American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-08-14
VOLUME 4.
The Lesson of Tennessee,


support of the party which had opposed
their liberation, ard given all its sympa-
thy to the Rebellion. Yet Tennessee is
the only State in which general concess-
lens have been made to the coored men
by the Democracy they were invited to
send delegates to Democratic Conven-
tions, and at a time when timid Republi>
cans in the Legislature were afraid to al.
low black men to sit on juries, there were
Democrats shrewd enough to offer them
a share of the offices in the gift of the
people On the other hand, the planters
of Western Tennessee used stronger
means to secure the colored vote for Eth
eridee dismissal from employment was
the penalty OF vote for Brownlow, and
so universal were these threats that Gen.
Thomas was compelled to interfere for
the protection of the colored men. But
terrorism could not drive, hattery could
not betray the freedmen of Tennessee
knew that the Republican party was the
only party they dared trust, and cast their
votes solidly for the Republican candi>
dates. This uRanimity is prophetic. If
the blacks are Radical in Tennessee, there
can be no fetr that they will be Conserva>
tive in Louisiana or South Carolina.
The result of this election, therefore,
means the triumph of the Republican
party in the South Nothing can pre-
vent it but the faithlessness or inditfer-
ence of Republicans in the North it is
yet in our power to make or mar success.
The full and perfect confidence Of the
colored voters of the Rebel States is Civ
en- to us, and to keep it we have only to
deserve it. But if the Republican party
in New York New Jersey, and Pennsyl-
vania denies the right Of suffrage to the
colored citizens of those States, the faith
of the South in its sincerity must be in>
evitably lost. Two opposing principles
cannot co exist; there cannot be one rule
of Justice for the South, and one for the
North, but that policy which in the name
of freedom we impose upon others we
must ourselves accept Conviction of
hypocrisy, before the bar of the nation,
is the alternative, and nothing could do
more to check Republican enthusiasm in
Alabama or North Carolina than the an
nouncemeut that New York had refused
the ballot to her own citizens. If we
want to build up Black mans party
that is the surest and sFeediest way, nor
could we have the effrontery to complain
of a political organization based on dis,
tinctions of color, which we ourselves
recognized aud proclaimed. Yet we have
no fear now that justice will be long de-
MED to the coored men Of the North
let them vote as they may, it is not with
their politics that we are concerned, but
with their rights. Even were It certain
that every col red vote in New York
would be cast for the democratic ticket,
our voice would be for impartial suffrage.
And upon 10 oTcr grounds, surely, the lie,
votion of the freedmen of Tennessee to
the Republican cause should be an argu
ment with those politicians who never
FULLY accept principle till time has proved
that it is also expedlency.
Tennessee has taught that lesson. This
is the first State election at which the
blacks have taken full part, and though
the canvass was fierc. and personal, and
every provocation to riot was given, or
der was maintained throughout the State.
The precautions taken by the civil aus
thorities, and bv General Thomas, sit is
true, were excellent, yet they we're motor
ieusly insufficient had there been any
truth in the Democrat dogma that the
equal rights Of black and white recessi-
tate a war of races. The freedmen were
not only orderly, bat 1t is plain that they
preserved order The vote was unusu'
ally large, the polls were crowded, the
passions of men were exclted, and had
the negroes desired riot, Gen. Thomas
had no force in Tennessee that could
have prevented it. That the almost
unanimous vote they cast for the Repub
lican ticket is a proof of their fitness for
the ballot, may be called partisan argu-
ment; but VIC can do without it. We
take the grand spectacle of a race of
slaves, just from the whipping-post and
the market, despised, ignorant, poor, sud
denly clothed with freedom and intrusted
with political power who yet go side by
side with their masters and Prosecutors
to the polls, as peacefully as if for gen.
erations they had been the children OF
the State, and not the beasts who bore
its burdens Is not this appreciation of
the meaning Of the ballot? There are
men in Tennessee to day who never felt
that they were men till they east their
votes for Brownlow last Thursday, and if
we dared believe that the Democrats of
this city had half the sense of their re-
sponsibility as voters, aud half the res
pect for the sacredness of the ballot that
the negroes of Tennessee possess, we
should not despair of seeing thieves bans
ished from our Government, from the
City Councils, up or down, to the Courts
held in the interest of Rum.
Tennessee, Andrew Johnsou's own
State, has utterly repudiated his policy,
and declared that not upon his plan is
reconciliation possible. The new Leg,
islature will choose the successor of Sen.
ator Patterson, and every one of the
eight congressman chosen is Radical
This victory is one for Amnesty, ior that
must be the certain result Of the unity
of thy Republican party, North and
Soutb- the aecentauca hv the Rebel