New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1867-05-01
THE DUTY OF THE PARTY TO THE SOUTH.

In the organization of .he Republican
party in the South, one thing is to be re-
membered-that the principles of Republi-
canism forbid any attempt to control and
use the colored vote, as something depend
ent upon the party. Except in ordinary
political calculations which are based on
population, the Republican party knows no
colored vote. 1t knows the people only,
and between white and black can make no
distinction.
Thus far the Southern Republicans have
acted upon these principles. The North
Carolina Convention did not acknowledge
any difference of the races, and divided the
offices equally between them; at the Arkan-
sas Convention, April 2, it was resolved that
the terms white and black should not be
used, though colored delegates were
present; the call Of Republican Conven.
ton in Tennessee said I'VE do not appeal to
whites or blacks--we appeal to men," 1t is
only upon this honorable and just basis that
the party can hope to establish itself perma-
nently in the South. The colored voters do
not intend to be patronized by any political
organization: they expect equal rights, full
representation in party councils, and the
power they are entitled to, not only by in
telligence but numbers. Therefore, any at
tempt to organize black party will be
defeated by the colored voters themselves.
In the war they were willing to fight in
separate regiments, but they will not vote
so.
The Republican party needs only plat
form Of absolute equality to embody-not
attach or anneX-the majority of the col
ored voters in itself. 1t, as the party which
freed the slave, and gave him the ballot, has
a claim upon his confidence, which no So
phistry can destroy. The colored men uni
versally understand this, and nothing but
local interests will cause them to vote
against Republican candidates. But this
nd yan Va .sOuptprna1anrpd hy the Mt
| of thorough organization in the Southern
| States, a want which, unless speedily sup
piled, must lose the Republican party thou
sands Of votes. True, there is not a State in
which good Union men have not taken
some steps toward State organization, sig
nally in Alabama and North Carolina;
| but the great deficiency is in the counties
and districts. Republican Convention
in Raleigh or Little Rock does not
necessarily imply that the Republican party,
as living, working Organization, will be
| carried into every corner OF North Carolina
| and Arkansas. That machinery of local
committees and Union Leagues, which in
New York or Pennsylvania disseminates a
knowledge of men and principles through
out the State, does not exist for the Repub'
lican party in the South, but it does exist
for our opponents there. They have the
State Governments, the county officers;
| their leaders hold all civil authority; they
|
this machinery which was used to accom-
plish secession, and sustain rebellion, is
equally valuable to oppose the progress of
Republican principles. 1t yet remains
TO be seen whether the Reconstruction
law itself may not be used against
us it provides for the appointment OF
Boards OF Registration to determine who are
legal voters, but it docs not prescribe the
1 manner in which these Boards shall b.
formed. We hold that it is the duty of the
District Commanders, Independently OF al
parties, to see that both white and black
citizens are intrusted with a work so i'm
portant.
Thus deficient in organization, though
with ample power in numbers and enthu
siasm, the success of the Republican part,
in the South depends very much upon the
energy of the Republicans in the North
We must give them what we have-.-speak
ers, newspapers, labor, money, organization
We must begin at once with this work thu
loyal men CT the South will do the rest.