The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-04-20
pdilp argus.
The Negro Voter


ical politicians on the way of their explain
lug their overwhelming defeat in the cleo
ton at St. Louis, by asserting that the white
yoters-German and others-were 90 dis
gusted at finding themselves in line with
negroes at the polling places, that they
either voted the Democratic ticket or
went home and did not vote at all. The
World is Of the opinion thst the sxplana-
ton applies to part of the facts, but rs 100
narrow 10 cover then ell. In heavy German
wards, where there are no negloes, the had
ical loss was larger than anywhere else,
aud thousands Of voters stayed At home,
declaring that they would not cast vote
which would be used rs an Endorsement of
Grant and rebuke Of Schurz. But other
voters, no doubt, were influenced, IS the
Radicals assert, by dislike of negro suffrage.
And now we beg these Radical philosophers
TO tell us why the very same cause does not
account for the collapse of the Republican
party in the Southern StAtesP No Ku.Klux
bands are supposed to exist in S.. Louis
nobody alleges that the election was carried
BY Intimidation" What reason 10 there
for ascribing Democratic victories at the
South to other causes than those which sp-
pear sufficient to revolutionize . city so
radical as ST. Louis.
The truth-unwslcome to the Repubh'
cans, and yet undeniAble-is beginning to
force itself upon the attention of the radicals,
namely, that negro suffrage everywhere turns
white votes against the republican party in
proportion as it adds negro votes. Where
the negro reinforcements are few, the re
publican loss Of white voters in consequence
is comparatively small but where the
negroes are numerous the white deserters
from the republican ranks swell into an
army. This fact, to republicans so
distasteful, is the secret Of over whelm'
ing Democratic victories 10 States
where the negro vote is so large as to
threaten entire control. If white men in
St. Louis do not fancy voting by the side Of
negroes, is it wonderful that white men in
Southern States object to being ruled and
represented by negroes? Every day the
white vote of the So1th is becoming more
completely united and consolidated under
the Democratic banner. No intimidation
Is needed to account for Q result which we
have seen in Northern as well as Southern
States, wherever negro votes have been
relied upon 10 give the republicans a ma
ority. Thus Indiana, usually close State
gave 9,5T2 republican majority st the last
election, before negroes were admitted &c
vote, and the radical politicians boosted
that the addition Of thousands of colored
voters would make the State impregnably
republican. The election of 1870 came
and 'the colorsd troops fought nobly," bu
the Democratic majority was 1858. Con
necticut gave 3,O4l majority for Grant il
1865, and Ali majority for Jewell in April
1869; but in the election of April, 1870
Immediately after the adoption of the
fifteenth amendment, the majority for Eng
lish was s43 and at the recent election, il
spite of the addition of thousands of color
ed voters, English is at the head of the poll
In 1870, just before the adoption of tn,
amendment, New Hampshire gave 1885:
republican majority now, with the add
ton of negro voters, the State gives demo
cratic majority. SO in New York, the add
ton of thousands Of negro votes only aide
to reduce the republican force from Al ,35
in 1868 to Sec ,436 in 1870, and TO increas
the sjority for Hoffman from $4,000 t
$4,000.
II results like these have followed tn
admission of negroes to the ballot-box il
Northern states, is it strange that at tn,
South, where they are far more, numerous
where they control many counties, and i
some states hold undisputed mastery, tn
white vote should be rapidly and AlnoS
unanimously concentrated against the re
publicans The fact is shat suffrage wa
granted to the colored with intent I
strengthen the republican party, bus it hi
everywhere had contrary effect. As
weapon of party warfare negro suffrage kicl
so terribly that it does more harm at II
breech than at the muzzle.
These facts are q sufficient reply to thot
who assert that the democratic party meal
to deprive the negroes OF suffrage as soon
it gains power. Democrats have no reaSC
to disturb On amendment which tends
concentrate the whole white vote in the
favor And he would not be q rash mi
who should venture the prediction tn
republicans themselves will be the FIRST
denouuce negro suffrage and demand
repeal, in the hope Of saving their part
an impending destruction BY mere loss
white votes.
HERH are n oouple of hard nuta for n