New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-22
MIR. Gerrit Smith.
Hts Reply 10 Mr.. Greeley's Mouth-Piece
and His Advice TO the Negroes.

Greeley, and in the course of his letter he
makes the following remark. He is speaking
Of the Democratic party:
| This infamous party is as much worse than
! 1t was four years ago, as its sympathy with
and practice of ku-KluXism since that time
would naturally and necessarily make it,
| Within these four years Ku-Kluxism has
! ripened into the most revolving crime the
world ever saw and the Democratic party,
which is the prompter and the very soul of
| Ku-KluXism, has ripened into the most de-
! PRAYED party the world ever saw. Within
this time thousands of persons, simply be-
cause they were not Democrats, have been
shot or hung many dragged from their beds
and whipped; not few Of the men mutt
lated, and not few of the women suffering
the greatest outrage which woman can suffer.
Say not that l am wrong in charging all this
upon the Democratic party. Ku-Kluxism is
the Democratic party, and the Democratic
party is Ku-Kluxism. Cheeifllly would we
| all admit to the worlds esteem the Democ-
| racy of former times. But modern Democra-
| cy is hell-born. Abundantly did it prove its
| origin by its treason in our civil war. Far
more abundantly has it proved it by following
up that treason, as indeed it was entirely
natural and consistent it should do, by the
| far more foul and murderous crime of Ku-
Kluxism. Who that observes the spirit of
the Democratic party, as it is revealed in its
purposes and policies, and especially in its
whole press, does not hold this party respon-
sible for Ku-Kluxism? Who that glances at
the solid votes which this party cast, even in
the last session of Congress, against all leg
islation to protect the poor, innocent, help
less objects Of its Ku-Klux rage, and against
the civil rights bill also, can fail to identify
Democracy with Ku-Kluxism?
| 1 may have been wrong-I probably was
wrong-in my willingness in 1868 to help the
Democratic party elect even an old Adolf
| ZIONIST. But very dull scholar should
prove myself to be if, after all that the last
four years have taught me of the "oppres-
sion, cruelty, and murder" of the Ku-Klux
Democratic party, l should still consent to
help that party elect any man--be it even
| that oldest and worthest of all Abolitionsts,
William Lloyd Garrison.
| Very DESTROYS am that justice be done to
woman, and that the land be relieved of its
maddening and murderous dramshops. But
my first duty is to my colored brothers and
sisters. Pronounced opinions have on many
subjects in the realm of political economy.
Nevertheless, all these subjects weigh with
me but as " the small dust of the balance"
so long as 1 see a great party, encouraged by
| its disatiected recruits from another party
|
the black man.
1t is true that Ku Kluxism is no longer
rampant and defiant. 1t is quiet now nearly
everywhere; but simply because nearly every
where it is under Grants iron hand. Let,
however, that hand be withdrawn-and then
whether it be Greeley or any other Democra-
| tic candidate who shall succeed Grant, the
South will again be a hell of horrors. What
nonsense, that Greeley will, if elected, change
the character of the Democratic party That
party will change him. Ithas already changed
him. His New York Tribune has already be-
come a Democratic newspaper. Both it and
he are already construed to advocate the
Democratic Interpretation of State rights :"
and by that Interpretation the white men of
a State have the right to do what they will
with the black men of the State. Ny dread,
however, of Greeley is not so much that he
will become President, as that by ayailing
themselves of the power of his name over
many sleepy and sleazy Republicans and over
not few self-seeking Republicans, the DEM
ocrats will be able to obtain majority in the
House of Representatives. A similar change
in the Senate would soon follow. And then
our anti-slavery work, with all its cost of
treasure and tears and blood, will be undone,
and our freedmen be surrendered to their old
oppressors.
Black men, be not deceived by this cry for
reconciliation Your old oppressors will
never be recOnciled to you, nor should you be
reconciled to them, until they shall have quit
the abOminable Democratic party and taken
their stand with the Republican party for all
your rights. Oh you Democratic knaves and
Republican dupes, who dwell on the duty and
delight of" reconciliation between the DEM
ocratic party and the negro! Some profane
interpreters of Scripture wittily say that the
only condition on which "the lion shall lie
down with the lamb is that the lamb shall
be inside of the lion. However that may be
be, it is not wit but sober truth that the only
condition on which the Democratic party will
consent to be reconciled to the negro is that
the negro shall surrender all his rights, and
accept in their stead such gifts and privileges
as the white man shall please to dole out to
him.
Nothing is more cruelty and murderously
deceptive than this cant about reconcilia-
ton" Heaven forbid that any black man
shall be carried away by it! That miserable
man Voorhees,, of Indiana, has also come out
for Greeley and reconciliation" As he
still cries out against letting the black man
vote, we can learn from him what is the Dem
ocratic meaning of Greedy and reconcilia-
ton" with the negro.
Black men, be not deceived by this cry that
Grant is 4 Democrat and Greeley Republi-
the misfortune Of many wise and good men,
to be brought up in the Democratic party.
But he quit it in time to be your savior and
the savior Of his country. He is now at the
head of the Republican party--of that party
which broke your chains and which stands
up for all your rights. On the other hand,
Greeley, who was a Republican, is now at
the head of the Democratic party-of that
party which has ever been your enemy; which
kept you in slavery as long as it could, and
which would rejoice to bring you back into
slavery.
Let it not be supposed that, in speaking of
the Democratic party, include in it all who
were once in it. Many have quit it forever,
not a few of whom, by the way, have proved
themselves to be among the most eminent
and useful servants of the country. General
Dix sounded the very keynote of the war
when he threatened death to the traitor who
should pull down the American flag. Gen.
Buffers services in Maryland and New Or
leans were above all price. Judge Orr. OF
South Carolina, whom, for nearly twenty
syears, have felt honored in numbering
among my friends, is in his advocacy of Grant
and Wilson, setting an example Of wisdom,
magnanimity, and patriotism as happy as it
is wide in its influence.