgalls went on to warn the South OF
the natural consequences Of lis course to-
ward the colored people. "Desnotism," he
said, makes nihilisis. Injustice is the great
mandatory of dynamite. A man who is 8
thief robs himself. An adulterer polutes
himself. A murderer %inflicts a deeper
wound Oh himself than that which Stays his
victim. The South, in imposing chains Oh
the African race, lays heavier manacles
on Itself than those with which it burdens
the helpless slave. And those who are de-
nying to American citizens the privilege CT
freedom should remember that tberei is moth.
ing so Improbable as il nstice, aud that God
lie an unrelenting creditor. Silent it may be,
tardy and slow it may be, but memorable
and relentless. Bahiod the wrone-doer
stalks the menacing spectre of vengeance
and of retribution.
81 said that l was not in favor of the AZ
ricanization of this continent or of any psri
of it. But II the methods of the Chalmers
campaign and OF the recent campaign al
Jackson, and Of the proceedings at other
points are illustrations of the temper and
spirit and purpose of the people of Miasiasip
pi toward the government OF the United
States and its citizens, | would a thousand
fold prefer that every rood of that State
should be occupied by an African rather
| than by those who at present inhsbit it,"
he went on to say that race ~antsgoDism ap
piled only to the colored man 10 the South
when be desired to vote the republican tick
ct. IF the colored men there were all dem
~ocrats," he said, the race question would
| be over. Four solutions of the problem had
been ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, determination,
ABSORPTION and disfra pchisement-but there
| was still a fifth solution which had never
been tried, and that solution was justice. !
appeal to the South to try the experiment Of
justice. Stack your guns. Open your bal
lot boxes. Register your voters, black and
white. And if, after the experiment has
been fairly and honestly tried, 1t appears
that the African race is incapable OF civil
cation If it appears that the complexion
burnt upon him by an Iadian Gun is incom-
patible with freedom, I will pledge myself
to consult with you about some measure Of
solving the race problem. But until then
nothing can be done. The citizenship of the
negro must be absolutely recognized. His
right to vote must be admitted, snG the bal
lot that he casts must be honestly counted
These are the essential prelimineIies, the
conditions precedent 10 any consideration of
the Interior and fundamental questions OF
race supremacy or race equality in the
United States, North or South. Those who
freed the slaves ask nothing more they will
be content with nothing less. The expert
ment must be fairly tried. This is the atart
ing point, and this is the goal. The longer
it Ia deferred the greater will be the exas-
peration and the more doubtful the final re.
sult.n
AS Mr.. Iogalla took his seat he was again
loudly applauded. He had spoken exactly
two hours. Without attempting any other
business the Senate, at 4 p. N, adjourned
till Monday.