Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-04-25


can organ, undertakes to assure the $4,000
colored voters Of that city. who have been.
protesting against the neglect they have
suffered st the hands Of the RepuslicanpaFs
ty, that they shall have then. "share of the
offices" if they only will make their de-
maud 'Gnside Of The party and not out of
no HappeaIs to them uct to 60 over to
the Democrats, who have no Offices to
give, bnt 10 stayU with 0fhe IRE.
publicans and take their chances.
An Of which shows conclusively
that the Republicans are afraid these shah
billy treated colored voters may go over TO
the Democrats and thus give them the ma
joritg and the Offices. There is precisely
where the shoe pinches. The white Repub-
licans have been using the negro voters in
Philadelphis just as they have been used in
the South, TO vote white men not as good
or honorable. as themselves. into office.
That is all the use the Republicans have
for the negro, and it is surprising he has
been so long finding tout. A Philadelphia
correspondent thus refers to the Republi-
can troubles in this directions:
"The breach between the colored wing
Of the Radical party and the parent stem in
this city is still agape, with little or no pros
pect of Cessation Of hostilities or COM
promise. The dissatisfied freedmen re-
main belligerent, and the favorite pastime
of the most prominent among them is to
ventilate their views in the daily papers.
They are slowly and cautiously organizing
throughout the wards in the lower section
of the city for independent political pur-
poses, and are enrolling goodly numbers.
Humanity In every day life may be likened
TO flock of sheep. If the nam who
leads jumps the bars the flock will
follow, and In this case of our
disguised colored brethren they are all
jumping the bars, led by a few bold and
sagacious leaders. The total strength Of
the colored body polite here is 10000, as l
am informed from reliable data. As each
regenerated voter is capable of casting a
ballot, not only for himself but for two or
three of his neighbors it would be COM
paratively an easy task for them to roll up
a vote of G0,009. If the string" fails to
effect a compromise in time for the nomi-
nations for city offices by the Crawford
county system in few months, it would
be difficult to foretell the result that might
follow. The ''ring" cannot afford to
lose much strength, for it is bad
repute even in its own ranks, and
then the best element of the Democracy
united with the Municipal Reform associa-
ton is going to push them hard. There
are but five colored men holding positions
under the Republican party in this city, and
these are minor clerkships, to settle the aid
they rendered last fall to the election of the
State ticket. They all agree in Saying that
they have been ignored, that they have
earned political recognition, and if they are
10 be tabooed longer, that they must split
and go their own road. 1t is the intention
of the leaders to form thorough organiza-
ton throughout the entire city, to register
every colored voter, TO educate them to see
as they see and follow as they dictate"
: The city of Philadelphia is overrun and
controlled in all its departments by "ring"
of the most corrupt politicians that ever
cursed any city or State. OF course they
are Republicans. The Philadelphia Press,
seeing the danger that menaces the city
from the operations Of this corrupt ''ring,"
appeals to honest men of all parties to
combine and crush them out. In its issue
of April 10, that paper says:
"Manifestly there can be no relief for the
people of Pennsylvania from the intense
and increasing pressure Of plunderings
than by an instant and earnest comtiDa-
ton among themselves. The last Legisla-
ture adjourned not only without an effort
TO give Philadelphia fair election law, but
after extending the term Of Mr.. Mackey as
State Treasurer, as if to provide the means
for new crop of false msjorities next Oc-
tober. This last Legislature was Republi-
can in both branches, and it has done less
or worse than nothing to protect the peo-
pie. Now what is the remedy? The Re
formers, as a single organization, with sll
their noble works and noble men, can do
nothing. The Democrats, with all
their anxieties for change, can do nothing.
The only way is for leading Republicans to
consult together and to invite the Democrats
and Reformers to cooperate with them in
the coming election against the desperate
men who seem to have no Other object but
10 make themselves rich and to ruin the
State and city. There is no other way out.
Patriotic Republicans who voted fer Hart
ranft for the same reasons that they did for
Grant, must take the lead. They can do this
the more freely, because this is non-poli-
teal year, when neither President, members
of Congress, nor Governor is to be elected, but
it is year fraught with incalculable con-
sequences to Pennsylvania. No Republic
can, and no Democrat, need forfeit his
allegiance to bis party by favoring the
movement to overthrow the corrupt com |
binatioDs which, having defeated every |
measure of relief in the Legislature, are |
now taking steps to prolong their rule in |
that body, and in the princely places in the |
Row. If our people do not move now,
they must wholly surrender themselves to |
the Rings. But Republicans must take the |
initiative. Republican merchants, manu- |
facturers, mechanics, lawyers, must set the |
and by combining with independ
ent men, Reformers and Democrats,
rid the State from the incubus
which has so long ruled Us to our ruin. |
Our best citizens are frequently aroused to |
action by the aggressions Of railroad COM
psny, the negligence of street commits
sioDer, or the corruptness Of ward polti- |
clan, and sometimes they force remedy by |
their resolution, but these are spasmodic. |
Now they must rise for immediate effort |
and prolonged action. If they fail or re-
fuse to do their duty, we hope tie Rings |
will coil around them until they are COM |
PEELED by greater wrongs to the tiercest |
measures of earnest self preservation. If |
they succeed and extinguish these wretch |
ed vermin, the Republicans can next year |
fall back into their own ranss, and the |
Democrats into theirs. This is the hour for |
the day for action, and the |
year for redemption"
The character of this appeal from lead
ing Republican organ shows the imminence
Of the danger which menaces the city and
State from the Strings" which appear to be
l peculiar offshoot of Republican rule. The
,hirty thousand negro voters in Philadelphia
nave been used to perpetuate the rule of
hese corrupt "rings." Their prejudice
against the name of Democrat has been
played upon, and they have willingly and |
olindly aided to fasten upon Philadelphia
\ class of politicians who are characterised
BY the Press Of that city as set of plum
lerers, IL is time these negro voters were |