Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-10-24
First Lessons in Citizenship.

If first impressions are abiding, the
circumstances under which the blacks
of the South are initiated into the
duties and habits of ci izenship are in
all respects most deeply unfortunate.
The lessons in which they have been
so industriously initiated are such as
must degrade, if not destroy, all pro-
per conceptions, both OF responsibility
and integrity, Midnight leagues and
dark lantern oaths, joined to rights as
truly superstitious in their effect as
any of the wild accompaniment of
Noodooism, have indelibly impressed
the untuto"ed negro nature with ideas
Of mystery and revenge in connection
with the exercise of the political fran
chisc. The blacks have not yet been
brought forward into the full day Of
citizenship, They do not comprehend
what it is to be trcemen AS members
of secret leagues, as pupils in the art
Of ambush, as taught the secret and
swift power Of sullen conspiracy, charg-
ed full with hatred and passion, the
newly-emanci pated race have enjoyed
opportunities of instruction never here
Iofore permitted to any other. AT one
end stands a Wendell Phillips, invok-
ing them in the intensest language
which his Ii ps can fashion to nourish
nothing but sullen enmities and wor-
ship only the deity of revenge; at the
other shouts and gesticnlates 'the
Wahoo of the Ogeechee," Aaron AL
peoria Bradley, summoning them to
arm themselves to man with hat
chefs, aud not to forget to carry a
plenty Of matches, IN their pockets.
These are the natural responses to the
more secret instructions Of the League
that radlatcs with its unseen nerves
from Washington through every State,
county and precinct in the South.
Supplemental to such diabolical
teachings Of political inccndiaries and
highwaymen, are those Of Morton and
Cameron, with the whole weight of
he favor of Grantism. What limit of
au1acity has been accomplished by the
deliberate Vaccinations of these twin
brother managers of the Radical cause,
the country is allowdd to realize,
though not to the full extent of its
enormity, in the elections in Pennsyl-
vania and Indiana. The black citizen
of the South has been initiated by these
great masters in political fraud into
practices that, considering his present
ignorance and impressibility, will pro-
badly never suffer their influence to be
wholly eradicated. The negro may
we'll look on astonished, to learn that
to become a citizen means a readiness
to colonize in State where he has no
legal residence, and to vote many
times at polls where he has not the
shadow of right to vote at all. Yet
this is the very first lesson taught him
in practical citizenship by the party
that assumes an ownership in him far
more degrading than any to which he
was formerly an involuntary party.
This is the high duty to which he finds
himself called, merely to perform the
basest task-work in party politics, to
furnish grist for newly invented MACH
merry that shall make false majorities,
and to run the gauntlet of the peniten-
tiary fer such pitiiul wages as cannot
relieve him from the curse of vaga-
bondage. 1t is the very height of poll
teal immorality-nay, it is the essence
Of political and social wickedness, thus
to triae with the trusting natures Of q