New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-10-03
Letter from Arkansas.

hhI ahh., Sept. 10, lNt
TO the Editor ofthe Ne,c National Era:
The campaign grows warm in this and our
neighboring State Mississippi. As the work
OF conventions is about over the men of all
parties have settled down to the business OF
canyassing in earnest, determined to win.
say in their different ways: you know that
the two great parties, Republican and Dem
oeratic, work for success by entirely different
methods. Indeed it is curious study in
politics, one interesting to the general OBJ.
server-the various arguments and policies
adopted by the Liberal Republicans" i'm
different sections Of our country to succeed
in this campaign. In the North charges
against the President of corruption OF every
nature, need of reform in the civil service,
etc. In the South--where The colored vote
predominates-th ''life-Iong Abolitionism Of
Greeley" Grant was Democrat until
1861" Sumner, Your great friend and advO-
cate, is with Greeley" etc., etc. Where the
white vote is greater, the necessity of over
throwing ''nigger supremacy" and establish
ing the good old white mans government
with which the South was blessed Of wore !:
the expectation thai the debt of the Confed-
eracy will be assumed, and that compen-
sation for slaves emancipated by the great
proclamation will lie granted under the pure
and reconeiiing administration OF the far-see-
ing Sage Of Chappaqua. Truly, "anything
to beat Grant," and any method of bringing
that anything" before the people, is the
watchword and practice of the Democratic
Liberal party in ibis campaign.
Curious and decidedly interesting also are
the means adopted here by our Liberal"
friends to convince Us that they are the true
Republicans. These means vary, of course,
with the locality in which they are used. In
this, the "bottom section" as il is called of
the Mississippi river, where the colored peo-
pie largely outnumber the whites, the cum
ming, deception policy is adopted Here, the
white gentleman takes his newspaper con-
tanning Mr.. Summers letter to his colored
votaries in Washington, goes to the "quar-
tiers" when the colored men are in from
work, reads the words of wisdom terminating
from your greatest friend, a lifelong Adolf
tionist," comments thereon, and urges his
Ns~"ASAS w VOSy thC VI tHCiI oIu
and tried friends, usually ending with, $50
with us, boys, we want harmony and good
feeling between us that have to live here to-
gether; these Yankee carpet-baggers only
come here to rob you; remember we were
all raised together, and ought to stand by
each other" Spacious arguments which the
"boys" from experience of old understand
thoroughly, and as consequence decide that
they will not regard, following the general
rule that whenever old boss tells us any,
thing about politics, we reckon it's best to 60
t'other way This is the rule the un-
educated loyal blackman of the South almost
invariably follows, and needless to say is al
most invariably right.
The country lying at a distance from the
river, not being embarrassing section, has
comparatively few colored people. There
the old rebel element prevails, and the old
rebel spirit is as rampant as ever. This sec
ton is divided between the Greeley Demo-
Gratis and Blanton Duncan Democrats. The
Greeley portion, however, is largely in the
majority, and their method of convincing is
quite different from that adopted among the
colored friends" in the 3bottoms," though
much more characteristic of the chiv-
airy. There the double barreled shot
gun and the revolver are the most convinc-
ing arguments used. White Republicans are
killed or driven from the counties in which
they have attempted to reside, and in many
cases the colored ones are persuaded to Join
Greeley clubs. These killings are not so in
frequent as is sometimes represented: the
Ku-Kux spirit is as rife as overland the
psysaasion of the colored voters, where they
are dot sufficiently strong in number to pro-
tect themselves, is matter of daily occur
renee all through this part of the South.
Wherever you hear of colored men making
Greeley speeches you may know there are
Of the most ignorant class, as intelligent col
ored men seldom live long in such sections
they are persuaded to leave or die.
There is one portion of the ''back coun-
try" in this State to which, 1 am happy to
say, the foregoing does not apply. The
northwestern part Of this State--the "moun-
tain region" as it is caled-is like the
mountain regions Of East Tennessee and
West Virginia, strongly Republican. Many
OF our leading Republicans are natives of the
mountain region, and fought in the Union
Army. The most implacable hatred exists
he tween them and the chivalry, who greatly
prefe, q genuine carpet-bagger to these South
ern /" a'ito,s, but the mountain men, true to
their faith were loyal during the war, when
it was certain death if captured to be so, and
true vet they ally around the standard o:
their and our old chief, Grant, and they and
we are determined, IS in thosa terrible days.
to carry this State for Eeiublicanism and lib
erty or perish among the rnins OF our party.
If the Liberals carry the State it will be
no fit place for our mountain friends nor tor
leading colored men in any part OF the state,
and our utmost efforts for success will there
fore be put forth.
The party in Mississippi is much more
secure than here. There the majority is large,
but we have been much panied to notice that
a strong tendency exists among disappointed
ind RI.