The Portland daily press., 1867-06-01

This is question of deep and general inter-
est, and the editors of the Copperhead journals
are on the anxious seat in regard to it,
Within few brief months mighty change
has come over the spirit of their dreams. They
very well know that the thinned ranks of their
party need recruiting, and the question is, how
can it be done? Their only hope of filing
their ranks now comes from the enfranchised
colored men; at lesst, SO it would seem from
the fattering they bestow upon them Again,
they hatter themselves that the former mas
ters still retain influence enough over the ne
groes to control their votes, but that hope is
delusive one. The Freedmen have more tact
and shrewdness than these Copperheads are
willing to give them credit for. We call the
special attention of Northern Copperheads
to the following answer given in the address
of the recent State Convention of the Blacks of
Alabama:
All over the State of Ala5ama-all over the
South, indeed-the colored people have, with
singular uEanimity, arrayed themselves under
the Republican banner, upon the Republican
platform, and it is confidently predicted that
nine-t snths Ofthem will vote the Republican
ticket. DO you ask, why is this? We answer
because: 1. The Republican party opposed
and prohibited the extersioa of Slavery. q
1t repealed the Fugitive Slave law. 3. 1t
abolished Slavery in the District of Columbia.
T. 1t abolished Slavery in the rebellous
States 5. 1t abolished slavery throughout
the rest of the Union. G. 1t put down the re-
belliOn against the Union. T. 1t passsd the
Freedmen's Bureau Bill, and the Civil Rights
bill. s. 1t enfranehsed the colored people of
the District If Columbia. 9. 1t enfranchised
the colOred people of the nine Territories. 10.
1t enfranchised the colored people of the ten
rebel States. IL. ItprOvided for the forma-
ton of the new Constitutions and State Gov
ernments in those ten States. II. 1t passed
tain land In short, it has gone on, step by
step, doing first one thing for and then an
other, and it now proposes to enfranchise our
people all over the Union. 1t is the only party
which has ever attempted to extend our privi-
leges, and it is but natural that we should
trust it for the future. 1t is sometimes alleg-
ed that the Republicans of the North have not
been actuated by love for us in what they have
done, and therefore that we should not join
them. We answer that if even that were true,
they certainly never professed to hate us, and
the opposition party has always been denounc-
ing the id niger and abolitionists' with
equal fervor. When We had no
votes to give, the opposition plac-
ed us and the Republicans in the. same
boat, and now we reckon wen stay in it,
Another fact should be borne in mind. While
a few Conservatives are making guarded prom
ises to us, the masses Of that party are cursing
Us, and doing all they can TO make the "D-d
niggers stay in tLeir place." Ii VIE were, there
fore, to join that party, it would sbe simply as
servants and not as equals. SSme leaders who
needed our votes might treat us decentiy, but
the great majority would expect US to remain
at home until election day, and then vote as
our employers directed. This we respectfully
decline doing. 1t seems to US safest to have
little as possible to do with those members of
the community who delight to abuse us. They
are nearly or quite all to BE found in the ranks
ct Il the e. ,oMan9siti0n M party. s al'nough we
Republican platform, it is our earnest desire to
remain upon good terms with our political op-
ponents. 1t is our intention to nsa the power
wa max- Obtain for the benefit of the entire
commu;lity-to give Justice to others as well as
to exact it for ourselves. We know of no rea-
son why those who differ with US and vote for
different men should insist upon warning
against us for acting according to the dictates
of our own judgments, and we are certain that
there will be no difficulty in the community
unless our opponents begin it. To live peace
fully with all men is our earnest desire, and
we pledge ourselves to use no improper means
to carry our points. Will the Opposition meet
us in the same spirit?
After reading the above we think the demo-
cratic party may hang up its fiddle so far as
getting the votes of the negroes is concerned.
The colored people understand every rope in
the ship, and the wool can't be pulled over the
Freedmen's eyes.