New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-08-21
WHITE MANS GOVERNMENT.

| palgn OF that year. For opposing the
issue Of color at that time we were threat
ened, reviled and hooted at by Democratic
professions as they passed our Office, and
it was particularly dangerous for white
men to be seen marching in Republican
PROFESSIONS, because at that time they
were composed chiefly Of colored men.
We have steadily labored to harmonic
the black and white elements of society
in the South because we deemed the best
! interests Of the country demanded such a
| course. About one-half of the population
| Of the Southern States is composed of
colored people the people who, in a great
measure till the soil and perform the
manual labor Of the country. They make
the most Of our cotton, sugar, rice, corn,
etc, and many Of them follow useful oc-
equations in our towns and cities. They
are in fact the bone and sinew Of the
Southern country; We're so in the days Of
slavery and are So at the present time. With
out the aid Of the old free States Of the
Union cOlored men in slavery could not
have been made freemen, invested with
civil and political rights. White men re-
leased the negro from bondage and made
him their equal before the law; raised him
to the dignity of citizenship, and placed
within his grasp the means Of education.
While the people of this country were
doing this for four millions Of its iQhabit-
ants, suddenly lifted from slavery to the
position Of freemen, they, together with
a few white men in the South, were en-
deavoring to educate the intelligent South
ern mind Of IL enlarged standard of
freedom, education and progress assumed
by the government Of the United States.
1t has taken seven years to alIay the deep
seated prejudices of the Southern mind
against the advancement of the negro
race in this country; and just as it is be-
coming reCOnciled to the changes that
have been wrought since 1861, and the
Democratic element Of cur country has
agreed to fully accept the situation" and
abandon any further attempts to make
"a white mans government" a political
ISSUE we find the question of color at |
tempted to be raised by colored men
themselves. This is most unfortunate, be- |
cause it viii naturally revive the old |
prejudice against the negro as a voter.
This prejudice was 50 strong in this State
in 1868 that the negro was not permitted |
to vote, notwithstanding the law gave him
that right At that time he was driven
away from the polls by white men, who, |
regardless Of law and Democratic prin-
cip!e, were attempting to make the choice |
Of President rest upon color instead Of |
principle. Now the question Of color
comes up again; and this time the colored |
man is threatened by coIored men The |
coIored voter is not free to vote as his |
Judgment directs. Negro ruifianism ma
tcrially interfered with fair election in
North Carolina. Colored men were not
permitted in many Instances to- vote for
the men Of their choice. They were COM
PEELED to vote for the friends Of President |
Grant or driven from the polls. It is
asserted that coIored men who expressed
a preference for Mr.. Greeley were mObbed
and driven from their homes and others
actually killed One colored man by
the name Of Young voted for Mr..
lIerimon, the Liberal candidate for
Governor Of North Carolina, and
before he could leave the polls
was killed by colored Grant man with
pitchfork The enforcement law did not
seem to be strong enough upon this par
icular occasion to prevent colored men
from interfering with the rights Of voters.
As far as we can learn, the last election
in North Carolina was anything but a fair
one, and the papers in various portions of
the country are already discussing Gamer
lean politics and the Southern negro as a
voter" The Chicago Tribune commences
a. recent article as follows: "Recent events
which have transpired in North Carolina,
in connection with the State campaign and
election, are already beginning to suggest
he question whether the political power
welded by the negro clement in the South
S not a serious menace to republican in
If negro ruffians are to pre-
dominate in the Southern States and com
Del voters to vote the tickets that are
placed in their hands, it certainly will be
by the American people as a