Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-09-20
Frederick Douglass Appeal to Color.
ed Voters.

CoLoRED FELLow.CtTIzENs In View OF
the inaldious and dangerous advice and
counsel of Mr.. Sumner, think 1t is my duty
TO set forth few urgent reasons why we, as
q 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 liber.
ated 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 bondage under the
Slave Republic of the Confederate States
than ever before. Greeley advocated this
policy, and did his best to establish this re-
public, of which slavery was to be the chiet
cornerstone.
Second-Our first vote was cast as freed
men for Grant in 1868. Have we been disap.
pointed In the result of his Administration
Previous to that period you had no vote.
Now we have equal rights (or almost equal
rights with the white race. We can accu-
mulate property as they do; we have the
laws protection over us as they have; our
marital relations are respected; our wives
and children are our own and not the prop
erty 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 q power
that is felt; we hold the balance of power
In America no corrupt or vacillating man
can be elected to the Presidential chair un.
less 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 privileges and blessings, and vote
for man who believes that any State may
dissolve from the Union when she sees fit, oil
pass such laws as may seem to her besty Are
we prepared to vote for the nominees Of the
Democratic party, whose hearts never have
changed toward us, who kept us In slavery
as long as they had the power, and who Il
they had the power again would Ito say the
least of it) do their very utmost to restrict
our liberties and oppress us as Of old. Mr.
Sumner may deceive himself; he cannot de
ceive US; or, to use the language of the
gentleman, Mr.. James r. Doolittle, chairman
of the Convention which nominated Mr.
Greeley, one of the objects Of the nomina
tion being the "overthrow of negro suprem
| acy." And forsooth, what is this supremacy
| they so much wish to overthrow! 1t Ii
| simply the cancellation of those ordinary
privileges and blessings, enumerated il
clause second. We have no supremacy, ant
never expect to have, nor intend 10 try
| for.
Fourth--In conclusion: Be not deceived
With Grant our security is unquestionable
our happiness will be made lasting. Will
Greeley, we would enter upon sea Of
| trouble, an unknown and anxious future
Inscriptions advisers would be his friends
Our old foes would surround him, as they
even do now; and even If few stauncf
friends should endeavor to stem the coming
troubles, they would be swept away will
the torrent, and the great work OF the Re
publican party prove an abortion. 1t canno
| be that we will send one vote out of our en-
tire midst to help bring about such dire re
suits, and pray God that, when the timt
comes, every man of our race will be founC
true to the cause Of human rights to all.
FRED'K DOUGLAss