The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1892-08-26
The Force Bill issue.
New York SUM-

new 1Ork SUM-
The republican Force Bill proposed TO
equip the partisan supervisors AMI their
partisan deputy marshals with the right
to enter the residence of the citizen, to
invade his castle without due process of
law. Behind the deputy marshal, on his
errand of craftsmanship and outrage, was
the whole power of the federal courts.
backed in case of resistance by The bay
Onets and drums of the federal army. The
bill once enacted, there was no escape
from federal invasion short Of expatria-
ton; no remedy for the hateful wrong
short of revolution. By taking from the
states the control of elections and vesting
il in federal supervisors and in the ted
eral courts, the Force Bill, in its last
analysis, meant baYonets at the polls.
The word bayonet will not be found in
the measure as drafted by John i. Dav-
export. The orthorization of the use OF
United States troops "to keep the peace
at the polls" Ia not the less clear on ac-
connt of the absence of military nomen-
clature. Tolerate the rights of central
authority to enter the states and intefere
in the local election of congressman, to
establish a federal police around the
ballot box, and 10 turn over to federal
returning board the duty of canvassing
the vote and certifying the result and the
gun barrels and drums are there as
necessary consequence. This proposition
was distinctly stated by more than one
republican advocate of the Force Bill
when it was before the house. 81 am for
the bill" said Congressman Brosius, of
Pennsylvsnia, for example, ION the dis
tInct ground that it Is a constitutional
and necessary measure. And when it is
passed, | am for its enforcement, north
and south, if need be. with frmness and
effectiveness. Behind the constitution
are the army and the navy. Every.
sword. every bayonet, every cannon and
every dollar of the nations wealth are
pledged to the enforcement of every one
of its provisions.
The republican Force Bill has come to
be accepted as the symbol of black race
rule in the south. How few persons in
other states comprehend the ruthless
wrongs 1t recalls, and the blighting men,
ace it revives and renews At the close
OF the war, by the fedora census of 1870,
the colored population exceeded the
white population in three southern states,
Louisiana, Mississippi and South Caro-
lima; and it was large but not in the ma
jority in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Vir-
ginia and North Carolina. Under the
rule of ignorant black men and mercena-
ry white adventures from the northern
states, backed by federal bayonets, the
men of the south were mercilessly rob
bed of their remaining possessions. A
vast burden of debt was imposed upon
these PROSTATE states. But it was not
only with respect to pecuniary indebt-
ment that the blight of negro rule fell
heavily upon the south. Wherever such
rule existed, and while it endured, tur-
bulence and disorder reigned supreme.
Armed enmity prevailed between the two
races. Collisions were frequent and MUIR
derous ARRAYS of constant occurrence.
Whenever a man of one race was killed
by men of the other race, there followed,
inevitably, reprisal; so that whole COM
munities, instead of being devoted to the
pursuits of industry and thrift and prog
ress in the arts of peace, were kept under
virtual martial law, and without other
protection to life and property than was
afforded by volunteer organizations OF
white men calling themselves the "White
League" or of black men under variety
of names as the case might be. Emigra-
ton halted at the threshold of these
states, pinioned in their progress by bay
Onets. Capital did not venture into en-
terprises, which under other conditions
would have rapidly repaid the invest
ment. With state and federal courts in
conflict, and their representatives in fire.
quent collision, there was no security of
law, and the violent process of mob rule
often supe rceded the action of the orderly
tribunals, established by the constitution
for the settlement of disputes. Not alone
were the people pillaged, and MOI alone
did the evils of shameless maladmInistra-
ton flourish, but other troubles began to
faint the whole government system in the
United States. The right of local self.
government having been taken away,
there were constant appeals to federal in
reference and demands for centralism.