Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-05-13
With What Party COlOred Men will
Vote.

With What Party COlOred Men vii
Vote.
IT is estimated by statisticians who hay
examined the subject, that the ballot ha
been secured to about 800, 900 colored me
in the United States, by the ratification @
the Fifteenth Amendment. As said ap
gregate is considerably more than tw
and a half times the whole of the popula
majority of Grant in 1868, it is plain tina
the negro electors possess the balance O
power as between parties, and that tn
side which can obtain such support il
The Presidential campaign of 1872, will
gain an easy and overwhelming victory
In view of this fact the Democrats hav,
been anxiously inquiring where tn,
black vote will go, whether it will ioiI
forces with any political organization il
| solid phalanX, or whether it will be di
vided in its affiliations and support. Fol
| ourselves, we have never doubted tha
the colored voters, with almost entir,
unanimity, would ally themselves will
the Republican party-the party of pro
gress, of justice, and of humanitarian
sympathics. This conviction was a corol
larry from a number of notorious facts
one of which, being supported by all tn,
others, will suffice for the purposes of il
lustration.
When the negroes of Tennessee wer,
enfranchised-and they were the frs
who received the boon of the ballot il
any of the former slaveholding States
the late masters who thought they fully
comprehended the ex-slave's character
because having lived with him from in
fancy, conceived the idea that it would bt
an easy task TO vote the negro. Indeed
many were sanguine in the belief that the
Republican party in Tennessee, by en-
franchising the black man, had placed
club in the hands of the Democracy-s
weapon of offense and defense. Promi
nent Democrats at once set to work to
carry the State for themselves through
the colored vote. Numerous public meet
ings were held, and the hand of fellow.
ship was there extended to the African
race. Glowing descriptions were given
of how master and slave had been play.
fellows in boyhood. The new voters were
eloquently reminded of the tender ties OF
sincere affection which had grown up be-
tween the owner and his chattel, in con-
sequence of such long and intimate asso-
citation. They were assured, in glowing
terms, that the whites felt for the blacks
the livellest sentiments soffriendship. They
were urged to ally themselves forthwith
with the native SOutherners, because the
Interests of the two races were bound up
together-because the ex-slayeholders
owned nearly all the land and personal
property in the State, and were, conse-
quently, the only class of people who
could supply the colored people with EN-.
ployment and pay them regular wages.
All this and very much more was poured
into the ears of the negro. He attended
the meetings in large numbers, and lis.
tened attentively and quietly to all that
was said. Once in while one of them
would PROFOUND a question to some
speaker. These meetings, however, bore
no fruit in the direction expected and in
tended by the whites Indeed, they soon
became convinced that they were deceived
IN their estimate of their influence over
their former slaves, and the whole pro-
gramme, as originally planned, was
dropped to give place to new tactics Me-
mace was resorted to. The colored men
were warned that, should they persist in
voting the Republican ticket, picked SEN
tnels would be stationed at the polls to
take down the names of all 80 voting, and
that they would, to aman, be discharged,
be refused all employment by others, and
their vacated places be given to those
who voted for Democrats. Organizations
to carry out these threats were formed in
almost every county and town in Middle
and West Tennessee. But attempts at in
tlmidation failed as signally as overtures.
IL is true that, through fear of bodily vio-
lence, a number of colored men, in GER
tain localities, remained away from the
polls but of those who cast their ballots,
not one in five hundred voted the Demo
cratic ticket. AS it was at that first cleo
ton, so has 1t been, generally speaking,
ever since, with the exception of few
local elections, in which questions of poll
tics did not obtrude. Moreover, as it was
in Tennessee, 50 has 1t been throughout
the whole South, and so was it at the re-
cent elections in the North, since the pro-
mitigation OF the ratification of the Fiji
teenth Amendment.
Confirmatory of the foregoing view, we
publish a very interesting, instructive,
and Significant letter, addressed to the
New York Herald by Mr.. Downing-a
colored man widely known and of un-
usual abilities-looking at the subject
from the negro's own standpoint, and ex-
pressing what he assures the Herald are
the feelings and convictions of his race.
He maintains that the negro will, both
from motives of gratitude and selfinter-
est, ally himself with and give his support,
en- mass, to the Republican party, as be-
ing the only political party in the country
friendly to the Fifteenth Amendment, and
to the principle it embodies, hence the
only national organization fit to be in
trusted with the work of providing that
" appropriate legislation" requisite to en-
force that amendment. The colored man
perceives distinctly that his own safety
and the perpetuity of his franchises are
bound up with the success of the Repub.
hcan party, and it will therefore be kept
in power to the fullest extent that his
vote will accomplish that object. The
best thing the Democracy can do will be
to change front, and to do justice and
practice mercy. - Chicago Republican,
Nay 3,
"OH my dear child, how came you SO
wetg" inquired an affectionate mother OF
her son, Why, ma, one Of the boys said
l daresn't jump into the creek, and by
lingo, tell VOl / Amt to be dared