Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-08-22
VOICE OF THE HOUR.
ANOTHER 'ANSWEB TO SUMNER.
An Appeal to CoIorei Voters, by
Frederick Douglass.
WASHINGTON, Friday
C0Lored FeLZOlp- Citizens :


. C0lored FeJI0ao- Citizens.
In view of the insidiOus and danger
Gus advice and counsel of Mr.. Sumner,
think it is my duty to set forth few
urgent reasons why we, as a race and as
fellow.citiZens, all bound up in the same
interest, cannot and should not vote for
Greeley and Brown, but that to man
we should cast our whole weight into
the scale for Grant and Wilson:
First-We in the South have been lib
Grated from slavery by the direct agency
of the Republican party. Had Greeley
been President instead of Lincoln, we
would to-day have been in worse bond
age under the slave republic of the
Southern Confederate States than ever
before. Greeley advocated this policy
and did his best to establish the republic
of which slavery was to be the chief
cornerstone.
Second-Our first vote was cast as
freedmen for Grant in 1868. Have we
been disappointed in the result of his
administration Previous to that period
you had no vote. Now we have equal
rights Cor almost equal rights with the
white qce We can accumulate pro-
perty as they do; we have the laws
protection over us as they have; our
marital relations respected; our wives
and children are our own, and not the
property Of others we can testify in
every court; we have the right, if we
have the power, to have our brethren
elected to the Senate and Congress of
the country; we are a power that is
felt; we hold the balance of power in
America; no corrupt or vacillating man
can be elected to the Presidential chair
unless we consent to vote for him.
Third-All this has occurred since '65,
and chiefly since we cast our vote for
Grant in '6S. Are we prepared to risk
the abandonment of these great privi-
leges and blessings, and vote for man
who believes that any State may dis
solve from the Union when she sees fit.
or pass such laws as may seem to her
best Are we prepared to vote for the
nominees of the Democratic party,
whose hearts never have changed to-
ward us, who kept ms in slavery as long
as they had the power, and who if they
had the power again would (to say the
least of it) do their very utmost to re-
strict our liberties and Cypress us as of
old. Mr.. Sumner may deceive himself
he cannot deceive us; or to use the Ian
guage of the gentleman, Mr.. James r.
Doohttle, chairman Of the convention
which nominated Mr.. Greeley, one of
the objects of the nomination being the
overthrow of negro supremacy" And
forsooth, what is this supremacy? Why
so much wish to overthrow 1t is sim
ply the cancellation of those ordinary
privileges and blessings enumerated in
clause second. We have no supremacy
and never expect to have nor Intend to
try for.
Fourth-In conclusion Be not de-
ceived! With Grant, our security is
unquestionable, our happiness will be
made lasting. With Greeley, we would
enter upon sea of trouble-an unknown
and anxious future. INSCRIPTIONS adj
visers would be his friends. Our old
foes would surround him, as they even
do now; and even if few staunch
friends should endeavor to stem the com
ing troubles, they would be swept away
with the torrent, and the great work of
the Republican party prove an abortion.
1t cannot be that we will send one vote
out of our entire midst to help bring
about such dire results, and | pray God
that, when the time comes, every man
of our race will be found true to the
cause of human rights to all.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS,