Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-11-13
Southern Testimony-WhO are the
Real Tyrants-Some Lying Char
ges against the Republican Party
shown up by a Southern Unionist.

shown up by a Southern UniOnist.
we make the following extract from
an address to the people of Alabama is
sued by Colonel T. NJ. Matthews na-
tive of that State and resident of Wal
lace county. Colonel Matthews was
formerly Shareholder, but is one of
the oldest stauchest original Union
men of his State, a gentleman of classic
culture, Of large wealth and Republi-
can Of the first water. Under Presi-
dent Johnson's policy of reconstruction
he was beaten for Congress by a carpet
Dagger who had obtained grace while
in the rebel Legislature of AIab anna by
affecting to favor the most extreme
measures against Yankees, including
the black flag project. Colonel Mat
thews after strongly advocating the
election of Grant and Colfax says:
s'AH their (Rebel) talk about white
mans government negro supremacy,
Radical oppression, and carpet baggerss
is mere clap-trap, got up for the pur-
support of the Republican party and
General Grant, to that of Seymour and
Blair and the interest of seceUsionists.
Those men who have been in the hab-
it of controlling the people by conseup-
tion and Imprisonment, have acquired
/ so exalted an opinion of themselves,
and so great a contempt for the people,
that they can not obtain their own con-
sent to come down again upon level
with them. Rather than do this they
will join any party with or without
any platform or principles. In the face
of the great loss of life, liberty and prop
erty, and the widespread ruin and de-
devastation they have caused, they
refused to yield up the helm of the
wreck they have made, the people
ought to wrest it from them, repudiate
them as leaders, reject them as advisers,
and take their fate into their own
hands.
The Republican party is not a negro
party, as alleged, but a party of princi-
pies. and like the church, open to all
/ without distinction of race, color, or
previous condition. If 1t has more ne
grOes, it has also more whites, than the
Democratic party. OF all people the
Democrats ought TO be the last TO con-
denim the Republicans for having col
ored people in their party, as they
have left no stone unturned to induce
them to ioin theirs. So far as their eff
forts have been directed to this end,
they will receive the Odium of aposta-
cy without the ecldt of success; for ev-
cry cOlored person of a voting age real
ICES that he is bound by every tie OF
gratitude for the past, every present IN
ferest. and every hope in the future, to
uphold the Republican party, and vote
for General Grant for President.
The idea of negro supremacy, which
| is charged to the Repu blican party, is
an absnrdity, and have to see or hear
of the first man, white or black, IN that
party, who advocates 1t. The Republi-
cans simply propose to give the negro
| a fair chance to improve his condition,
and to elevate himself and his race.
| As to the carpet-bagge2s, so called,
about which there is 50 great hue and
lcry, I suppose have mingled with
them as much as any one in this coun-
| try, both with those who have remain
| ed carpet -baggers by adhering to the
| Republican party, and those who have
/ ceased to be carpet-baggers by joining
| the Democratic party, and do not find
| that they differ from those who come
| from the North to settle amongst US 20
or so years ago. have lived and plan
| ted by them and found them polite and
kind in manner, and prompt and correct
| in business matters.
This elamor against the Republican
party about Radical tyranny and op-
| preston, comes mainly from those who
precipitated the country into secession,
/ and thereby, according to law, forfeited
/ their lives and fortunes, but who were
| generously pardoned by the Govern
| ment. Many of these men. since the
| fortunes of their fellow-country-m
Some even by becoming 'pardOn-bro-
kers' and, as such, exacting large sums
| of money from their felIoW-citizens for
negotiating their pardons for the very
offense they induced and forced them
! to commit. Their persons, houses,
equipages, and appointments, certainly
indicate any thing but oppression
They themselves are the tyrants and
| oppressors, cruel, exacting proscriptive
| and arrogant, now luxuriating in
wealth, whilst the victims of their FOLLY
| and madness, many of them MANNED
| Confederate soldiers, and the widows
| and orphans of Confederate soldiers,
struggle hard against poverty and taxes
to procure bare subsistence.
| In conclusion will express the hope
| that on the day of election all good citi-
zens will consider themselves as con-
servators of the peace, and in that ca
pacity will see that all, without dis
tinction of race, color or previous con-
dition, who are entitled to vote, are pro-
teeted in the exercise of this right and
that nothing happens to disturb the
public tranquility. Respectfully, your
fel1ow-citizen, Il. NJ. MATHEWS. !"