The Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1870-1871, 1871-02-12
the matter with the negro !"

the matter with the negroI"
4 All they want f. to get the men O
their Party in the right place, and rs
they now say, the Rights we hold unde,
Republican Administration, of the Fe.
deral and State Governments arc un-
lawful; they will make what they cal
laws to suit their views Of what the Con-
stitution first designed, and from de-
cisions even Judge Taney's they will
place negroes outside of the provisions Of
the Constitution of these United States
And now sir, having obtained the
help of colored voters to secure their pur-
poses, however deceptive they have OBJ
tanned them, the army and navy of the
United States under their control, what
kind of resistance could the colored
people make against such power
Let the story of two hundred and fifty
years Of the vilest oppression the sun
ever SilOIlc vi, duSWcT w
But again, if one of the Amendments
is null and void, as says the Democracy,
then all of them are. We have it then
narrowed down to this, whenever per-
son or party holds anything by sup
posed law, and that which was supposed
or declared lawful by the power that
then was, and that power is superseded
by party that stands in direct OPPOSE
ton to oil the rights claimed by the
former, with the removal of the party,
the rights all cease. For instance, q
man steals his neighbors horse, as long
rs he keeps out of the reach of the law
his claim is in full force, but he is met in
some distant part of the country by a
detective, or the owner, how long does
he retain that horse after the Court be-
fore whom he is tried decides his claim
to the horse is null and void?
Are there no fears then on our part
Shall we let anybody and every body
vote ? No sir. We are not yet secure
enough for all that.
We have not in many States of this
Union received the benefit of the 14th
amendment or Civil Rights Bill, and in
all the Southern States, in which 1 have
been permitted to travel, do find the
smoking car for colored ladies and gen
tlemen. And if they don't take that,
they are beaten, or left. Paying the
same fare as any one else and yet no
no fear of n new force coming in those
States to oppose that amendment.
In this State, where I live, sir even
now, are suits pending where tie Judge
of the Court refused to admit the testi-
mony of colored man against white
person. And why, because the Judge is
OF the party that decides the whole
batch of Amendments are inconstitu-
tional
Ku Klux are killing our men almost
In sight of the State Capitol, and the
Governor declares he has not power to
prevent it. We're these colorcd men
numbering white men, would not the
Governor find power to preventit? Nay!
would not the Sheriff OF the country find
power to do it
And yet "no fears about rebels voting
all over the country" If they are allowed
to vote, they of course will hold Office.
Would not cOlored mans rights be
most sacred in such hands, when the
Republicans were out of their way In
conclusion I beg of you Mr.. Editor, to
look at Pennsylvania, and almost all the
States of this Union, colored men voted
in them. But sir, they were influenced
to vote for Democrats, with a promise of
hard money when the Wings were for
United States Bank. And in the key
stone State the Democratic party took
the votes from every colored man in that
State and from 1928 till 1870 no colored
man was allowed to vote. Yet no fears
in the So, tn!
Louisville, Ky, jan. "a, 1871.