New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-05-19
AwBAK INvENTION OF THE ENEMY.

der no circumstances, ana lor EO PII00'
would they ever consent that "a niger"
should vote Rather than this, let
death itself be welcome rather than this,
let military rule forever continue rather
than this, let chaos come again And as
for the idea of winning to themselves the
support and friendship Of the new voters,
and using them as convenient voting ma
chimes, they rejected it with lofty scorn and
unutterable loathing. This was all very
fne-it had the smack of the cold chivalry"
spirit about it-and served the purpose of
the hour, which was to defeat reconstruc-
ton at all hazards, as well as could be ex.
pected. But now that reconstruction has
been accomplished-now that seven of the
ten States have accepted the constitutions
that secure universal suffrage for all time
to come, and the remaining three will surely
follow in their wake-a change has come
over the rebel-Denocratic heart, and it is
preparing to adopt new tactics. Since
what can not be cured must be endured,
the Democrats are casting about to see if it
be not possible not emily to endure the
spectacle of colored voters, but to rejoice
at the sight of them going to the polls and
voting the Democratic ticket. The Demo-
cratic party of the North has long held in
chains the great bulk of the Irish voters Of
the country, and has driven them to the
polls year after year like cattle. If they
now can only cajole or frighten the eolored
voters Of the South into the Democratic
ranks, they can with this club beat out the
brains of the Republican party, place them
selves in power, and then use that power
to accom- plish what the Democratic organ
izaHon cherishes as the dearest wish Of its
heart. A vote for the Democratic ticket
will be the same if cast by newly enfran-
ehised black man as if deposited by
newly naturalized Irishman-and there are
plenty Of indications that ere long we shall
see Democratic newspapers hattering the
colored people, and Democratic politicians
with their arms around the necks of colored
voters, hauling them up to take drink,
and persuading them to vote the " straight
ticket We do not fancy that very brill
liant results will reward their labors in
this held-but it will be good fun to see
them at it.
Not many days ago there was a Demo-
cratic meeting at Columbia, South Caro-
lima, at which General Wade Hampton
made no bones of avowing this new line
Of policy and of urging his fellow Demo-
Gratis to practice it. He had some very
interesting news to tell about Louisiana.
He had met two gentlemen from parishes
in this State (which contained large colored
majorities, +" and in which 'the coIored peo-
pie had been properly informed Of the
position they occupied" in consequence of
which enlightenment in one Of these
parishes there was 800 and in the other
500 majority fer the Democratic ticket.
The gallant Hampton rejoiced greatly over
this work Of grace, and added "Let the
colored man be told Gods trutb-ttat # he
expects TO escape the fate of the Indian he
should go in aoith the Democratic party"
A few days later than this, there came to
Washington the State Central Commit
tee of the Democratic party of South
Carolina" ostensibly for the purpose
of presenting to Congress a remon-
STRANGE against the admission of that State
under the universal suffrage constitution
just adopted by an overwhelming majority
Of her people-but really, as it appears,
with the design of conspiriRg with the
Democratic leaders at Washington to pre-
vent the Democratic National Convention
from committing itself against universal suf-
frage IN toto, and leaving each State to settle
this little matter for itself. The committee
stated thai the Democrats Vi South Caro-
lima are quite willing I" to recognize the
cOlored population Of the State as an inte-
grail element of the body polite" and to
cOncede to them g all Of civil rights and
a qualified suffrage" They affirmed that
the Democratic party Of the State embraced
all the whites sand many'of the colored peo-
pie" and that If they we're allowed to settle
" the vexed question Of the black man " at
home, they would have no difHculty whit.
These little straws show which way the
wind is blowing. To see Democrats like
Wade Hampton, Colonel Thomas, Joseph
DAM Pope, and Samuel MCGOWAN claiming
colOred men as constituent element in
their party, and avowing themselves in
favor Of " qualified negro suffrage, !" is q
very pregnant sign Of the times. wher
the Democrats come thus far, they viii
soon Gene the rest Of the way. A quail
fled suffrage can only be maintained wheI
it applies alike to blacks and whites. /
| intelligence be the qualification, the Demo
cratic party would soon shut out from III
field more whites than blacks in Stat
like Louisiana; II property be the quallh
cation, the same result would follow IN
flew years. We wish the Democrats joy a
an the colored men they can get to vot
their ticket. But do not they see that i
aaking eolored men to vote they are givin
up Tie vital pEinciple Of their party tina
this y e Waite mans country" Or ar
theY feebig trying ne old Democrat
"dOdea' Of TO sets Of political principles
one AelseticaI and one for practice, Blu
the voters q Louisiana aRe somewhat &C
enstomed to jaaeink men bv their deed.