Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-04-26

The most significant spectacle of the
hour is that of the political meetings of
white and colored citizens in the Southern
States. SO sudden and amazing a vindica-
ton of the radical policy was scarcely ex-
pecled. That policy declared that if YOU
would learn 10 swim YOU must jump into
the wafer If the late slaves were ever to
enjoy equal rights they must have every
protection which all other citizens have.
and the chief protection is the vote Until
thew were voters the dominant class would
have no interest in treating them fairly:
and if the country would have peace and
acquieScence and prosperity that interest
must be created. 1t Is done. and we see
the result. Instead Of the slave cole. the
barracoOnS. the auction block. the paddle.
the nine o'clock bell. the mounted patrol,
the lurking nameleSs fear which Randolph
described we have equal ciliZens meeting
upon a common ground: .euli W ade Hanp-
ton and Governor Orr who were YeSiertlr
rislin9 their lives and fortunes IN war TO
perpctuate slavery forever, are now calm
ly reasoning with tire late slaves, anti up
pcalng tO their common sense and the or
dinary motives ofintelligcni human beings
The words and actions OF thcS, gentlemen
entirely diScrcdii their previous assertions.
and are the most Startling commentary up
on the system Of slavery and the arguments
by which it WAS supported. The late
slaves arc neither more nor less than be-
fore. II they are capable of being in
ilucnCed by such arguments as are now adj
dressed 10 them, was il moi an incOnceiva-
ble wrong To- hold them enSlaved. !. Ought
such persons to have been treated As chat
telS? The speeches Of MeSsrs. Hampton
and Orr and Johnson Increase our respect
for the colorcd citizens, but they are the
most terrible indictments of the speakers.
These Sp echcS. however. illustrate the
qualities of tho southern politician which
are not very conspicuous but which are
very Observation-Disclosures and practi-
cality. Accepting the situation without
debate. the orators use a plainness of speech
and dircctncSs of argument which show
tlIc accomplished leader. ''You are now
citizens like the rest of us they say in
substance; 'youare southern men 50 are
we. and our interests are common. You
are growers of cotton. Well. Congress
taxes every bale yOu raise. and does not
tax the wheat OF Ohio or the lumber OF
Maine. Is that fair /? Shall we not wish
To send men 20 Congress who will labor TO
remove that tax? So in onr State govern
mcniS whom shall we put in Office: Our
neighb0rs and friends whose interest il
necessarily the same as our own. or the
strangers who have come among us to
plumber Us? There are many such from
the north who call themselves your friends
Yet in Philadelphia these friends OF yours
will not lct Your people ride in the street
cars and in Ohio and New Jersey they
VIII not let them vote nj all. Such things
=
Spect for vOur rights. but merely their own
interest which dictates the action of these
nouhcrncrS. AS for Us, Judge us by our
deeds. II we deceive you, then turn else
where. II we show that we are vour
friends. Will not be better for rs all Who
live together 10 act together 49,
Nothing could be shrcwdcr than this
Kind OF speech. and nothing more prom
iSing It's object is evident; bat il is le-
.,iiinate. Like ali other men. the new cit
izcn must learn from experience which
parry ], really the friend of justice and hu-
maniiv We DO not believe, as we have
before Said. that Mr. Hampton and Mr..
Orr and other old leaders understand the
cOlOrcd citizens any better than these citi-
zens understand them. The new voters
will trust and follow leaders of their own
people. rs one OF these James Sims, said
AZ Savannah: "Thcy knew enough TO fight
right. and they would vote right. COlored
men are not fools II is men like Sims.
who have felt the irDn in their souls, who
viii control the coiorcd vote Mr.. lIamp-
ton and Mr. Orr may speak and may feel
kindly. But men whose wives haze been
at the mercy of masters, and whose chill
drcn have been sold away. do not forget
Il trust hereafter said Mr.. Wade lIamp-
ton at Columbia, there may be mutual
kindness, forbcarance, and cooperation
between all classes of our people.
God grant il but there are those who
can not forget that there has not been such
fraternity hitherto, and they win rcmem-
ber--how can they help it who are re
spOnsible. Il have not even a home here, -
said Mr. Hampton. with true pathos, "for
my home and the homes OF all who love
my name have been laid in ashes 1t is
"A terrible fate but could he not imagine
among the dusky crowd some man who
had never had home because his very
manhood was denied. looking N him sadly,
and saving: "Ahi Wade Hampton. YOU
tell lis that YOU are our friend yet it was
in the vain effort TO degrade US into chat
tells forever that your home was laid in
ashes. and those who love your name were
destroyed"
But not the less do we see in the speech
es of such men as Hampton and Orr the
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