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ite men； representing the remains of the old civilization。 These are good…looking； substantial citizens。 They are men of weight and standing in the communities they represent。 They are all from the hill country。 The frosts of sixty and seventy winters whiten the heads of some among them。 There they sit； grim and silent。 They feel themselves to be but loose stones； thrown in to partially obstruct a current they are powerless to resist 。 。 。 。
〃This dense Negro crowd 。 。 。 do the debating； the squabbling； the lawmaking； and create all the clamor and disorder of the body。 These twenty…three white men are but the observers； the enforced auditors of the dull and clumsy imitation of a deliberative body； whose appearance in their present capacity is at once a wonder and a shame to modern civilization 。。。。 The Speaker is black； the Clerk is black； the doorkeepers are black； the little pages are black； the chairman of the Ways and Means is black； and the chaplain is coal black。 At some of the desks sit colored men whose types it would be hard to find outside of Congo； whose costumes； visages； attitudes； and expression； only befit the forecastle of a buccaneer。 It must be remembered； also； that these men； with not more than a half dozen exceptions； have been themselves slaves； and that their ancestors were slaves for generations。 。 。
〃But the old stagers admit that the colored brethren have a wonderful aptness at legislative proceedings。 They are 〃quick as lightning〃 at detecting points of order； and they certainly make incessant and extraordinary use of their knowledge。 No one is allowed to talk five minutes without interruption； and one interruption is a signal for another and another； until the original speaker is smothered under an avalanche of them。 Forty questions of privilege will be raised in a day。 At times； nothing goes on but alternating questions of order and of privilege。 The inefficient colored friend who sits in the Speaker's chair cannot suppress this extraordinary element of the debate。 Some of the blackest members exhibit a pertinacity of intrusion in raising these points of order and questions of privilege that few white men can equal。 Their struggles to get the floor； their bellowings and physical contortions； baffle description。
〃The Speaker's hammer plays a perpetual tattoo to no purpose。 The talking and the interruptions from all quarters go on with the utmost license。 Everyone esteems himself as good as his neighbor； and puts in his oar； apparently as often for love of riot and confusion as for anything else 。 。 。 。 The Speaker orders a member whom he has discovered to be particularly unruly to take his seat。 The member obeys； and with the same motion that he sits down； throws his feet on to his desk； hiding himself from the Speaker by the soles of his boots 。 。 。 。 After a few experiences of this sort； the Speaker threatens； in a laugh； to call the 〃gemman〃 to order。 This is considered a capital joke； and a guffaw follows。 The laugh goes round and then the peanuts are cracked and munched faster than ever； one hand being employed in fortifying the inner man with this nutriment of universal use； while the other enforces the views of the orator。 This laughing propensity of the sable crowd is a great cause of disorder。 They laugh as hens cackleone begins and all follow。
〃But underneath all this shocking burlesque upon legislative proceedings； we must not forget that there is something very real to this uncouth and untutored multitude。 It is not all sham； nor all burlesque。 They have a genuine interest and a genuine earnestness in the business of the assembly which we are bound to recognize and respect 。 。 。 。 They have an earnest purpose； born of conviction that their position and condition are not fully assured； which lends a sort of dignity to their proceedings。 The barbarous； animated jargon in which they so often indulge is on occasion seen to be so transparently sincere and weighty in their own minds that sympathy supplants disgust。 The whole thing is a wonderful novelty to them as well as to observers。 Seven years ago these men were raising corn and cotton under the whip of the overseer。 Today they are raising points of order and questions of privilege。 They find they can raise one as well as the other。 They prefer the latter。 It is easier and better paid。 Then； it is the evidence of an accomplished result。 It means escape and defense from old oppressors。 It means liberty。 It means the destruction of prison…walls only too real to them。 It is the sunshine of their lives。 It is their day of jubilee。 It is their long…promised vision of the Lord God Almighty。〃
The congressional delegations were as radical as the state governments。 During the first two years； there were no Democratic senators from the reconstructed states and only two Democratic representatives； as against sixty…four radical senators and representatives。 At the end of four years； the Democrats numbered fifteen against seventy radicals。 A Negro succeeded Jefferson Davis in the Senate； and in all the race sent two senators and thirteen representatives to Congress； but though several were of high character and fair ability； they exercised practically no influence。 The Southern delegations had no part in shaping policies but merely voted as they were told by the radical leaders。
The effect of dishonest government was soon seen in extravagant expenditures； heavier taxes； increase of the bonded debt； and depression of property values。 It was to be expected that after the ruin wrought by war and the admission of the Negro to civil rights； the expenses of government would be greater。 But only lack of honesty will account for the extraordinary expenses of the reconstruction governments。 In Alabama and Florida； the running expenses of the state government increased two hundred percent； in Louisiana five hundred percent； and in Arkansas fifteen hundred percentall this in addition to bond issues。 In South Carolina the one item of public printing； which from 1790 to 1868 cost 609；000； amounted in the years 1868…1876 to 1；326；589。
Corrupt state officials had two ways of getting moneyby taxation and by the sale of bonds。 Taxes were everywhere multiplied。 The state tax rate in Alabama was increased four hundred percent； in Louisiana eight hundred percent； and in Mississippi； which could issue no bonds； fourteen hundred percent。 City and county taxes； where carpetbaggers were in control； increased in the same way。 Thousands of small proprietors could not meet their taxes； and in Mississippi alone the land sold for unpaid taxes amounted to six million acres； an area as large as Massachusetts and Rhode Island together。 Nordhoff* speaks of seeing Louisiana newspapers of which three…fourths were taken up by notices of tax sales。 In protest against extravagant and corrupt expenditures； taxpayers' conventions were held in every state； but without effect。
*Charles Nordhoff； 〃The Cotton States in the Spring and Summer of 1875〃。
Even the increased taxation； however； did not produce enough to support the new governments； which now had recourse to the sale of state and local bonds。 In this way Governor Holden's Administration managed in two years to increase the public debt of North Carolina from 16；000；000 to 32；000；000。 The state debt of South Carolina rose from 7；000；000 to 29；000；000 in 1873。 In Alabama； by 1874； the debt had mounted from 7；000；000 to 32；000；000。 The public debt of Louisiana rose from 14；000；000 in 1868 to 48；000；000 in 1871； with a local debt of 31；000；000。 Cities； towns； and counties sold bonds by the bale。 The debt of New Orleans increased twenty…five fold and that of Vicksburg a thousandfold。 A great deal of the debt was the result of fraudulent issues of bonds or over…issue。 For this form of fraud； the state financial agents in New York were usually responsible。 Southern bonds sold far below par； and the time came when they were peddled about at ten to twenty…five cents on the dollar。
Still another disastrous result followed this corrupt financiering。 In Alabama there was a sixty…five percent decrease in property values； in Florida forty…five percent； and in Louisiana fifty to seventy…five percent。 A large part of the best property was mortgaged； and foreclosure sales were frequent。 Poorer property could be neither mortgaged nor sold。 There was an exodus of whites from the worst governed districts in the West and the North。 Many towns； among them Mobile and Memphis； surrendered their charters and were ruled directly by the governor； and there were numerous 〃strangulated〃 counties which on account of debt had lost self…government and were ruled by appointees of the governor。
A part of the money raised by taxes and by bond sales was used for legitimate expenses and the rest went to pay forged warrants； excess warrants； and swollen mileage accounts； and to fill the pockets of embezzlers and thieves from one end of the South to the other。 In Arkansas； for example； the auditor's clerk hire； which was 4000 in 1866； cost twenty…three times as much in 1873。 In Louisiana and South Carolina； stealing was elevated into an art and was practiced without concealment。 In the latter state； the worthless Hell Hole Swamp was bought f