The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-08-21


ment, in hagrant violation OF tho Constitu-
tion, and then, ut great expenditure Of
money, sent several armed ships OF the navy,
including monitors, to maintain the usurper
Bsez in power, that through him he might
obtain the coveted prize. Not content with
this audacious dictatorship, no proceeded to
strike at the independence of the black re-
public by open menace of war, and all with
committed the war-making power. Sailing
into the hnrbor Of Port-au Prince with our
most powerful monitor, the Dictator, proper
ly named for this service, aleo the friRate Sc
| vern as consort and other monitors in their
train the Admiral, acting under instructions
| from Washington, proceeded to tho executive
mansion, accompanied by. officers OF bis
squadron, and then, pointing to tho great
war ships in sight from the windows, dealt
his menace of war, threatening to sink or
capture Haytien ships. The President was
black, not white. The Admiral would have
done no such thing to any white ruler, nor
would our country have tolerated such me-
mace from any Government in tho world.
! Hero was indignity not only to tho black re-
/ public, with it's population OF 800, 600, but to
the African race everywhere, and especially
i'll our own country. Nor did it end hero.
For months the navy OF the United States
was lowering on the coast, keeping that i'll
suited people in constant anxiety, while Pre-
sident Grant was to them like IL hawk sailing
in the air, and ready to swoop upon his prey.
This heartlcsB, cruel proceeding found We
tim among our white fellow ctiZons. All eX-
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all who know him, WAS plunged into PRISON
by BaeZ, where he was immured becausc'it
WIS feared ho would write against the treaty
| OF anncxion, and this captivity WAS prolonged
with tho connivance of two agents OF tho Pre-
| eident, ono of whom finds constant favor
with him, and is part Of the military ring i'm
mediately about him. That such an outrage
could go unpunished shows the little regard
of the President for human rights, whether
| in white or black.
| I confess my trials, as was called to wit
noss these things. Always supporter OF the
| Administration, and sincerely desiring to
labor with it, had never uttered word with
regard to it except in kindness. My early op-
position to the treaty OF annexation was re-
were unknown. 1t Was only when saw the
breach of all law, human and divine, that
was aroused, and then began tho anger Of the
President and of his rings, military and sena-
| torial. Devoted to the African race, 1 felt for
them. besides being humbed that the great
republic, acting through its President. could
get such an example, whcrc tho National
Constitution, international law and humanity
when 1 eaw the indignity to the colored race
which was accomplished by trampling upon n
fundamental principle of internationa, law,
declaring the equality of nations, az our De-
claration of Independence declares the cQuhl-
ity of men. This terrible transaction, which
nobody can defend, is among the "antccc-
dents" of President Grant, from which You
can judge how much the colored race can rely
DO forgotten, that shortly afterward, on tho
return of tho commission from this island,
Hon. Frederick douglass, the colored orator,
accomplished in manners nm. g in elogue,nce, IVA, was
missioners Mt the common table Of the mail
packet on the Potomac, almost within sight oil
the Executive Mansion, simply on account OF
his color; but the President, at whose invita-
tion no had Joined the commission, never ut
tered q word in condemnation OF this exclu-
sion, and when entertaining tho returned
commissioners at dinner, carefully omitted
Mr. Douglass, who was in Washington ut the
time, and thus repeated the indignity. Other
things might be mentioned showing tho sym
pathies of the President, but cannot forget
the civil rights bill, which is the csp-stone ol
that equality before the law to which all are
entitled, without distinction Of color. Presi'
dent Grant, who could lobby so assiduously
for his St. Domingo scheme, full OF wrong to
the colored race, could do nothing for this
benefcent measure. During long session
OF Congress, it was discussed constantly, and
tho colored people everywhere hung upon the
debate. but there was no word Of "hearticlt
sympathy from the President. At last, just be.
fore the nominating convention. he addressed
a letter to meeting OF colored folow-citizens
in Washington, called to advance this cause,
where he avoided the question, by declaring
himself i'll favor of "the exercise of those
rights to which every citizen should be justly
entitled" leaving it uncerta ain whether colored
people arc justly entitled to the rights Sc
cured by the pending bill. understand that
horace Greeley has alTeauy Dccn NEtallcO DN
an impracticablc Democrat as friendly to this
bill, but nobody has lisped against Presilen,
Grant on this account
Among "antecedents," I deem it my "a. y
TO mention the iittlo capacity or indusf y ui
fthe President in protecting colorcd T. oplt
and in assuring peace at the South. NohuJy
can doubt that small portion OF tho effort
and earnest will, even without tho lobbying
30 freely given to the San Domingo scheme
would have ayerted those Ku ElUX Outrages
which we deploro, 30 that thero would have
been no pretence for further legislation by
Congress. But ho was disabled both by cha.
racter and the drawback OF his own conduct
After violating the Constitution and interEa
tional law to insult the black republic, and
setting an example OF insubordination, he
, was not in condition to rebuke law-breahers
/, II. Passing from "antecedents," como
now to the ''preseDt position" OF tho two can
didates, which is the subject of your next i'll
quiry. II in any former particulars the two
are on an equality, yet in all substantial re-
spects the obvious advantage ID with Horact
Greeley. Each was nominated by Republi
can convention, one nt Cincinnati and the
other at Philadelphia so that i'll this respect
they may seem to DO on an equslity. But Il
, will not fail to bo observed that the conven
ton at Cincinnati was composed OF able anc
acknowledged Republicans. many OF whom
have acted with the party from it's first for
, nation, who. without previous organization
came together voluntarily for the sake OF re
form and purity III the Government; while, OF
the other hand, the convention at Philadel
phia was composed of delegates choseI
largely under the influence OF stockholders
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