Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-23
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY %. 1890
NJ. Edmunds's Bill.


patch Of yesterday. Is conclusive evidence
that the hanging IN cflley Of a postmastcr'
white or black. is an offence against no
law Of the United States; for If there were
already such o law on the national statute
book. there would Pee no place fox Dir. Id
MuNps's propos "a new law
More: Should Mr. EpVrNDs's bill be-
come law. it would not operate on the
men who hanged DUcgwoBTH IN chgy' for
the Federal Constitution forbids the pas
rage Of cr post f1co laws.
Finally. even If Congress could pass an
CT past fqc'0 law. and should make Mr.. ED-
MuNDNs bill % statute, IL would not touch
tho DucKwoErH case. There are no words
in the bill which would make hanging a
postmaster in ofigy a criminal offence.
For q hundred years tho United States
Government has operated successfully
without the assistance Of such legislation
a. Mr. EDWUNDs proposes. Even when tho
war between the States was fragrant 1t did
not occur 10 our national lawmakers 10
provide for the punishment Of bad boys
who might dislike a postmaster. or Of
fhoughtless men who might and them N
such ways of letting q rascal holding u
Federal appointment know that Lee held
II contrary 10 the wishes Of the people
having an interest in the Office.
II Mr.. EDMcNDs and his consolidotlomst
hackers are not rcluhod at tho bailot-boT
they will destroy our FREQ Government
within twenty years.
We areuot alarmists. We have called at
Scntion t. nothing but facts IN the articles
ln which during the last few WCchswe have
pointed out the breakers which threaten
to wreck the ship of State, and put an end
80 the free Government our fathers eS-
tablshed. These facts have attracted at
tention elsewhere. The New York N,rCd
speaks so eloQuCutly and tTutlfuiiy on this
subject that We cannot forbear 10 repro
duce a portion of one Of il, recent articles.
1t says:
1--WE have word Of warning to give TO
Che owners of many millions o. northern
capital invested Iu southern enterprises
and Of other millions ready o. be invested
s. the same region.
The prontablauess of such enterprises
depends upon the continuance Oi peace
aud order IN the southern States. Under
the rule Of Mr. Arthur, and still more under
that Of Mr.. Cleveland. peace and order dld
obtain III these States. Confidence IN the
stability of things down there drew many
millions of northern capital INTO those
States. They are rich M great variety OF
Un9evclopod natural resources; they hive
az abundant and sufficiently capable laoof-
,uc force Given good order and the north
pru ventures in those States Will continue
~ be for years UncOJnmonly prOhJapIe;
and there Will Ice for q long time TO come
great Inducements for more northern capl-
tal and euteruriseiu that halt OF the Omon.
So far all has gone we'll down there.
No compla nts are heard from the northern
mon who have gone INTO the South with
capital TO engage IN useful and developing
enterprises. They are welcomed; they ma
thelr capital safely and very prphtably
invested they have no fault % md with
the local laws: the taxes are low; tHrir
property, be il in mines or mills or lac'o-
fIcs. X secure.
But We warn the owners If these many
millions of northern capital employed IN
the South that this happy and Satisfactory
condition may not last much longer. Inc
Republican managers III Washington have
determined, a. a desperate partisan expe-
dient, t. fling southcrnatar and interests
into confusion and disorder. They have
agreed on policies intended to ST tne Two
faces III violent opposition to each other all
over the South. They are getting ready
laws which, as sure as they are enacted d.,
will plunge the whole South into cOnd-
ton which every one viii see Is fatal 10 all
legitimate business enterprises.
ALREADY all over the South Is felt the
CrOund-swell which tOrctells the coming
storm. The proposed Ecpuhhcan lcsl- Ia
ton for Federal control OF elections IN the
southern States means, as the negroes as
well a. the whites understand, an attempt
10 make the most ignorant and corrupt
part of the negro population rulers over
the whites IN states, counties, and town
FhiDs. In all parts OF the South negro
demagOgues, excited 10y the promises 81
Republican legislation are raising thclr
heads with new hopes of mastery. They
have the votes. and the kepubhcan7 IN Con
gress. they believe, will enact laws under
Which the solid negro vote in all the blacS
country shall once more. as IN the recon-
Htructlon times. control the Offices, lay and
spend the local and State taxes, aud begin
new career of robbery, lawlessness, and
demOrahZation.
THE beginnings Of the great upheaval
are already seen IN the increase OF lncen-
diary fires IN the several southern states
since the Republican programme became
known, in the frequent assasslnatlOns OF
peaceable and orderly white men, aud IN IA
sensible increase of violence and disorder
and crime between the races.
Watching these things carefully we
are bound 10 warn northern capitalists 70
stand from under Unless northern pub
lie opinion makes itself heard az IT did IN
che later carpet-hag days, against tins Re
publican programme, the party now N
power in both houses viii make laws and
the party managers VIII require policies
from the Executive which viii 50 excite
the negro demagogues in the South as to
produce IN all these States collisions be-
tween the races which are sure 10 result in
incendiarism, pillase, murder, and q gene
Yal and total disOre aniZatlOn OF the negro
population.
"The Republican managers do not care
for tho negro, but they see no hope Of
carrying another presidential election IN
less thew can once more. IN the old MIssls-
Bippi steamboat way, put Niger ON the
safety-valve.' They care nothing for tho
general interests of the country; they care
nothing for its prosperity-theyc care only
for power, and as has been shown IN the
House Of Representatives already they viii
do and dare everything II keep themselves
in power"