Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-01-25
DEMOCRATS AND THE NEGRO
VOTERS,

VOTERS.
At the State election held in Massachu-
sets, some peculiar incidents transpired,
illustrating the readiness with which Dem
ocratic leaders, notwithstanding their pro-
fessed adherence Of utilization with black
people, hold their principles or prejudices
in allegiance when votes are to be gained
thereby. At New Bedford, the Demo-
Gratis nominated a black man for Repre-
sentative in the Legislature. This is the
first instance, we think, in which either OF
the great political parties in this country
have brought forward a negro for support
as q candidate. The case stood thus {:
Judge Pitmam was up for reelection TO
the Senate. He had made himself OBJ
noxious by uncommon zeal for Temper
ance. To defeat him it was necessary to
draw off some OF the Republicans. This
the Democrats resolved to do BY putting
q negro on their ticket. and thus gain the
colored voters. They did so defeated
Pitman, but did not elect the negro. AT
Boston, in the Beacon Street District. the
blacks asked the Republicans to nominate
S. 5. Smith. one Of the prescribed race, a
gentleman Of education, refinement, and
ability, for Representative. This the Re-
publicans did no, do. Promptly the
Democrats offered TO nominate him. But
he and his friends respectfully declined
the tender. They would not consent to
the contamination of such association.
Living in a district noted for the courtli-
ness of its white inhabitants, they aspired
to the best utilization, and would accept
nothing less.
In former times, says the Pittsburg
Gazette, black men voted in Pennsylvania
on the same conditions as white men.
Such inquiries as we have instituted in
various parts Of the Commonwealth lead
10 the conclusion that our blacks were
not as fas,idious as the negroes Of the
aris,ocratic district Of the city Of Boston.
Almost without exception, they voted
the Democratic ticket. Not a few in
cidents have been related to US Of the
zeal with which the Democratic leaders
drummed up their black friends and
brought them to the polls. In particular.
we remember enjoying a hearty laugh at
the description of a gentleman, widely
known and honored for his intelligence
and loyalty. gave US Of a controversy he
got into in early life, by challenging the
vote of a black Democrat, who was born
in St. Domingo, and had not been natu-
rallied. The Democratic leaders were
ira,e that =. an old citizen, of character and
substance should be insul,ed by u strip
ling" Their p~hrascology was just as
cour,ly toward the black man as it would
have been had he belonged to the upper
circles Of the dominant race. But in our
researches into the matter we never could
ascertain that any white Democratic mag
nate had invited a black confrere to his
house to dinner. or seated him in his pew
at church. or married him to his daugh-
ter. There is some evidence to show hat
on election days, when contests ran high.
black and white Democrats went to the
polls arm in arm. and that in mutual jubi-
lance over a victory, they hobnobbed over
their whisky. 1t will not do to draw
damaging differences from familiarities OF
this sort for in these cases the Demo-
cratic leaders only secured black votes
precisely as they habi.ually secure thou
sands of white ones. When fishing for
votes these gentry do not scruple to ''soop
to conquer : but do not forget, after an
election is over. to make such reprisals as
appcase their Inundated dignity. We
have a lurking suspicion that if negroes
should again be allowed to vote in this
country the Democrats would promptly
resor, to their old tactics, to secure their
suffrages; and that, for one day in the
year, at least, u negro would be account
ed by them as savory as a white man.