The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1867-08-10
How viii Negroes Vote p"

NOW VIII 4NcHEoob NONO z
10 vew Of the absolute certainty that In few
months, at most, universal manhood suffrage will
be established all over the land, Il becomes per-
tinent question how the hundreds Of thousands
Of negroes who will be enfsanthlsed will cast
their ballo,s-what party or political creed they
viii support. Democrats often say that they are
not afraid Of negro sutffAgs--ihai they arc sure
that when the black men Of the nation are allow
ed 10 come TO the polls at least half Of them will
vote with their party. The negroes Of Tennessee
have just voted, and have put to rest the qucs-
ton as TO their political predictions. THe nc.
gro cote IN Tennessee rds easf aiposf unanimously
against democracy. As III was In that STATE, so It
will be In every Other. The negro, Il Is true,
has been kept Ia the EXTREMIST ignorance through
out the South knowing no law but his masters
mandate, possessed Of no rights and but few priv
ileges. hut they are not dumb beasts they are
quick at acquiring knowledge, aud have learned
well this lesson-ihat Il was democracy that kept
their race in bondage--ihal Il was To perpeluaie
their chains that the South rebeled agains, the
Government and inaugura,ed frairacda war
that all their hope for continued freedom aud
safety 10 In the Union party-that il was the Re-
publican party that struck the shacklcs from
their limbs, and that should this party he defeat
ed and Democracy triumph, their fate will be
sad one. Throughout the late war, the Southern
negroes everywhere recognized the Union army
rs their friends they would hail its advent to
any locality with loud lrjOicings, aud would
gather beneath the "Uld Flag as a sure protcc-
ton against every danger. Many United States
soldier owes his delivcrance from Southern pris-
Ons and barharl,y to the negroes. They would
guide them through swamps and unknown path
ways, feed them, bind up their wounds, aud ics-
tify in every possible way their appreciation Of
the good thosc soldiers were seeking 10 do them
The black men Of the South did more than this /:
when they fully realized that the flag Of the
Union was an emblem Of freedom 10 them, they
rallied beneath It's folds aud did good service in
aiding the final overthrow Of the rebellion. No
danger deferred them from their duty. They
were told OF the massacre Of Fort Pillow-how
Forrest had buichercd their brothers Ia cold
blood they were told that an edici had gone
forth from the authorities at Richmond. command
ing the putting TO death no, only Of all negroes
found bearing arms, but suber,ing To the same
fate the white officers over them. But all this de-.
TERED them not. They knew well that IL the
South was successful ia the contest, their slavery
would be rc-esiablished and their fate rendered
even more sad and hopeless than Il was before
the war.
The North riumphed-Iincoln issued hi.
immortal proclamation, setting forth ,ha, there
was no longer n slave in ali the land and the
people confirmed il. Events have brought about
the Acknowledgement OF the negro. Our law.Ina-
kers have wisely concluded 10 throw such - ie
guards around the Union rs will forever prevent
Il passing into the hands Of those who have -.
sayed its destruction once and would do 50 again
did opportunity offer. Congress saw that during
the late rebellion there was large portion OF its
citizens entirely loyal To the Government, even
in It's darkest hours, and that this clemen, might
be depended on for all coming time. II was
made condition Of Southern reconstruction that
its blacks should he enftanchiscd. Tennessee
promptly accepted the offered terms. and was
long since fully ronsiaicd into all it, old rights
and privileges in the Union. lis frs, election
has just been held, and has resulted IN the COM
peie and emphatic triumph Of radicasm. The
negroes voted solidly tor the Union candidates.
and done 50 deliberately and intelligenily The
johnson party OF that State had tried hard TO
secure their votes they had praised them IN their
papers and proclaimed them their hest friends
in public addresses they had invited them to
their barlecues AMI public gatherings, aud had
made them officers OF and participants in their
meeings-but all to no purpose The negroes
e remembered Fort Pillow :: they had not for
got the hut rrccn, period when this &c Johnson
conservative part, were their hil;crt.i foes.
when they were opposing their freedom and en-.
deavoring to perpetaaie the accursed system Of
slavery Thy roisd iriih he party OF .tre,.iog,--
az they riH Do srery leherc We need have 40
fears Of the negroes When they become voters
in our State, they will give all their influence To
tina, party tina, has befriended them, and will
aid the now helpless Union party Of the State IN
once more overihrowing rebel democracy.
o. the lesson conveyed by the election in
Tennessee, the New York Tribune has the fol.
lowing remarks:
:" The Republican triumph ia Tennessee ends
all discussion in regard 10 the colored vote Of
the South Nor promises nor threats could win
the freedmen 10 the support Of the party which
had opposed their liberation and given all It's
sympathy To the rebellion. Yet Tennessee is the
only State in which general concessions have
been made 10 the colored men by the Democracy
they were invited TO send delegates TO Democrat
ic Conventions. and at "a time when timid Re
publicAns in the Legislature were afraid 10 allow
black men TO sit on juries, there were Democrats
shTewd enough 10 offer them snare Of the Office
10 the gift OF the people. On the other hand
the planters OF Western Tennessee used stronger
means TO secure the colOred vote for Eiheridgc :
dismissal from cinploymen, Was the penalty OF -
vote for Brownlow, and SO universal were these
threats that General Thomas was compelled to
inteferc for the protection of the colored men -
Blu, terrorism could not drive faiiery could not
betray the freedmen 81 Tennessee knew that the
Republican party was the only party they dared
trust, and cast their votes soidly for the Repub-
lean candidates. This unamiiy is prophetic. II
the blacks are Radical IN Tennessee, there can be
no fear that they will he conservative In I.ouisi-
ana or South Carolina.
.st-on the question: of suffrage the Boston
Fosf, Democratic SAYS: .. We have urged the