The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-06-14
Negro Suffrage-Now and Then.

persuasion seem greatly disturbed lest the
elective franchise should be degraded by being
exercised by free men of color; by native
American Africans as well as by naturalized
Europeans. They talk of negro suffrage
and negro equality as they would of poligamy
and the worship Of idols as though they were
contrary to all past usage and had no historic
precedent. Now the facts show that in former
years this feeling against the exercise of the
rights of citizenship by free negroes found no
place in the Democratic household. In TACT
it comes not OF true Democracy, but Of that
bare illegitimate spawn of Aristocracy, better
known as proslavery copperhsadism.
1t is not many years since free negroes were
allowed to vote in North Carolina and Mary
land as they now do in Ne England and New
York. John Bell, of Bell Everett notoriety
did not disguise the fact that on more than
one occasion he was indebted for his election
to congress to the negro vote of his district,
the negro voters holding therein the balance
Of power. This statement we make on the
authority OF Henry Winter Davis, of BaIti-
more, who said in his speech in this city last
season that he had heard Mr. Bell make sim
liar statement.
The Nashville Times states some facts rela-
ting to negro suffrage in Tennessee which we
commend to the copperhead fraternity.
Up to the year 1885 free negroes voted in
that State. A motion in the first constitu-
tional convention, to confine the right Of suf-
fraUa IN 1fraa w mani votaa
The Times says:
The politicians courtei the free negro vote.
Candidates for Congress electioneered with ne
gro voters as laboriously and zealously rs they
did in bar-rooms and doggeries with white vo-
ters. The aged and venerable Major VIM. b.
Lewis, of this city, Gen. Jackson's confidential
friend, and auditor in the Treasury Depart
ment during his administration, man OF high
social position, and q STAKEHOLDER, informed us
recently that the leaders OF the various politi-
cal parties manifested quite as much solcitude
to secure the votes of Tree negroes as they did
those Of white men. The free negro vote once
elected Hon. John Bell TO the national House
OF Representatives, and no doubt the great
champion o." Southern Right" aud the Union,
constitution and enforcement of the laws"
treated many q sable friend TO a glass of pure
"old Robertson"
Andrew jackson received thousands of free
negro votes, for they were very friendly to the
brave soldier on account OF the high compli.
ment he paid to his colored soldiers at Mobile
ior their bravery, in public order, In which
he said: II expected much of you knew
now well you loved your native country. You
have done more than expected. In addition
70 the qualities before knew you to possess,
iJound among you noble enthusiasm, ,chich
leads to the performance Of great things
The negro IL n Al haiuo nd ha A.
serted Old Hickory. Hon. Felix Grundy, u
States Senator, and member of the Cabinet,
and Hon. Ephraim II. Foster, U United States
Senator, and one of the leading politicians of
the State for many years, were both great IA
yorites at different periods with the free negro
voters. Foster at one time was said TO have
uaoounded influence with the negroes, and to
carry their votes in his pocket-Tha. gallant
old soldier and upright man, Gen. VIM Is. Car
roll was also very popular with the free negroes
and courted their votes very successfully in
his different canvasses. At one hotly contes-
ted election, one ofhis friends led procession
OF sixty negroes to the polls, who cast solid
vote for Gen. Carroll. Not the slightest op-
position was made to the polling of this vote,
and no one ever dared TO modest negroes at
the polls. A physician in Southern Kentucky,
gentleman Of unimpeachable veracity, told
US several years ago, that he had seen Hon
Care johnson, Postndster General under
Van Buren, in his early political races lead
too negro uoters to the polls, on election day,
one on each arm. The instances which we
have enumerated are not exceptional cases:
they were OF usual occurrence for more than
thirty years, and doubtless our older citizens
can recall multitudes of like cases.
The Times gives the names OF number Of
negroes at Nashville who were formerly voters,
ardent supporters of Jackson, and straight out
State-kights Democrats. Free negroes were
also required TO do military duty the same a.
whites, and trained 10 the same company with
white men.
No class OF persons, not excepting the most
radical OF the abolitionists, have ever been
more untirng In their devotions or ardent in
their wooing to secure the favorable opinions
OF our sable brothers,, than have been the
Demociatic politicians, especially when by so
doing place and power seemed more likely to
be secured. In view OF this whole matter, and
OF the above facts exhumed from Tennessee
history, the Kennebec Journal well says
II there is anything relating to free black
men dsagreeable 10 Democratic olfactories. IL
was not sufficient to repel the Democratic pol
itician IN search OF votes. 1t is also important
to observe that no negro was, during that Pc
Rod, elected Governor Of the State, or sent to
either House of Congress, though we are warn
ed by the Copperhead leaders that such are
the necessary results OF colored suffrage. Nor
Is II recorded that the tendency to miscegena-
ton was any more marked In the State Of
Tennessee during the thirty years and more
while colored citizens were allowed 10 vote,
than since that right was taken from them"