The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-08-16
Summer ,. Advice to tho colored People.
WAen1NoroN. D, @. July 90, ls72.


WASHINGTON, D, O.. July 20, 1872.
GENTLEMEN AND FELLOW CITIZENS:
am touched by the appeal you make. 1t ie
truo that am the friend OF your raco, and
am glad to be- assured that in your opinion
have held consistent course in the Senate
and elsewhere as the special advocate OF your
rights. That course, by the blessing OF God,
mean to hold SO long as life lasts. know
your infinite wrongs. and feel them as for my
own. You only do mo simple justice when
you add belief that my counsel, at this criti
cal juncture Of your citizenship, would be free
from personal feelings and partisan prejudice
In answering your inquiries I can have no
feeling except for your good, which most
an1iously seek; nor can any prejudice OF any
kind BIO allowed to interfere. Tie occasion ia
too solemn. Especially is there no room for
personal feeling or for partisan prejudice
No man or party can expect power except for
the general welfare; therefore, they must be
brought to the standard Of truth, that they
may be seen In life and act. You are right III
saying that the choice for the Presidency il
now narrowed down to President Grant OF
Horace Greeley. One of these is to bo taken;
and, assuming my acquaintance with both.
and my observation OF their lives, YOU invite
my judgment between them, asking Mo espe.
cialiy which OF tho two, judging from their
antecedents. as well as present position,
curing your civil and political rights, with the
most heartfelt aympathy and the greatest
yigor. Here remark that, in thie inquiry,
you naturally put your rights in the fore
that the bost interests Of tho whole country
are associated With the completest recognition
OF your rights, 30 that tho two races shall live
together in unbroken harmony. also re-
mark that you call attention to two things,
the "sntecedents" OF the two candidates; and
secondly. the "present position" You wish
to know from these which gives assurance of
the most heartfelt sympathy and greatest
vlgor in the maintenance OF your rights; in
other words, which, judging by the past, will
be your truest friend.
The communication with which you have
honored me is not alone. Colored fellow. cti-
zens in other parts OF the country, may say
in nearly every State Of the Union, have made
q similar request, and some complain that
have thus far kept eilent. am not insensibe
to this appeal. But ii my opinion is given, it
must be oandidly, according to my conscience.
In this spirit answer your inquiries, begin
ming with the antecedents of the candidates.
l. Horace Greeley was born to poverty and
educated himself in printing Office. Presi-
don't Grant, fortunate in early patronage, be-
came cadet at West Point, and was educat-
ed at the public expense. Ono started with
nothing but industry and character; the
other started with military commission.
One WAS trained as civilian; the other as q
soldier. Horace Greeley stood forth as a re-
former and AbolitiOnist. President Grant en-
listed as o-slavery Democrat, and, at the
election Of James Buchanan, fortified by his
vote oil the pretensions OF slavery, including
the Dred Scott decision. Horace Greeley
from carly life was earnest and constant
against slavery, full OF sympathy with the
colorcd race, and always foremost in the
great battlo for their rights. President
Grant, except ae soldier, summoned by the
terrible accident of war, never did anything
against slavery, nor has ho at any time
shown any sympathy with the colored race.
Horace Greeley earnestly desire that colored
citizens should vote and ably championed I'M.
partial suffrage: but President Grant was on
the other side. Beyond these contrasts, which
are marked, it cannot be forgott en- that Horace
Greeley is a person OF large heart and large
understanding, trained to tho support OF
human rights, always beneficent with the
never deferred by opposition or reproach, as
when for long years he befriended your peo.
pie. Add to these qualities, conspicuous in
bis life, untirinR Industry, which leaves no
moment without it's fruit-abundant political
neutrality-suspicious. with histUry-the
instinct and grasp OF statesmanehip-an
amlable nature-a magnanimous soul, and,
above all an honesty which no suspicion has
touched, and you have brief portraiture
OF what are the antcccdents Of Hor ace Gree
ley. Few OF those things appear in the Pre-
sident. His great success in war, and the
honors he has won, cannot!change the record
OF his conduct toward your people, especially
in contrast with the lifetime fidelity of his
competitor. while there are unhappy "ante-
cedents" showing that in the prosecution OF
his plans he cares nothing for the colored
REFER to the outrage he perpetrated upon
Hayti, with it's 100000 blacks, engaged in
the great experiment OF selfgovernment.
Hero IL most instructive "antecedent," re-
vealng beyond question his true nature, and
the whole is attested by documentary evil
dence. Oonceiving the idea of anne1ing Do.