fo v* <>r
SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22,1890
THE SOUTH UNDER THE LASH.
And That Lash in the Hands of Negro
'” PotlUclans.
;>■* A NORTH CAROLINA SEORO ANb A
;jbBXON YANKEE DISCUSS TStE FATE ■
OP THE SOUTH IN A WASHINGTON
t". CITY CAFE—THE SOUTH TO BE
KBPRESENTBO IN CONGRESS BY NE-'
OBOES—NORTH CAROLINA TO FUR
NISH HER QUOTA—NEGRO BU
PRKNAQY, SOCIAL EQCA’IITY ,ANH
..... MIBCEQINATION—THE FORCE BILL
^INSTfMENT—WlS
^ •meaning.- ■ ^ C:rT7 *' -
White Men of North Carolina, Bead
and Consider l ; ,
lutclHaeuetr. ; : ~ **
^ Two men sitting facing each oth
er over a small table in Washing
ton City cafe one day last week, at
tracted more than usual 'attention
:V from the other guests. One of them
g rejoiced in a clean-shaven face,
/ rather full and beefy, with well-de
' fined lines dropping from either corV
' ■ her of the mouth, a chin that lost
‘i > itself in a dew-lap, and a strident
ii voice which exercised itself many
r times during the conversation with:
g “f am John Wilson, of Boston,”
His vis-a-iji's was the possessor of a
■Countenance of the complexion of
a welt cured side of bacon, very
kiwrcty as to the trout of it and very
kinky «t the top. He was Mr.
Abrubum Johnson, of North Caro
lina, otherwise, “Abe Jchasing,”
a and his business in Washington re
lated to a certain “pintmeut” in New
■r: Herne Internal Revenue district.
:• The sight of a white man audnegro
f eating froth the same table in a
. restaurant at the North is too eom
• mon to provoke any. great amount
of attention; but the tone of per
fect familiarty and fellowship that
- marked the intercourse of Mr. John
sing and Mr. Wilson, and the sub
ject-matter of their conversation, es
- ploited in a voice that overrode rat
tle of dishes and reached the rernot
est comers of-the apartment, made
' it impossible to ignore the perform
ance. That subject was the Lodge
Federal Election bill, better known
by the name with which it has beeft
appropriately stigmatized, the.
4'Foree bill.” We cannot hope to
•give our readers the. entire conver
sation in its orignal richness, but
the drift of it may be gleamed froth
the? subjoined paragraphs, which are
• not wishout interest as fairly indi
eating the sentiments and motives
which underlie this extraordinary
political move, and the ultimate re
sults of its successful perpetration
according to the calculations of its
promoters; -
:'.J “Personally,” the man from Bos
ton explained, “I have never
, had the temerity to venture into
' your country, Mr. Johnson,
knowing, as I do, the danger attend
ing a visit among those crude and
savage people by a gentleman of
progressive New England ideas.
All the same, my heart has never
•ceased to beat with warmest sym
jiathy for your poor, down-troddejf
race under the cruel yoke of white
/ domoinaiion. J But a brighter day is
dawning, my dear fellow—a day of
perfect brotherhood between your
people arid mine—when full justice
and honor will lie accorded you in
. spite of your ignorant and malig
nant oppressors. The Lodge bill,
- which we were' speaking of will be
the beginniug of this glorious era,
Mr. Johnson.”
' The representative of the down
troddenraCeJifted a glass to his
i lips, washed down a large mouthful
% of beefsteak and remarked sen
telitiously: “Yass’r, it sho’ly is.”
“No doubt of it, my long-suffer
ing friend,” the other days of your
people's niurtyrdom are numbered,”
- He glaneed around the room tri
• umphantly to note the general ef
■tecs. . ■■ , v'
“Lodge is an old friend of mine,
Mr. Johnson, and a royal good fel
low, I know tho metal in him, and
with that strurdy champion of the
people’s rights, Tom Reed, to back
Iiiih, we can snap our fingers at , all
opposition. Yon are familiar with
the detaiW of: this, bill, Mr. John,
it:, aonf ’
iESjattii,,,..
■J
..i
W'mWt
v jsg
The fact is, that Mr. Johqsijp’s
knowledge of particulars was very
hazy. He had a well defined notion
that the general purpose of it was
to place the machinery of the elec
tions in the bands of the niggers,
and make their voices-, supreme in
matters political and he said tts
much.- ‘ , V;.
;. ;“To be sure,” the other assented:
"I see you are a man of few words,
but excellent perceptions. We don’t
put it exactly on that ground, but
yon are correct in the main idea.
What has been pulling down this
country, my dear friend, is these;
white Southerners in Congress.
Traitors in the national councils!
We must weed them out, Mr. John
son; we must put good men and
true in their places; and your race is
to be the noble instrument by
which this ulcer is to be removed
from the body politic.” -
“Jess so,” Mr. Johnsing assented
by way of attesting his perfect un
derstanding of the affair. '
; “You see it is this way Mr. John
son, We have the President. We
have the Senate secure for years to
come, by the admission' of Republi
can territories and the' exclusion of
those where the heresies of the Deni
ocroticpa-ty might make them dan
gerous members of the Sisterhood.
We have the House, with* glorious
old Tom Reed in charge, and we
mean to keep it. .*ffe regard it as a
sacred duty-<-a matter of1 patriotism
and religion, Mr. Johnson, to 1 rout
put all heresies and punish treason
with an iron hand. We hold the
whip, my dear friend, and these
white Southerners must be made to
feel the bite of it. Look at the
Montana Senators. Look at Breck
Southerners, kicked-' out of the
House of Representatives. L'ok at
your own great, glorious Prof.
Langstou—w hat a noble type he is!
By the way, Johnson, did you read
his speech -when recently serenaded
iu this city—the paead of thanks
giving of the long down-trodden
brother, raised by our party to a
pinacle of fame op the necks of his
white oppressors? No? Why, why
—you astonish me. It sounds the
key-note of our j.reat moral cam.
paign. Mr. Johnson, ‘the black
MAN HAS TRIUMPHED, HIS ENEMIS
ARE CONFOUNDED. HENCEFORTH HE
WILD STAND AS THE NATION’S AC
CREDITED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
new South. Let Him not ’rest
HERB. ON TO. THE SENATE!
ON TO THE PRESIDENCY!’
That is the trend of it, Mr. John
son. Glorious!
“Didn’t say nothing’ ‘bout the
second North Carolina revenue dees
trick?” * ,
“Oh! fie, my beloved friend, no!
you dear, trusting people have so long
been hewers of wood and drawers
of water that your minds will still
dwell on these' trival matters.
Don't yon know that your race is to
be called upon to regenerate the
South and represent it in the higher
councils of the nation? Don’t you
know that the first fruits of the
Lodge bill are to be twenty Con
gressmen taken from your race to
take the place of these despised
Southerners. I say from your race
—Mr. Johnson—all from your
race, for that is on the programme
as the most effective way Of crush
ing at one masterful stoke the mon
strous pride of these Southerners
and makiifg their humiliation com
plete". Yes, sir, twenty colored
Congressman to start with, and
the machinery of this bill has been
built up piece by piece wiih a pain
staking that leaves nothing to be
desired, and fitted into a whole far
top thorough to admit of any rea
sonable probability of the plan
miscarrying. How would you like
to be a Congressman, Mr. John
son?’’
auuumo iuw ui. LYViy JJtBUanu^
through a prodigious aperatufe in,
the sable gentleman's countenance
convbyod his sentiments. in a way
that was not lo be misunderstood.
“Nothing easier, I assure you,"
the friend of Mr. Lodge continued.
“The details have been perfectly
arranged. Yon see, in the first
place the appointing power'of the
Federal Supervisors who are to have
charge of the elections resides in
Our Circuit Federal judges. X- say
ouk judges, for they are all’tried and
true Republicans who may '.fa ira
plicity relied on to do the patriotic
work that is set for them-’1'.’'
Mr. Johnsing’s grin expanded at
the imminent peril of engulfiug his
entire upper anatomy.
_ “The Chief Supervisor is the main
thing, and you may be certain our
judges will be alive to the impor-"
tance of selecting men -who 'will
?arry out the party’s- wishes with
becoming fairness, and without any
absurd squeamishness or sentiment
al scruples.' These Chief Supervi
sors must come largely from your
race, Mr. Johnson. What are they
to do? Why, bless your innocent
heart, THEY ARE TO DO IT
ALL—naru§ their own subordinates
Who shall have absolute control at
the polls. % These men, too, wilt
naturally come largely from those
of your color. They will have un
disputed charge of all voters will be
decided by them. No man : will
dare vote against their bidding, _ ex
cept at tne'cost of a term or a years
at hard labor in the penitentiary.
Let the officials appointed by the
State to oversee the details of the.
election dare to interfere and they
will fare no better. I repeat it,
these Supervisors, three at every
voting precinct, reinforced by their
deputy marshals and with the
whole fore of the Government be
hind'them, will have absolute powef
as to who shall vote, the counting
of the votes and the -forwarding of
thoTesult to our Board of Canvass
ers similarly appointed, . r. --
This Board will then Certify to
the election and there is no power;
in the machinery of the puny State
in which, the election is held to dis
turbe the result. From first to last
everything decisive, will be in the
hands of Federal officials specially
commissioned to do the work-in
the hands of our people. Could
you wish for anything better than
that, MrJohnsoh?”
The son of Ham hardly thought
he could. He wanted to know if
the election officers usually appoint
ed by the State were to be dispensed
with entirely. '
“Practically yes,” tbe philan throp
ist answered, “so for as the Con
gressmen are concerned. - To be
sure they will be there, but what
can they do? They will not dare
ter lift a finger except by authority
from our Supervisors, my friend.
And if for any reason the opening
of the polls should be delayed for
an hour—one single hour—our peo
ple will run the whole thing without
evefl having these figureheads at
their elbows, The hill provides for
that specifically. I say that if for
any - reason the opening of the polls
should be delayed; you can imagine
how they might be, my friend,eh?”
The men exchanged winks and
grimances and the... Bostonian pro
ceeded: . ;
“Another wise-provision^ my dear
fellow, is that the Chief Supervisor
jhclds his position during good be
havior, which is another way of
saving ‘for life.” Suppose the*
Democrats should get possession of
the House by next month’selection,4
what could they do? j Not one soli
tary thing—Mr. Johnson, the^
would find ouf Supervisors already
in charge for life. Their clerk
would be compelled further, to ac
cept the returns of our Canvassing
Boards and seat the men' thus cer
tified to without cavil or question.
You see we will be intrenched in an
absolutely impregnable position.
Even' that worst of possible calami
ties, a Democratic President, would
be powerless to interfere with us,
our majority in the Senate being
assured for years to come. Is not
this great cause for joy, in y friend ?”
Mr. Johnsing stood picking his
teeth with the tines of his fork long
enough to repjy that there was not
the least doubt of it, ■
—-' -T» " ; r-=—6- ■
“Why^your own State,” he of
Boston went on to say. “is. down fqy
at least four colored Congressmen
to start with, Let’s see, ttreye-’s the
First District. With our Supcrvis
ors in charge there is no reason in
the world why this long-misrepre
sented district should not be with
us. ; The Second has already covered
itself with luster.- We .have a
chance in the Third—undei'themir
management, miud you--and. the
Fourth is naturally -ours. Plenty
of fine material among your people
in that, Mr. Johnson. You see
I’m something of a political student.
Yes, sir, we must have at least four
colored Congressmen from North
Carolina to begin with, bear that in
mind, Johnson; it is men of
your stamina and your color, too,
that we need. These people must be
broketil Reed sees it and Lodge
sees it, and the rest of us .see it,”
“How come they didn’t pass the
law before adjourning?” the broth
er in black inquired.
“Oh! don’t allow that to bother
you; there were too many other
pressing things that; had to. be look
ed after, and these howling, filibus
tering Democrats made progress
slow. We had to get through the
new tariff bill; so many of our:
staunchest people ate interested in
it, you know, and postponement
would Hare been dangerous. I’m
iff the manufacturing business my
self—Wilson’s. Self-ill uminatiug
Stove Polish—and of course it’s only
human nature to look after private
interests first. But uow that all
over and we have nothing to do af
ter the Congressional recess but to
whoop up the election bill and
make the party solid for years to
come; :—— :-—---7
Mr. Johnsing also wanted to
know why it was that only in cities
of,a certain specified population the
Supervisors were authorLedto make
a house to house canvass before
election. ■ ,
“There yon go again, my un
sophisticated fellow,,vhis companion
exclaimed. “Some people . are so
timid and conservative that it isn’t
always best to speak right out; one
must be politic. \Vhy, sir, dues
not the bill specifically authorize
the Supervisor to make a house to
house canvass in a voting district of
any size, provided he '•has reason to
suspect fraud.' And what oil earth
piay, could prevent our friends from
having‘reasons’ to suspect fraud if
it would be a point in their favor to
do so? Dismiss all scruples on that
score, Mr. Johnson; the very essence
of the bill is to have a , house to
house canvass in every Southen
election district before- election.
And,your race must supply the
men to do it. I can’t make it too
emphatic, these white Southerners
must be humiliated- -
He paused to give the words be
coming impressiveness and resumed:
“Imagine yourself one of these
officials making the canvass, Mr,
Johnson, You go from house tp
house and collect whatever informa
tion that may be useful in making
up your polling list. The law em
powers you to make all enquiries
that you may consider necessary. If
refused admittance, kick the door
down. If no men are present, make
the women tell you.”
“S’pose they-won’t answer?" i
Won't answer? Jail ’em. The
law authorizes it. If these South
ern white women with their fine
airs should be contumacious to you,
Mr. Johnson, remember that the
majesty of the law surrounds-your
sacred official person and teach
them a wholesome lesson by having
them severely punished. In old
tunes, my friend, nations sometimes
used to excuse-the killing' -ott^ the
women of ^.unfriendly nations on
the ground that they should not
be spared to rear new enemies. I
don’t say I go quite that far in the
practice, Mr. Johnson, iut thelogio
of it is sound, very sound.' - What
these howling Southerners need is
to feel the chastening rod;^ severely
-r-to writhe under it—Me mothers
of trhitof’S as well as the. traitors
themselves. You know how it would
give an extra twist to the torture to
have this chastening come direct
fj-qm the hands of the negro. That,
though, is the very heart of the
Lodge bill, my friend. Harass them
worry them, provoke them, defy
them, show them that by the grace
of triumphant Northern Republi
canism, you are their betters, and
■fcwM the spirit to avenge their in
sists and past tyranny. If they
dare to lift a hand to interfere with
you, if they should be provoked in
to threats or even give yen reason
to suspect..that they might make
trouble, remember that the whole
power pf the United Status Govern^
ment ij> back of you. Every bay
onet irithe service is at the Super
visors' [call by express an th orization
of the bill*’ - The only fear is that
there may not be bayonets enough
in the army to keep the polls pure
from the defilement of these white
Southerners. You know a bayonet
when you seejit, Mr. Jonbson? Have
you forgotten the Slsoffuer bill?”
ft He didi He had even seen them
at the polls in his own State in the
halcyon days of the scalawag and
carpet-bagger—though he expressed
it rather differently.
jl^Sj ana you will see them
again, my brother, piles of them.
JLet. ob& of these obstreperous
Southern whites dare to lift a finger!
You may have to handle a musket
yourself, Mr. Johnson; there are a
good many Southern voting pre
cincts and the tJnited States army
is none ) too large. I trurt you
would be ready to discharge this
patriotic service," my friend, with
proper firmness.”
Mr. Joihnsing explained that tie
that point.
“Certainly, certainly, my _ long-,
suffering brother; yon and your peo
ple are coming to their own at last,
arid the prospect is glorious. Now,
is you have the slightest doubt of
our earnestness m this matter, hear
whatLo|ge himself says. ' These
are liis own words to his enthusi
astic constiuents when accepting a
renomination last weekr, He pulled
from his pocket a copy of the Bos-'
ton Journal of October 5th and
read:. ' — ^
“ We are entering on a struggle
with Which that over the tariff or
silver is as nothing. There is no
calumny and no slander which our
opponents, and especially those who
lie coiled at the feet of their South
ern masters, will riot invent, no
resistance they will not make; hut
whether We as individuals fall or
succeed at this moment, the ultimate
triumph is surely ours. Let us raise
agaiu the scarred battle flag which
carried us to victory over slavery
and secession, and whatever our
personal fate may be, we may rest
in absolute confidence that the
right will conquer and that th4 la
bor to which we now put our hands
will not be in Vain.”
“Nothing uncertain about that,
eh, Johnson?” Let us raise agaiu
the scar re# battle-flag that carried
us to victory ovei’slavery and seces
sion"— this shall be our shibboleth,
from the noble lips of the author
of the bill himself. Learn them by
heart, Johnson; theacli them and
preach them *o your people—live up
them! Old New England is in the
suddle again and once more I say
it, these Southern whites must be
broken.''
Mr. Johnsing said something,
and the Force bill missionary con
tinued:-' - ' ---5. -
“Yes, my beloved brother, the
new day of perfect race equality is
not far off~perfect brotherhood, I
say, social, civil and political.
These miserable race prejudices im
pudently Taunted by the Southern
whites aie relics of a barbarous age
Mid worthy of a people of barbarous
and brutal instincts, Your , great
Mr. Frederick Douglass lias set his
people a worthy example. Mr.
Johnson, I have the honor of per
sonally knowing Mrs, Douglass—
a most charming and estimable la
dy, I assure you. Why should the
difference in the color of their «k'ns i
shot the. love of that errand- ami,
noble man out 6? her virtu > n heart *'
and debar her from taking him to
be her beloved husband and bearing i
him children to bless their lives?, !
. ^Absurd, sir. ridiculouly absurd! i
These audacious Southerners have
become an effete people, Johnson.
They are getting more hopelessly so
each succeeding year. History has
dealt with such problems before, '
arid always the remedy has been
the same—THE INFUSION OF i
NEW BLOOD—THE BLOOD OF
A DIFFERENT RACE. This is !
the only hope for the Sooth, John
son—A NEW RACE, WITH THE ]
RICH, WARM BLOOD OF 1 OUR <
PEOPEL COURSING THROUGH <
THEIR VEINS. That is what our 1
political prophets and high priests
have in their mind's eye. The Lodge !
bill is only to blaze the way—oh! t
there is a glorious future for you 1
and your people, my beloved friend 1
and brother. Remember what 1
Lodge says:—‘ LET US RAISE i
AGAIN THE SCARRED FLAG.’ '
“And now, my dear friend, will
you accompany me tc the parlor,
where T fear my enthusiasm has
kept Mrs, Wilson waiting too long?
I So“so want to present you to her
i
ana to my aaugbters, and we shall
be very proud to entertain you, Mr.
Johnson, if you ever visit Boston.
By the way, would it be quite con
venient for you to take my place and
escort the young ladies to the thea
tre to-night, Mr. Johnson?—it’s
tame sport for me, you know. But
mind you, no sly glauees, you saucy
fellow!”
And Mr. John Wilson, of Boston,
playfully poking the ribs of Mr.
Abraham Johnsing, ofNorthUaro
lina, locked arms with that estimable
gentleman and the two strolled j
leisurely from the room,
PLATFORM 0F PRINCIPLES.
Of the Railroad Commissfon Club, of
Buncombe (County.
Whereas, Democratic promises
unfulfilled and Republican villiany
unaccomplished in practical results
the same, the one does no good, the
other dots qo harm. Therefore we
hold that ‘'deeds and not words
.are the only guarantee of Democrat
ic .fidelity.”
Resolved, That we deplore and
condemn the infamous railroad lob
by that has debauched and degraded
the last several sessions of our state
legislature and that has defeated
the railroad commission bills before
our legislature for enactment;
Resolved, That every considera
tion of the State's best interest de
mand that we have a. railroad com
mission; looked at an economic
question, or as a political ' or moral
question, the establishment of a
commission is demanded by the
people, and will never be settled un
til one is given them. We believe
that this demand for- a com
mission righteous and just, and as a
business proposition is necessary to
the State’s best devevelopment. We
hold that is good politics to' elimi
nate by settlement a question that
is on the side of the people a pop
ular demand and on the side Of the
corporations is a public menace.
-The lobby that has been main
tained by the railroads in our leg
islatures of late years is a mbral ob
loquy on the State’s fair name and
fame that should be blotted out at
once and forever.
Resolved, That we believe .that
the generally accepted maxim of
the railroads, that it is easier to
manipulate a legislature than to
elect one is all wrong. We hold
that a fair is sue of this railroad
cotnmisson question ought $o be
made, and if the'rail roads cun elect
their agents as such, to our legisla
ture os representatives, then they
ought to go with the proper brand
on them and be knows of all meq
far what they are.. ' - • /
Resolved, That we subscribe to
all the requirements of the State
platform of the Democratic party
as enunciated last month by the
bate convention in Raleigh, and
vhile we denounce and condemn
be Lodge hill, aud all other iniqui
oua legislation proposed or attempt*
■d by the Republican party fa aa>
iional affairs, we maintain that' as
he Democratic party is the minori
y is is important to promulgate or i
jass any beneficent salutary laws by '
lational legislature,. but can only
ise the best means in its power* |*~.
>ppose the enactment of bad and
•evolutionary laws. Therefore we
iold that being unable to give MB' -
vliat we should have in national
egislation, that in the State where
lie Democratic party is supreme in
lower and command that all en
sroachments of corporate power and *
lomination and all vieions political 7 J
nethods shall be suppressed.
We give all honor and glory to
hose faithful men whodid their dtt
y in the dark days of reconsrtruc
ion, but believe that it is onr duty
o do something in the living pres
;nt, that the hast decade of the cent
ury be no reproach in history on* -
■hose that have gone before*
We believe that living and present
ssues are the best stimulus to
vort-hy acts. -
We therefore demand that the
•ailroad commission bill be made m
imminent feature of the coming
lolificul campaign and! that leaden
worthy of the cause rise up-and lead
J8 to victory. .
vv e demand a railroad commission1
insisting of three persons, to winch.
shall be given full powers- to- pro
tect the rights and interests of th«
people, to have the power to regn
late and correct all discriminations
m freights and other charges and
to adjust a schedule of tariffs favor—
iOte rebates be allowedL
’‘Resolved, That we Subscribe to j
and adopt the foregoing resolutions
as the fundamental principles of
ourclub, which shall be called Rail
road Commission Club, and that we
pledge ourselves not to support or
vote for any candidate for the legis-v
lature in the coming campaign not
committed to and in favor of the
establishment of a railroad commis
sion upon the basis herein set forth. i.
All citizens of Asheville and Busi
combe county holding the opinion*
ions and beliefs contained in these
resolutions are eligible to member- x
ship in this club, and are cordially
invited to join with us and help : us
in the movement. " /
Persens desiring to join this elnb.
apply to 8. K. Kbpuso, Pres.
Or N. Plumadobb, Sec.
Justice Miller. r
The Washington Post says of the -
late Justice MillSr:.
He was much more than a great
constituntional lawyer in the ordi
nary sense of the term. He was
thoroughly imbued with the spirit
of that great charter; with the mo
tives and impluses. of its creators;
and no more skillful interpreter of
its subtle meanings ever sat - up
on any bench. Hence his sturdy
and impressive. defenses, of the
rights of the States and of popular
sovereignty as opposed to Federal
centralization. Such a man could
not be otherwise than in sympathy '
with the people. He was not only
so by negative instinct, Jbtft made so
by his logical deductions from th«
organic law of the government1 as
being in its intent and essence the
bulwark of the people and the out
growth of an irrepressible demand - f
for their more "perfect un
ion*
in private life he was a citizen
without reproach—a man. of-plain
and simple tastes, of easy and genial
manners; a thorough lover of his
kind, and at peace with the world.
His greatness wore an unpre
tentious garb. His relations to
others were unswervingly honorable
and upright. The warmth of his
affections corresponded to the
brightness of bis intellect. Hi#
passing.away ia in the: nature of $
public sorrow, alleviated only by
the reflection that be sinks in the
arms of the grim harvest full of,
fruitful years, and leave* to hit peo
ple the benefaction of a radiant ex
Mnple and i in perishable mem*
>ry., > -- .
-V'"-;" U':- -
“4—rr:
* ,• ■'
II
'It