New-York tribune., 1872-08-15
THE NEGRO VOTE.
SOUTHERN VIEWS.

10 the Edftor Of The Trtouhe.
S,p In the quiet shades of this sanitary
rosort and pleasure ground Of Vrgnia-the cir
eumstance Of isolation being curiously assisted
nv n enplike formation of ground on the
waters OF the Roanokewe have q very social com
many and circles Of conversation in which are repre-
sonted nearly every State Of the South The visitors
talk Greeley and politics rregulary under the trees 1t
rs talk unreserved and free to ali eomers and indeed
these pOlylogues interesting and Significant as
pretty fair exposition in the impending political con
tos Of the views OF the broad and varied South AS
such have attempted some notes OF them not so as 10
preserve the form Of conversation taking place at any
time, and q definite occasion, yet presenting
faithfully, think, the sum and aggregate oi repre-
sentative Southern views, as they have Deeh spoAo
here from day 10 day by visitors registered all the way
from Virginia TO Texas, and such as may nave hau ~
means Of knowing are Of Importance IN then o"
communities. 49, =,
Inotice that these present political conversations OF
the south turn constantly and anxously TO the inquiry
rI a. the perro in parteuar States localities ar;
feeted toward Mr. Greeley and therefore, propose 10
treat tins particular aspect of the Presidential quesuon
IN this letter. The first question asked the ne"y-Ar
rived visitor here after he has completed his own as
surance of enthusiastic devotion TO Mr. Greeley Is now
,bo ne Of his State or neghborhood is likely to VOTE
as between Grant and Greeeyi This is the dominant
0uesion Of the Presidential campaign South. IL Is
forecone conclusion that the native whites OF the south
are this is no longer the subject OF H.
ferrogaton the critical question, and one Vexed Win
variety OF specuatons the vote and especially
in such states as South Carolina Louisiana, Mississippi
sHd Arkansas where 1t is even more Immediately lHl-
portant 70 relieve themselves from the burden OF loca
Radoalism than TO succeed in Presidential election
bow THE NEGRO is AFFECTED BY THE PRESENT PoLIIl-
CAL SITUATION.
Whatever nav be the other specuatons attached TO
the NEGRO vote find 1t very generally agreed and
clearly understood that the disposition Of the Southern
negroes toward Mr.. Greeley will be to great extent
by what they find to be the conduct and ex
pressons OF the native whites Of the South supporting
him. This very important point 10 be attended to;
1t suggests with what prudence and discrimination the
white Southern Conservatives should manage their ad
yocacy OF Mr Greeley-the necessity Of having their
position clearly understood by the coored persons whose
alliance they are sohens 10 eeet & MI i t6 tive
whites Of the South are supporting Mr., greeley @ on
a9se of s1VtIpS that NAV be possibly turned to the
prejudice OF the black man. that involves any ques
constitutional reforms and the pacdcaOn OF their see
tonObiects which, far from being adverse or mimi
If the fact is that old Rebels" among Mr. Gree
ieys supporters IN the south let IL De 9noers1Og rhe
Grant his affection for the negro-indeed they
any other Northern as devoted and
judcous friend of the cOlored people negrophist par
the fullest justice the negro he viii, at the same time
and not inconssenty give their dues TO other
OF the country the native Whites OF the
South Just and constitutional government an honest
rule, and muchneeded peace. This explained as the
position OF the native whites OF the South toward Mr.
Greeley IL remains 10 show the negro his own peculiar
interest determine him 70 the support OF the same
candidate and thus 70 effect Tor the nrst ne IN tne
South firm and intelligent allianee-one calculated on
Of its own, between the two races
This has been years the great and difficult problem
Southern tatesnanship; hitherto 1t has been baied
of almost despaTng dsappointments: ana now thOught
ful Southern men recognize that really the greatest
value the South of Mr. Greeleys candidacy for Presi
dent the opportunity it has afforded to renew the at
tempt TO concate the negro and TO eee union Oh tae
obvious and substantial tenabe on each side that
10 despair has now become hopeful and practicable, the
subject of revived expectations and eager exertions
PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF THE QUESTION.
To show how this problem is debated in the South,
may give in the form Of dialogue, some of our conyer
stations here as OF representative Southern men dis
cussng social and desultOry ways the politics OF the
day II Of such dialogues your correspondent seems to
have appropriation undue share TO himself permit the
explanation that it not in fact, and appears so
only for a convenience Of form in relating desultory
and mixed discussion To the hope referred 10 Of uniting
the negroes and native whites Of the South on Mr..
Greeley had a reply from an intelligent Louslanian,
former sheriff of New Orleans, somewhat to TINS effect
the obvious arguments 70 recommend H. yet the negro
VIII never meet US % nan " Wy irioo esSHes and Grant
organizations. He would have TO be dissOclated from
these as the first step, and this of itself is nearly mpos-
sible Even then You would find the negro intellect
utterly impraceable on any question OF his pohucal
Affiliations Heis the victim OF such ad captandum argu-
mens as that the Radical party is the one which gave
him his liberty, and when Is WILING 10
CRAFTY his vanity by assOclatng Win MN N anu anu
making him a social companion; and against
such arguments 1t is VAIN for Southern men 10
contend. We tried the experiment Ia L0ulslanaD S,
tried it exhaustveyand IL was an utter failure we
got Up Reform party in NewOreans to De clear OF az
mast POLITICAL associations honesty REFORM the practical
interests the community 70 be its objects We invited
the negro into IT, away from Radcasm talked 10 Nun I'm
persuasively; told MN we were naturally ms ms
friends lived the past together ana must so i've
in the future had more rear aHect3n IUr @ mn m 1 ~
Northern adventurers could have &c But u was al III
vain we accomplished more than In splitting against
nd We
with negro to argue with him and 10 persuade nm,
and won scarcely Some OF them made promises
aud aecatons-they are ready enough az suen M ny
rsy but when they came to the polls they went sody
over 70 the Radical party. ,, A. o,,.o
COrTespOndent-Wel, tnIhK can eIpadI one 20
Of failure without impeachlng the zes OF escr'Io u.
the Reform party OF New-Orleans, OF whlch Know
nothing particularly venl9ie 70 say thi & ' etbods
fault Of the Southern whites, bltherto IN tneI %
of soliciting the negro vote is IN Hnaglnng inat no
work be done 700 easily or Gneapiy i Hy ~ y cbean
tempted do it by mere sentmenaisIhs Few GneaP
words addressed 10 the easy anect0n ana credult O
the negro without giving MN ma s1u m bi T tying n
terests The negro vote Is not 10 De c9aene1 Dy Ol
s1bly did his friends in love WIN hin ~lth
= very questionable love derived from the days OF
ElaveTv and al such sentmentalism without explain
ing insisting how we are nus fenus anu ~ VIA VIA
uects we propose his interests me want mas
been that OF real sou erUunG on hIt TH The s5nth
gether the negroes ana the naive WINES. Ine VI
must come up candid recognition OF the fact that IL
cannot treat the negro ID any pHt.e way az h t M
erned n his political courses py addressing ms he-
gence discretion as we do that OF any other VOTER
THE TRrE INTEREST OF THE NEGRO REQUIRES THAT THE
NEGRO VOTE BE DIVIDED.
Now AZ TO this ground which the negro may stand
with us permit me TO speak at some length II may do
20 without the appearance Of egotism OF what have
proposed and OF correspondence nave had on the
subject OF the most intelligent negroes OF the
RoItb showing their ripeness and readiness for the
propositOn propose that the negroes OF the South
withdraw from technical party politics, and have an
accumulation ar parv of their own founded the OBJ