New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-11
SOME ADVICE TO JONAS

If Mr. jonas were the great man Iii
friends set him up for, he would explain
his statements as he makes themo or else
| he would leave something qnsaid that he
persistently insists on SAYING As, for in.
stance jn describing the Grant parity he
says:
| It has under It's control vote chat Is
massed together In ignorance. 1t controls
nearly the entire negro vote as machine;
it keeps it from the light of day; it
whispers TO it faisehOOds at night: it works
| upon 1T at night when honest men are in
their beds; il blends this ignorant material
together at Its pleasure
This is what Mr. Jonas says shat we
think he ought either to leave unsaid, or
else he ought to explain it fully TO his
hearers Perhaps Mr.. Jonas dare not
whisper that which he ought to proclaim
daily. and which he would proclaim, if he
We're statesman.
What effort did Mr.. Jonas or his ad-
mlrers ever make to release the cofored
people from the bondage of that ignorance
which is now the fastening that binds
them to the Grant party? Why should the
negroes be intelligent enough to under
stand political questions when the Jonas
party has constantly cast inpediments in
the way Of their obtaining higher de-
gree Of intelligence? Is the Democracy
any better off than the Grant party in
this respect? Its members may read more
newspapers ana write few more letters
but do they read and write with a clearer
understanding than the GRANTEES do2
Somehow it strikes US that the negro has
the advantage in this respect, for it is our
experience that more Of them read Demo-
cratic papers, according to their ability,
than there are white people that read Re-
publican journals. The one. hears both
sides, the other confines himself to but
one, and this gives the negro the adYan-
tage that he possesses of knowing what
the Democracy intend to do, while the
refusal of the Democrat to read the Re-
publican papers condemns him to live in
Ignorance Of what one-half Of the com
munity proposes to do with him. Really,
it is doubtful question. whether the 10
of the colored people is as bad |
as that of the whites. One fact: at least. |
stands out in bold relief and Mr.. Jonas
proclaims its existence and enforces its
efficiency: that the intelligence Of the ne
gro is sufficient to teach him how to
utilize his strength to the greatest advan-
tage, and this is more than Mr.. Jonas
dares to insist upon on behalf of his own
friends. With all their strength they are
incapable of winning victory over those
they condemn SO unjustly.
The explanation that Mr.. Jonas should
make to his hearers is this: that thew
should help the negroes to. throw off their
ignorance rather than seek to plunge them
deeper into it. If Mr.. Jonas will set out
out with campaign speech made up on
our plan he will show himself more Of a
statesman than he has heretofore done
out we caution him that the probabilities
IRE he will lose the support of his present
.dmirers whenever he essays to adopt our
That be ought to do so he
when he deplores the ignorance
# the colored people; that he does not do
20 is the best evidence that he is not a
capable provider against the evil that he
the existence Of Let him
onow our advice at once by telling his
rlends that, since there is a large element
n the community that needs instruction.
md since the ignorance of this element is
2elng abused by selfish men, it is tie
lufy Of ting white people, in self-defense.