Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-09-07
THEY CAN'T BACK OUT.

Under the above caption, the Lynch
burg VirginiGn says the Republican
leaders are showing strong DISPOSE
ton to ignore the Force bill feature of
their platform. They are alarmed at
the storm of indignation which the
proposed atrocity has raised through
out the South and among the conser-
vative and fair minded people of the
North and West. They see that they
let their foot slip in bringing forward
this worse than war measure twenty
seven years after the war. 1t is infin-
itely worse than the war tariff which
they are heaping on the people with its
heavy burthen to be borne. 1t would
be the monumental outrage of the
nineteenth century. 1t would be more
infamous than the presidential steal of
1876. 1t would make elections a trav-
esty and liberty mockery. 1t would
make the bayonet the arbiter at the
polls. 1t would be crime against
white civilization and boast for negro
ignorance and insolence.
1t would be the fruitful cause of race
collision, riot and bloodshed at the
South. AS Senator Doolittle said of
the reconstruction measures, ''it would
inaugurate hell at the South
The Republicans begin to appreciate
the enormity of their proposed crime );
their eyes are being opened to the eff
feet it is having in arousing the South,
and they, with their usual hypocrisy,
are ready to cry out, 1--WE didn't mean
it," But they are on the record-they
can't retract. We know how terribly
they strove, night and day, to get the
bill passed in the last days of the last
Congress, and how near they came to
it! We know how President Harrison
was the whipper-in for the bill and
made its support the test and the con-
dition of his favor and patronage. We
know with what fanatical zeal he has
chung to it, and how, with his South
hating proclivities, he would rejoice to
see the cruel and monstrous provisions
of the intended law put in force over
the PROSTATE people of the South. He
would gloat over it with "ghoulish
glee," though now he will prudently
try to hide his real feelings.
But we say the Republicans are
doubly committed and can't go back on
their Force Bill record. In the Mime
apolis platform this idea is carefully
but comprehensively expressed as fol-
lows -
"Elections.-Wed demand that every
citizen of the United States shall be al
lowed to cast one free and unrestricted
ballot in all public elections, and that
such ballots shall be counted and re-
turned as cast; that such laws shall be
enacted and enforced as will secure to
every citizen, be he rich or poor, native
or foreign burn, white or black, this
sovereign right, guaranteed by the
Constitution; the free and honest pop
ular ballot, just and equal representa-
ton of all the people, as we'll as the
just and equal protection under the
avs, as the foun dation of our Republi-
can institutions. and the party will
never relax it's efforts until the integ-
elections shall be fully guaranteed and
protected IN every State.
Southern Outrages.-We denounce
the continued inhumam outrages per-
petrated on American citizens fol polit-
zeal reasons in certain States of the
Union"
The two issues here presented, the
issue of the Force bill and the issue of
Negro Domination in the South, the
Republican newspapers and the Re-
publican orators are now endeavoring
to avoid and keep out Of sight as some
thing dangerous to the success of their
party. Their effort is to make their
fight on the tariff alone; the greater
subject they are strenuously endeavor
ing to conceal and postpone until after
they shall have carried the election.
Then there will be a real war-whoop
all along the lines for the bayonet bill.
Will Virginians help them to get it