The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-14
Mr. VaIsand;Sham To the COlered
Voters S0unu Advice,

The following We're Mr.. Valandigham's
remarks, addressed at the Democratic cele-
bration in Dayton, Ohio, October 18th,
1870, to the colored voters, Of whom quite
q number were present
" And now allow me word TO our newly
made voters Of African descent. l have no
APOLOGIES 10 make tonight for anything in
opposition to them which l may have said
i'll times past-nothing now to take back.
My opinions upon the question of negro
suffrage and equality rcmatn unchanged.
loud applause But you have, in fact, at
least been made citizens and voters, and
recognize the fact. Some Of you speak of
me as an enemy ofyoiir race. This is not cor
rect. Individually, have been your friend.
l have taken you by the hand when your
now white Republican friends stunned and
cursed you. At my doors some fyou have
received that charity, in years past, which
was denied you at the hands of your aboli-
ton friends, so-called. TCries. "that's So;
we know it'll No colored man ever asked
, personal favor Of me for years past, and
was denied; and us well before YOU had suf.
irage conferred upon you as now, would
! have protected you in court OF against
any other man. But my opinions as to the
question Of comforting political rights upon
YOU in this country were honestly enter
tanned, and candidly and strongly en-
pressed. Yet, if you shall prove your
selves worthy of these rights and capable
OF exercising them rs good citizens, l
will, then, very cheerfully, and in O man.
like manner, publicly confess myself
mistaken. Your future is in your own
hands. But remember that you do not
hold the balance OF power in this county,
inf flis ctri,t Ill.,
cannot control things by your votes. Num-
bering several hundred voters here, you are
, yet rather a source Of weakness than of
strength to the Republican party. And
you owe nothing to that party, except the
mere right to try the experiment of suffrage.
They did not confer it upon you for your
sakes, but for their own as partisans and
demagogues. Loud cheers.] They wanted
your votes to put themselves into office and
keep themselves in power. Beyond this
. they care nothing for you. [Cries of
"that's so; you're right.'] The mass
of you We're personal slaves, or the
descendants of slaves in the South before
and during the war. at the point of the
| bayonet they freed you, only now to make
you, if you submit, political slaves for their
own profit and advancement. And now I,
who owe you nothing, and to whom YOU
owe less than nothing politically, warn you
not to organize as colored party. Beware
of threatening or attempting to make all of
your own race act and vote as a distinct
body. If you do, then he assured that
sooner or later the white race will antago-
nize you as white men and here we are
as twenty to one. In q political struggle we
can overWhelm you. In a contest of arms
in war Of races, if you provoke tive
can crush out and eXterminate you. Where
fore be wise in time. The Irish do not vote
in body neither do the Germans nor
the Americans born; and be assured that
"negro party" will bring forth "white
mans party.' And not long after will
come violence and bloodshed; and Judge
Crane is dead, and Gen. Schenck has now
neither law Office nor house in this city or
district where you can find refuge. Laugh
teri II you would prove yourselves worthy
to be and remain citizens, separate, divide
politically and otherwise, as other citi-
zens do. Identify yourselves with the
community in which you live. Refuse
to be made the slaves and tools of dema-
goSues; and when thus you shall have es-
tablshed your fitness for citizenship, no
one will ever attempt to deprive you Of its
rights. Remember that /, who speak these
words, owe you nothing, and you owe me
nothing but right or wrong, wisely or un.
wisely, you have been forced upon US as
citizens, and l counsel you now as such.
You may hearken to me or not, just as it
may please you; but be assured that the
time will come when you will say that I
counseled you most wisely and well. loud
checrs1