Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-01
Brownsville States.

Back on Him-SeVeu Negro Con
stables Elect i'm the Same Predica-
ment.
Brownsville States.
Feilow-citizens: At the earnest sOlicita-
ton of the most prominent white Republi
cans Of our town and county of Haywood,
l became a candidate for the Office of Cir
cult Court Clerk, and in the election held
Aug. g, l was duly elected. The next step
was for me TO procure a bond (Or bonds
men) which l thought would be little
trouble, relying upon our Republican
friends, who assured me, prior to the can
vass and during the same, that my bond
would be all right. The canvass was
heated one, (there being a split in the Re
publican ranks, made it more so than
would have been Otherwise.) | took sides
with neither wing, but fought for myself
individually and the Republican party, but
for neither wing. During said canvass Il
stated that the white Republicans Of Hays
wood county owed it to the cOlOred voters
of said county to give me a bond, and if
they did not, / would meet them
with it. Hence, gentlemen, TO be a
man of my word, l pen this article
for your earnest consideration, being fully
aware of the fact it will meet your earnest
disapproval. However, | believe | am
right, for who would he free must himself
strike the blow. The black people of this
county have been very generous ever since
the reconstruction Of the State. | may
ask: Who did t e voting? Echo answers:
Black men! Who hold the offices? Echo
resounds: White Republicans And new
er before have the colOred men looked for
or asked a favor from these men whom
they, by their suffrages, have been perpetu-
ating in Office for the last eight years. And
they. l alone, expected to see those
who have grown fat on the spOils Of office,
and harp OH their Republicanism near
election days, come up and show their col
OTIS, or face the music in the way Of giving
me bond. And, Oh, how they came
like BanquO's Ghost, or, like Rip Van
Wrinkle, after a sleep of thousand years
in the wilderness, he awakes, rubs his
eyes, sees the fellow who wants bond-he
is black-his hair is shOTt-they imagine
they are not quite out OF the wilderness,
they roll over and with yawn, say, 'We
can't see it, but the other fellow both sees
and feels it. Now, gentlemen, l am Re-
publican. hut as such do not let my ell
thusiasm for party name run away with my
better Judgment. | like principle better
than party. | am, or endeavor to be, man
of principle, Though black) and | do moi
hesitate to say, that all who know me are
satisfied that have conducted myself as q
man of principle, in asserting my rights,
and according To all men, the same priv
lege when it was in my power TO do so.
I have applied, as such, to men OF my
party, and thought they would be with
me to the end, to 60 on my bond, and they
make paltry and puerile excuses, as re-
compense If my labor dur ng the canvass,
for the success Ofthe Republican party. an
now told to ''paddle my own canoe
am no beggar. l simply asked them to GO
on my bond, and if they cannot conceive
the truth Of my statement, viz: they owe II
TO colored voters TO do so. ] prize my
manhood too much to humiliate myself be-
fore them in the attitude of a beggar.
have said they should hear, and meal tC
be heard. You may say / have sold ont;
have gone to the Democrats; this IS all you
can say, but ask yourselves the question
Have Won treated me right? and when 1t Is
answered, | can say you sold me out, but
am not so great fool as TO let you sell any
ole else. Now we consider that you have
been driving tEis team about long enough
we imagine it is pleasant to hold the reins
and crack the whip, and we propose to Try
tive are the true Republicans. We
had \ dream. and in that dream
we saw aud realized how nice 1t was
10 drive the team and then say how