The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-07-18


A colored Marylsnd Grant Eiec,or Re-
pudtstes tho Ticket.
BALTIMORE, July 8, 1872.
Hon. Harry S.ock5ridge. Chairman Bali
more City Delegation to The late Republ-
can Contention. i-
SIR: Please accept for yourself and
colleagues from the Fourth Oongression-
al District to thu late Convention of
April "a, 1872, my grateful thanks for
the conspicuous favor conferred by
placing my name on the Grant electoral
ticket, and the assurance OF my kindly
appreciation of this and other marks OF
confidence during my participation in
the politics of my native State. A pro-
found sense of duty to my race and the
demands of an unselfish patriutism-su-
perlor to mere partisan requirements
compel me to decline the honor, and
sever my connection with the Grant
wing of the Republican party. I enter
tain the hope that at no distant day
colored men, az American citizens, will
rise superior to the apparent selfishness
of their past political action-which has
too often been characterized by adhesion
to men instead of devotion to principles
and that they will fully comprehend
the saoredness OF the ballot and the
higher duty of citizenship. It is but
natural that, in the past, colored voters
should have been consolidated within
the ranks of that party through whose
fundamentally their rights were in part
secured, particularly when the party was
itself a unit, and the rights of the,
oolored citizen made q political issue.
But now, when some of the best men
and brightest spirits of that party de-
cline to act with it, and join with other
citizens in the formation of newer and
better party, with more advanced and
more practical ideas-within whose
ranks the rights Of all men are assured
1T ls an open question whether the Libe-
raj Republican party is not, after nil,
the true Republican party of the coun-
try.
Now that all men, of whatever creed
or political opinion, 'accept the situa-
tion," recognize the rights of all men
and guarantee their maintenance, it is
but fair to suppose that the time is really
come to permit ''the dead past to bury
its dead" and for all voters to ''come
up" to that comprehensive platform
which, while recognizing the equity of
equal rights, gives promise of perpetual
peace and prosperity to the whole ooun-
try. In the coming Presidential cam
paigu, it is of the first Importance that
colored men cast off the letters of politi-
cal vassalage, ignore the tyranny of
false and vicious party discipline, and,
like all other men, exercise their politi-
cal franchise according to the dictates of
an enlightened and untrammeled judg-
ment. Even were it possible for me to
remain on your ticket, could not ap-
prove and abet the bitter and continued
factional warfare for which the Grant
party in Maryland is remarkable, and
which is dominant characteristic OF
that party in every State in the Union.
Neither would I, on any consideration,
lend myself to the basely ungrateful
task Of villifying and bounding lifelong
friends of human liberty and of equal
rights. who, by their labors and saori-
fees. through period Of more than a
quarter OF q century, have made it pos
sible for men OF my race to enjoy the
privileges of American citizenship.
have read carefully that elaborate
compilation OF indefinite promise OF the
Philadelphia platform, and beg to sug.
gest that if, after more than eleven years
OF supremacy, and nearly four years of
absolute control Of every department of
the Governmentit!i is deemed wise to be
40 prolincin platform declaration, it is
just possible that four years longer lease
OF power will be inadequate to the full
performance Of tho stupendous task
marked out for the party at Philadelphia.
THAT complete and exact equality in
the enjoyment OF all civil, political and
public rights. without discrimination on
account of race, creed, color or previous
condition of servitude," of which the
Philadelphia Convention gives assurance,
is no doubt intended as balm for the
colored voters OF the country, and is
supposed to have great healing influence
through Republican Congress. in ut.
ter contempt OF this and other promises
made at Philadelphia.
II this Convention WAS the concen-
trated voice of the Republican pnrty,
speaking authoritatively for President,
Congress and people, it is Incompetent
sible why some of these platform senti-
ments were not at once crystalized into
Federal statute provisions. I do not
question the wisdom Of this eminently
capable and respectable body, nor do I
doubt the sincerity of these declarations: !:
but cannot lose sight Of the fact that it
is perilous in the extreme to entrust
these vital measures to other and future
Congresses, which may not, in the etern