Year: 1877

LEGISLATURE has been the passage OF al
amendment to the jury law providing
that in cases where a knowledge OF read
inc and writing is essential to forming a


nlcment, Jurors who do not possess
,nch knowledge shall not be allowed to
sit. The law is apparently most rea-
.,nobIe and hsrmless one; it would be
impossible to argue against the exclusion
of ignorance and stupidity from the jury
hoy INIT il is on the other hand, imp"s.


,ible not to regard this innoccnt.looking


law AS the first step in u long course OF


l.r;J.tiou which, under different pre-.


tents and by different degrees, VIII end


in reducing the negro to a position IN


which he will hot interfere with the
: ,,os, .xtrpme views of the most extreme


White League fanatics.


, The ucgro's political power is gore


Politically, he has as little influence as "A
Pole in Warsaw or Christian in turkey
The fate from which the Republican
party has vainly tried for twelve years to
save him, 10y holding him over the white
msn, has oyertaken him at last, and it is
merely II question of htt'e while and
few forms before the last yistage of his
political rights shall disappear. lie is
still free to vote only on condition that
his vote shall not elect anybody. Ii
there were any danger of his electing an
obnoxious candidate he would very soon
find how deceptive was his fancIed right
He may still give witness, serve us Jurors,
bring suit, attend school, ride in the
cars and stop at the hoicls,> but Florida
has entered upon the congenial task OF
expeling him from the jury box, and we
need not indulge in any false or foolish
hopos about his retention OF his other
rights. He has not rights except such
as the white people of the South choose
70 allow him. and it 10 Impossible to over
estimate in the new light thrown on 1t
by the new situation. Wmt rights will
The negro he allowed to retain Z Under
what conditions will he be allowed TO
retain them2 What will be the new
order of things!


We have spoken of this question be-
fore; we are compelled to speak OF 1t
again, and will be compelled to recur to
il more often than VIC should like, for 1t
is the overpowering national question OF
the future--a question more pregnant
with vital consequences than any which
can occupy the political arena; a real
question about which opinion may be
divided; vital question which may
determine the form OF our national ex'
istence, and question which common
prudence compels us to take charge OF
in time. Merely to show how vast are
its dimensions, and how portentious Its
consequence let US look at the educational
interests involved. We do not hesitate
10 say that If the cause of negro educa-
,ioa shall be neglected by the Southern
ers for ten years to come as it has been
opposed by them for ten years past, the
better and sterner conscience OF the
North will force it on them, and weshall
have the public schools of South Caro-
lima and OF Mississippi, Of Richmond,
Savannah, Mobile and New Orleans,
taught, managed and maintained by a
central bureau at Washington. This is
not prophecy; it is cause and effect, ab-
solute fate, irresistible destiny, and yet
the mind can hardly grasp the immense
iar reaching changes involved in this
transfer of power from tho local TO the
central government.


Every instinct Of freedom protests
against such Capitalization OF power, yet
it will be the inevitable penalty for the
abuse or misuse of local power. Destiny
which was two strong for the Republi-
can patty, and which soiled it in the
high undertaking in which noble motive
was maued by shameful performances,
will be too strong for the white mans
party if it misuses the form of q free gov.
ernment to maintain and perpetu"te by