The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-07-07
The Colored Vote.

The Charlotte (N C.j Observer contains the
annexed sensible article, which is nearly appli
cable to our own condition. We believe thai
individual exertions among the negroes by
their white employees will avail much; if not
at once, the fruit will be borne in due season
and we would advise the farming community
to carefully teach their employees the truth in
regard to Radical promises, excessive taxation
and its effect upon wages, together with the
villainies and corruptions under which all
classes are made to suffer for the benefit of a
few ofice-holders and their satellites. We pro-
pose to put the argument from time to time be-
fore the people, and it shall not be our fault il
the colored people remain uninstructed by their
friends and employers:
1t is an unfortunate thing that the vote Of
this country is divided to great extent on a
basis of color. UP to the present time, how
ever, it is not be wondered at that such has
been the case. The colored man would natu-
rally vote for that party among whom he found
his liberators, and then add to this the fair
promises which were made to him and he must
have been something more than an ordinary
man if he failed to fall into the radical ranks.
But there is no reason for the existence Of
this state of things any longer. The colored
man should no longer vote as colored man,
but as man.
All attempts in the past to secure any por-
ton of the colored vote to the Conservative
party would have resulted in failure, if they
had been made. The case is different now.
The false promises that were made them have
been proven false, and the fond hopes that they
were taught to indulge in have vanished.
The rule Of their political friends in this
State has not saved them from taxation, 1t has
not educated their children and it has not made
the old land to prosper, thereby increasing their
wages and their means of obtaining liveli-
hood On the other hand they are heavily
taxed for their scant means, not one OF their
children has been educated at the public
charge and their wages have been so small that
thousands of them have been compelled to
leave their old homes and seek in distant States
that New Eldora do that was promised them
in this. These are facts, and they can be COM
pretended and appreciated by every colored
man in the State.
Our farmers, in whose employ the colored
people are, should press these facts home upon
every one of their employees. The radical
government of this State, as far rs the interests
of the coored man or of anybody else is con-
cerned, has been lamentable failure, it mat
tiers not whether through corruption or incom-
potency, it has been palpable failure and the
party in power is responsible for that failure.
The colored population are beginning to realize
the situation, particularly in this county, where
their former owners have been kind to them
and careful that they had the enjoyment of all
their rights, and at the coming election we shall
not be surprised to find great numbers OF them
voting with the Conservative party.
We will certainly gain large accessions from
that quarter if our farmers will pursue the
course which we have intimated, and we urge
upon them to do so.