Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-08-30
TERMS OF ADvERTIsINa:
Address of Co'ored Man in Georgia, who is q
Candidate for Congress

Address of a Co'ored Man in Georgia, who is a
Candidate for Congress.
The following address by James Patrick
aickIpg (colored) to the voters Of the First
Congressional District, appears in the Quitman
(Ga.1 Banner. The Banner says: For the
information OF parties at distance who know
not the antecedents or character of the co!ored
ConeressionaI candidate, we will state that
of Mr.. Jas. E. Young, of Brooks county; he
is a carpenter and building contractor, and has
always borne good character.
10 THE CITIZENS OF THE FIRST CONGRESS
s1oNAL DISTRICT OF GEORGIA
QUITMAN, Ga, Aug. 90, 1867.
Editor Q,nntman Banner:
Tn vour issue Of the 9th instant, you were
pleased to cali attention to rumor that had
announced myself as a candidate for Congress-
at the next election \ our paragraph was not
authorized by hing L said on the subject;
but, premature as it was, | am NOT disposed to
complain, or deny the fact that | then had and
still have purpose to make the issue fairly
and souarely with those who are playing uron
the negro element, and who would make him
the instrument OF securing tor themselves place
and power in the present appalling programme
,pf despotism, anarchy and ruin.
I am not ambitious for the notorlety OF
candidacy for Congress, nor would L consider
myself elevated to post OF honor were l
elected to seat in the present Congress- but
considerations of the gravest moment to my
Own race, and to the country at large, lmpel
>ue to the conviction that the surest remedy Tor
Do aical evils is for the South to return eo!ored
.sr -entatives, in preference to Strengthening
.Ip Roo zeal vote by sending any OF their white
Sos.oao,to Sns tives at present among us. / am
a,8o;antlu =, ,sted in tle political affairs OF this
eonntrv 20 kno that it is utterly imposslole
ior any white ma y from the excluded States
who has any claims to respectablllty, lntelil-
oence or statesmans) zip, to obtain seat IN
either House of Com ress. The patriotism,
at the South are os tTaclsed me s'taa "a
intellect of the country are unue1 'a.ooud w
ban of Radical prescription and I.I.e ueoJ sJ tho
ants of the fathers OF the saepubhc "o '.,o ~
champions of CONSTITUTIONS Alberty are w
longer permitted to bring to Ire councils OF the
Nation the inspiration they .der.ve IRON the
followed memories, patriotic eaSaines ana I'M
mortal virtues OF their great ana glorious an
cestry. This prescription afor IS the most con-
clusi;.o evidence OF a determn ed purpose on
the part of the dominant party to suppress
trnth and TO employ such instruments only as
are capable of being used for the propagation
of error and the perpetuation OF party ascen-
dency.
There is nothing more certain than that there
can be no reconstr Nction under existing leglsla-
ton, except on the Radical basis, and by the
entire rehabilitation OF the Southern States
which, in nv humble iu, 1gment, means anarchy,
War, and the early dest. "uctlon OF the colored
race on this continent o. course ruin Will re-
suit to the white race and he whole country
must suffer untold evils in the, sequel OF our
destruction 1t is, therefore, tt DUTY OF every
honest man at the South black and white, to
look this question squarely in the tace, and II
possible, avert the impending ruin.
1t is not improbable that colored dele gates to
Congress will be rejected; but it is folly to lg-
more, or blink the fact, that we now form part
and parcel of the political machinery OF the g'oVc
ernment,a and the corrolative right OF holding t9-
flee is an Inherent part Of the American system,
and must follow, as the pight to-day. the right
to vote. These are the paramount attributes OF
citizenship in Republican government, and es-
pecialy soin America. The franchise has been
conferred upon my race, either as matter OF
right, or for the purpose of using Us as lnstru,
ments to carry out the schemes Of the Radical
party, and depressing the white people OF the
South. do not believe 1t was bestowed IN
love, or upon consideration of right; and the
means employed to control our action 7erlhrs
ITO consort or cooperate with three classes OF
persons in carrying cut the 1econstrucnon
measures, and in promoting to office lndl-
Viduals who are tolerated by the RadlcaIs
themselves only because they are capable, OF
doing the dirty work the less vile refuse to do:
We are not permitted to heed the councils OF
the wise and good of our own land either 10
matters affecting our own domestic welfare, or
the good of the country at large; but most
nauseatng feast is prepared for our digestion
and We are not only affectionateiy led up to
the high carnival, but menacingly instructed {
and lmpertinently commanded to drain each
cup to the dregs and to swallow down all the
ingredients of the Radical cauldron. We are
not expected to have Opinions OF our own or
to indulge the poor privilege of free and unre-
strained exercise of the suffrage bestowed upon
u.s. Empowered to vote, We cannot be voted
lor urged ON to the exercise OF the most I'm
portant and most sacred privilege OF citizen
ship, We learn from the very zeal of those VINO
50 eagerly clamor for our suffrage, that their
Wanted friendship is but another name tor
set-nterest, and party trickery-that the vote!
the vote is the charm that tunes their harp
ota thousand strings and that that secured,
the music, and the sweet meats OF the festival,
Will be exclusively appropriated, while the
voter will be politely informed that his services
can be dispensed with until the next election. ]
And with whom are we so earnestly and so
cordially pressed to participate? | have said
that there are three classes First, we are
supposed to be base enough to stoop TO Shiny
association With regard to renegade rebels who
In 1861 were blatant and rampant Yankee !
eating secesslonlSts, who in the hour OF their
country s peril deserted her standard, aud who
Dy the way of excuse for their Infamous con- t
Duct, drifted into what was then called toryism,
and now side with the radicals, because like s
Benedict Arnold they have no friends on the
other side. The second class is composed of
that lower stratum Of society, which is turned
to the surface only when violent commotions
throw pn the filth they feed on--the snawns