The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-08-30

ING, AUGUST 30, 1872.
lie MR.. GERRIT SMITH,
"a HIS Reply to Mr.. Greeley's Mont
or Piece, and His Advice 10 the Nsgros
:, MIR. Gerrit Smith has replied to Il
~ criticisms leveled at him through Il
- organ OF Mr.. Greeley, and in cours
= OF his letter he makes the followin
~ remark. He is speaking of the Den
~ ocratic Party:
- This Infamous party is as muc
> worse than it was four years ago, q
! its sympathy with and practice {
y Kukluxism since that time woul
a naturally and necessarily make il
:, Within these four years Kukluxisr
y has ripened into the most revoltin,
= crime the world ever saw: and th
= Democratic party, which is th,
= prompter and the very soul of Ku
kluxism, has ripened into the mos
depraved party the world ever saw
. Within this time thousands of per.
sons, simply because they were no
.. Democrats, have been shot or hung
. many dragged from their beds ant
! whipped not few OF the men mu
tilated, and not few of the woman
suffering the greatest outrage which
woman can suffer. Say not that
am yrona In charging all this. .upor
the DemocraIlc farsy. Xu2uxlsm
is the Democratic Party, and the
Democratic Party is Kukluxism.
Cheerfully would we all admit to the
worlds esteem the Democracy OF
former times. But modern Demo
cracy is hell-born. Abundantly did
it prove its origin by its treason in
our civil war. Far more abundantly
has it proved it by toll)wing up that
treason, as indeed it would entirely
natural and consistent it should do,
by the far more foul and murderous
crime OF Kukluxism. Who that OBJ
serves the spirit OF the Democratic
party, a. it is revealed in its purpo-
ses and policies, and especially in its
whole Press, does not hold this party
responsible for Kukluxism2 Who
that glances at the solid votes which
this party cast, even in the last ses-
sion Of Congress, against all legisla-
tion to protect the poor innocent
helpless objects OF its Kuklux rage,
and against the Civil Rights bill also,
can fail to identify Democracy with
Kukluxism
l may have been wrOng-I proba-
bly, was wrong-in my willingness in
1868 to help the Democratic party |
elect even an old abolitionist- But a
very dull scholar should 1 prove my
self to be, if, after all that the last
four years have taught me OF the "op-
preston, cruelty and murder" OF the
Kuklux Democratic party, / should
still consent TO help that party elect
any man--be it even that oldest and
worthiest OF all abolitionists, William
Lloyd Garrison
Very desirous am that justice be
done to woman, and that the land be
relieved OF its maddening and MUIR
derous dramshops. But my first du-
ty is to my colOred brothers and sis
ters. 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 / see q great party, ,encourag-
cd by its disaiIected recruits from an
other party, continuing to strike at
the liberty and life OF the black man.
1t is true that Kukluxism is no
longer rampant and defiant. 1t is
quiet now nearly everywhere-but
simply because nearly everywhere
it is under Grants iron hand. Let,
however, that hand be Withdrawn
and then whether it be Greeley or
any other Democratic candidate who
shall succeed Grant, the South will
again be q hell OF horrors. What
nonsense, that Greeley will, II elected,
change the character of the Demo-
cratic Party! That party will change
him. 1t has already changed him.
His New York Tribune has already |
become q Democratic newspaper. |
Both Ii and he are already construed
to advocate the Democratic interpre-
tation that the white men Of State
have the right to do what they will
with the black men Of the State: My
dread, however, OF Greeley is not 80
much that he will become President,
as that by availing themselves of the
power of his name over many sleepy
and sleazy Republicans and over not
few self.seeking Republicans, the
Democrats will be able to obtain q
majority in the House of Represent
atives. 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 freemen be
surrendered to their old oppressors.
Black men, be not deceived By this
cry for "rsconciliation!' 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 Re-
publican Party for all your rights.
Oh you Democratic knaves and Re-
publican dupes, who dwell on the
duty and delight Of reconciliation
between the Democratic Party and
the negro! Some prOfane interpre-
tsrs 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, it is not wit
but sober truth that the only condit-
ion on which the Democratic Party
will consent to be reconciled to the
negro is that the negro shall surren-
der 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 mur-
derously deceptive than this cant
about reconciliation" Heaven for
bid that any black man shall be car
ried away by 1T! That miserable
man Voorhees,, Of Indiana, has also
come out for Greeley and "reconcili-
ation." AS he still cries out against
letting the black man vote, we can
learn from him what's the Democratic
meaning of Greeley and "reconcilia.
tion" with the negro.
Black men, be not deceived by this
cry that Grant is Democrat and
Greeley q Republican. 1t was Grants
misfortune, as 1t was 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 Repub-
lican Party-of that party which
broke your chains and which stands
up for all your rights. On the other
hand, Greeley, who was Republican,
is now at the head of the Democratic
Party-of that party which has ever
been your enemy; which kept you in