Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-08

onslaught upon the South. and in the
course of his remarks claimed that the
democratic party was the special friend
OF the negro, but at the same time gave
expression to some of his democratic
fideAs about the inferiority of the race.
This proved an unfortunate slip 1t
walked up Mr.. Rainey, the colored repre-
sentative from South Carolina, who re-
sponded for his race, with such dignity
and force as to hold the perfect attention
of the House and completely discomfit
the democratic champion.
Besides the summary chastisement OIL
Cox as the result Of the discussion, the
democrats are taught by it the difficult
task which they have, to cajole the negro
with the notion that they are the friends
of his race. so that they may obtain the
colored vote. The blacks are shrewder
than Mr.. Cox and his party. They know
to whom they are indebted for liberty.
The sneers aud taunts of democrats about
the inferiority of the black race have made
an impression that cannot be rubbed out
with tiattering words on the eve of a Pres
idential election. They cannot be brought
to give their support to party whose be-
lief is that the negro was created to be
slave to the white race. This belief is so
firmly fixed in the democratic mind that
it "will OUT accidentally, though in the
midst of an effort to flatter the negro, as
in the case of Mr.. Cox.
The following sketch in the Boston
. Journal of the debate and the scene in
the House, is one that our readers will
appreciate:
Mr.. Cox, who always will have something
G to say upon all questions, made general
! raid upon the South, and in extolling the
. democratic party, claimed that it was the par
ticular friend Of the negro race, and that the
d negroes would realize their greatest good by
!. hanging on to the skirts of that party. Ir
% the course of his remarks he made some very
10 unworthy filings at the colored race abou
70 their want of knowledge, &c. 1t was to thi
q point particularly that Mr.. Rainey responded
~ =, He showed that, if his race was ignorant,
~ was because of the opposition Of the whites
:, especially Of the political party to which Mr.
4
nc of Mr.. Cox was, that they would withhold tn
IN ~, hand of oppression and let them rise to sucl
nc place and dignity as their Intellectual power
Gu would permit them to reach. He pointed +
al the fact that in South Carolina the negroe
en- were as two to one of the whites. They hat
US all the power of the State within their grasp
no and yet he asked Mr.. Cox to point to an &C
no of theirs which was oppression Of the whit
as race. If their positions had been reversed
haA v,ct dom ,0f hov unYrld kov han
Up oppressive where the negro had showed moth
D. ing but kindness and consideration. With
n regard to the boosted friendship of the de-
e. mocracy for the negro, he said he took theil
&c votes as criterion, rather than their mere
as professions and he told them that the Sup
ID, Elementary Civil Rights bill would one da,
fe- come up for consideration, and then Mr.. Co.
he would have an opportunity of showing by
all vote how sincere were his professions Q
m friendship for the colored race. Mr.. Rainey'
ce. speech commanded the attention of all in tn
tai House, and the scene was of the most inter
iii. esting character. Standing around him wer
the true friends Of the negro-the republi
cans of the Housewife at times spplaude
!. his eloquent and well put sentences. On tn
opposite side of the hall, ard facing hin
stood the Southern democrats, many Of theI
ex-officers of the rebel army, looking with i
suppressed rage at the presumptuous niger
White SucH utHOcTdts rs OOTneeb, LiuIiuBs
and others could not conceal their disgust 1
" the scene, and became specially annoye
when the representatives, by applause, man
IT, tested their approval of what was said. MI
D. Rainey had the satisfaction, which but fe'
4. members experience in the House, Of bein
i. listened to with the utmost attention from tn
IL beginning, and at the close of his speech MI
a. Cox undertook to reply, and doubtless SCENE
Il. very witty in the eyes of his democrati
friends, but it was the testimony of all un
prejudiced spectators in the gallery that h
belittled himself very much by his pointe
va way Of talking of Mr.. Rainey as the person
W the member from South Carolina the indi
an vidual, instead Of using the customary par
n. liamentary phrase the gentleman from Sout
-, Carolina