The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-17

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The following dispatches from the
Washington correspondent of the New
York Herald. gives some further indica-
tions of the drift of the black current Mt
the national capital:
The next move of the colored Repub-
licans of this city is to be an effort to
elect one Of their race, John Il. Cook, as
Mayor of Washington. Cook has lust
been elected Registrar, one of the most
important offices in the city, His CO.
lored brethren say they must have him
as their next Mayor, at every hazard
They contend that they do oil the heavy
voting and elect all the Republican can
didates, and therefore are entitled to
control something better than the mere
Registrarship and few Aldermen and
Councilmen. Cook, though popular
with most of the old colored settlers.
looks down upon the poor blacks, and
particularly the Virginia contrabands,
whom no thinks unfit for decent colored
society. It is said that during Lincolu's s
time, Cook advised Old Abe not to allow
the contrabands to come to Washington,
on the ground that it would ruin bnsi-
ness. How this will go down with his
colored citizens remains to be seen
Major Richards, the Superintendent of
Police, was pretty prominent candidate
for the Mayoralty until the riot on Mon
day last. 1t is believed that his prompt
action to suppress that little disorder
has destroyed his last chance of success,
and that Cook will certainly get the
nomination aud be elected 1t is re-
marked here that while the blacks are
clamoring for admission to the theatres
on the white level, they do not practice
the same equality in their dealings with
each other. Thus the most fashionable
BARRIERS here are colored men, who will
on no account descend to shave darkey.
Their reason is, perhaps, not that they
object on their own account, but because
it would ruin their white custom.
Stewart, who was elected Alderman of
the First Ward on Monday, is colored
man and barber, and was objected to
by some OF his race because he would
not let negroes be shaved and cnt in
his artistic establishment. do you
think I'm going to vote for colored
man because he is Republican, when
he thinks us not respectable enough to
be shaved in his store?" was the sharp
answer of some OF the colored voters
whose ballots was asked for Stewart. It
ls the same thing in the restaurants.
Many of them are kept by colored men
and have the most respectable white pa
tronage. OF course they decline to allow
Sambo to squat at the same tables with
their white customers. Thus, it will be
seen, that the theatre question is not the
only one that will create trouble, and
that that trouble is likely to recoil on
the black himself.
THE WASHINGTON NEGROES DETERMINED
TO CLAIM SEATS IN THE THEATRES.
1t was telegraphed by certain cores
pondents that no danger would grow out
of the law recently passed by the NUM-
clpal Council of this city, compelling the
admission of colored people to all places
OF amusement on an equality with
whites. The reason assigned was that
the colored people had determined not
to thrust themselves offensive by upon the
whites. The following letter, written to
Washington paper by John T. Cook, a
colored man, just elected Registrar of
this city, shows that at least some color
ed people intend to avail themselves fully
OF the rights guaranteed them under this
new arrangement:
"1o tie Editor Of The Chronicle.
Il see by an item in your local CO.
lumns that Messrs. John F. Cook and
Carter A. Stewart called on the managers
of the National Theatre and assured
them that the colored people had no in
tention of attempting to gain admittance
to any part of said theatre except the
galleries. This statement, as far as am
concerned-and might say for Mr..
Stewart-is wholly false. Inever was in
the theatre in my life. for the reason of
its making distinction on account Of
color; and, having labored long and
earnestly to break down such degrading
barriers, am the last man to shame n
record of which I am proud, and shall
avail myself often of the privilege that 1,
with others, have labored to secure for
the colored people of our city. L have
no compromise or truce to make on this
matter with any manager or anybody
else. Respectfully, &C.,
"JOHN F. COOK"
The portrait painters of Paris now