Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-08-07

Here was indignitY, not only to the Black
Republic, with its population of SOC, 900,
but to the African race everywhere, and
especially in our own country. Nor did it
end here For months the navy of the United
States was lowering on the coast, keeping
that insulted pc pie in constant anxiety,
while President Grant was to them like a
hawk sailing IN the air. and ready to swoop
upon his prey. This heartiess cruel prOce ed
ing found victim among our white fellow
citizens. An excellent merchant of Con-
necticut, praised by all who knew him, was
plunged into prison by Baez, where he was
murdered because it was feared he would
write against the Treaty of Annexation, and
this captivity was prolonged with the con-
nlvance Of two agents of the President, one
of whom is found constantly with him and
is part of the military ring Immediately
about him.
That such an outrage could go unpuuished
shows the regard of the President for human
rights, whether in white or black | confess
nv trial as | was called to witness these
things. Always supporter of the Admins
tration and sincerely desiring to, labor with
it, | had never uttered a word with regard to
1t except in kindness. My early opposition
to the treaty of annexation was reserved, so
-AleAN IVA 0'A-AC sAA4C Lily OHAhtoLS HGl0 uL4-
known. It was only when [ saw the breach
Of all law, human and divine, that I was
aroused, and then began the anger of the
President and of his rings military and SEN
atOrial. Devoted 20 the African race, felt
for them, beside being humbled, that the
great Republic acting through its President
could set such an example, where the Ma
tiOnal Constitution, and humanity were all
sacrificed. Especially was l moved when I
saw the indignity TO the colored race which
was accomplished By trampling'upon funda-
mental principle of international law declar-
ing the equality of nations as our Declara-
ton of Independence declares the equality of
men. This terrible transaction which no.
body can defend is among the antecedents of
President Grant, from which you can Judge
how much the colored race can rely upon his
heartfelt sympathies. .
OTHER NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF {. HEARTFELT
SYMPATHY
Nor can it be forgotten that shortly after
ward, on the return of the Commission from
this island, the Hon. Frederick Douglass, the
cOlOred orator, accomplished in manners as
IN eloquence, was thrust away from the COM
pany of the Commissioners. at the common
table Of the mail packet on the Potomac, al
most within sight of the Executive Man
sion, simply on account of his color. But the
President, at whose invitation he had Joined
the Commission, never uttered word in
condemnation of this exclusion, and when
entertaining the returned Commissioners at
dinner. carefully omitted Mr.. Douglass, who
was in Washington at the time, and thus
repeated the indignity. Other things might
be mentioned as showing the sympathies of
the President, but l cannot forget the Civil
Rights bill, which is the cap tone of that
equality before the law to which all are en-
titled without distinction of color. Presi-
dent Grant, who could lobby SO assiduOusly
for his Santo Domingo scheme, full OF wrong
to the cOlored race, could do nothing for this
benefcent measure. During a long session
Of Congress it was discussed constantly, and
the cOlored people every where hung upon
the debate, but there was no word of sc heart
felt sympathy from the President. At
last, Just before the nominating Convention,
be addressed a letter to a meeting of coIored
fellow-citizens in Washington, called to ad-
vance this cause, where he avO .ded the ques-
tion by de e;laring himself in favor of - the
exercise of those rights to which every citi-
yea should be Justly entitled leaving it
uncertain whether cOlOred people are Justly
entitled TO the rights secured by the pending
bill I understand that Horace Greeley has
been already assaile1 by an impracticable
Democrat rs being friendly to TINS bill, but
nobody has lisped against President Grant
on this account. Among the antecedents |
deem it my duty to mention the little capacity
Of industry of the President in protecting
colored people, and in assuring peace at the
South. Nobody can doubt that a small
portion of the Efforts and earnest will, even
without the lobbying, so freely given TO the
SautO Domingo scheme, would have averted
those Ku-KIux OutrageS which we deplOre,
rh..t 81 Ia- hoa
for further legislation by Congress. But he
was disabled, both by character and the
drawback of his own conduct. After viola
ting the Constitution and international law
to insult the Black Republic, and setting
an example of insub0rdlnation, he was not
IN condition to rebuke law-breakers.
tbs TWO CANDIDATEs-CINCINNA AND PHILA-
DELPHIA.
Second Passing from = Anteeedents
come now to the present position of the two
candidates. which is the sahiect of your next
inquiry. If, in any former particulars, the
two are on an equality, yet, in all substan-
rial respects, the obvious advantage is with
Horace Greeley. Each was nominated by
Reform C0nventi0n-One at Cincinnati and
the other at Philadel phia-so that in this
respect they may seem TO be on an equality.
But, it will not fail to be observed, that the
Convention at Cincinnati was composed
If able and ackn0w led ged Republicans, many
If whom have acted with the party from its
irst formation, who, without previous or
came together voluntarily for
he sake of reform and purity in the Gov
srnment; while, on the other hand, the
Convention ut Philadelphia was composed of
delegates chosen largely under the influence
lf ofice-hOlders, who assembled to sustain
what is known as Grantism, being the per-
sonal government and personal preteusiOns
IF President Grant, involving nepotism, re-
oayment of gifts by official patronage, neg
ect of public duty, absenteeism, military
.ule. disregard of Constitutions and law,
With general unfitness and indignIty to the
,oIored race All of which is 50 un-Repub-
lean as to make its support impossible for
rue Republicans. Therefore the ConVen-
ion at Philadelphia, though. calling itself
Republican, was less Republican than that
t Cincinnati. The two platforms, 80 far
s concerns especially the cOlOred race, are
like in substance: but that Of Cincinnati
expressed in terms most worthy the equal
lights it states and claims
We recognize the equality of ali men before
ne law, and hold that il Is the duty oi the Govern
lent IN its dealings with the people 70 nete OUT
lual and exact justice to ALL OF whatever nativity,
ace, color, or persuasion, religious or POLITICAL
In other respects the platform of Cincin-
att is the most Republican, inasmuch as it
cts itself against those un-Republican
buses which have been nur5ed by the Pres
lent into pernicious activity.
THE SUPPORTERS OF GRANT AND GREELEY
From the two nominations and two plat
,rms come to the supporters of the can
idates, aud here | look first at those imme-
lately about them; and secondly, at the
opular support behind Horace Greeley
as among has immediate supporters IN all
arts of the country devoted and consistent
republicans, always earnest for reform and
urity in government, on whose lives there
no shadow of suspicion, being contrast
, character to those rings which play such