The Van Buren press., 1874-03-24
Good Advice.


from South Carolina, Elliott, has lately
made a speech to his constituents at
home, in which he gives them some good
sound advice, and it would be vastly to
the advantage Of the man and brother. II
he would heed it, No better document
could be circulated than a copy OF that
speech. Any one who sincerely desires
to see the negro made competent to eX-
crcise the new rights forced upon him by
political necessity, cannot but indorse
the sentiments Of this representative oil
that race To deny ability to Elliott, is
simply prejudice and folly, and If he is
sincere in what he says, he is just the
kind of man the colored men need to rep.
resent them in Congress. The only
trouble is, that as soon as any one, white
or black, with fore sight enough to see
an inch beyond his nose, advises the COL
ored man to do right, and fit himself.
just as white men are fitted, for the du-
ties OF citizens, Mr. Negro thinks, that
man is Democrat, and will not listen
to him or heed his wise adm0ntions
Elliott is surely a Republican and a
black one. Now. it is perfectly natural
for the colorcd man to think just as be
does think ABOUT the man. who gives
."~. -'-i.o 80 I'nfott mas si.-e" in his
speech Ever since he has been endowed
with the elective franchise, the Republi-
can party has been filling his head with
notions that are not true, but are accept
able to the African nature Exciting
hopes that have been uniformly disap-
pointed, but these hopes, being begotten
by promises Of things congenial to the
feelings of the colored man, do not die
out although their realization have been
postponed to this blessed day. They
have been taught by these pretended
friends, that they are to have the lands
and other property of their old masters,
and the negro being, as general rule,
constitutionally an indolent race. much
preferred to acquire property by legisla-
ton than by the old Adamic method. In
order that their teachings might not fail
to be acceptable to the deluded coored
man, they also filled his heart with I'M
founded hatred towards his Southern
friends This course blinded him to the
shortcomings and rascaliies of these
same " friends. While the negro was
busy hating those who would have beer
real friends, the Radicals were climbing
into Office and power upon the poor ne.
gro's shoulders. Prejudice is OF rapid
growth, and takes deep root. 1t is much
easier to learn in the first instance than
to unlearn afterwards, aud unfortunately
for poor human nature. we learn error
much more readily than truth. The col
ored men have been attending the Radi-
cal school for u good many years now,
and what have they learned that is useful
to them for the future? Do the mass of
them know any more of the genius and
spirit of our government, than when he
FIRST began his attendance at that school
What has he been taught except blindly
to hate and distrust any Democrat and
implicitly trust any Republican who
wears the yoke and obeys the laws oft
Loyal League? Has he been taught to
inquire into the worthiness Of candidates
repeatedly otfered2 DO these blatant
friends inform him Of tho official doings
of his party men does he know anything
of" Credit Mohilier," of our " Spanish
disgrace, OF any of the leading ol,jec-
tonable features of the reign Of his party
Is he taught to labor honestly for his
daily bread, and led on to the acquire
ment of thrifty and Industrious habits
Let anv one who behods the conduct OF
his " friends between campaigns, an
swer. They tell him the Democrats will
deprive him of his right of voting, if they
get into power. We can say, as Repre-.
sentative Elliott says, if they ever lose
that right, it will be their own fault, not
the fault of any white man or party OF
white men. If they obstnately refuse to
acquire sufficient intelligence to guard
against imposition. they must expect to
be imposed ON. If they will never learn
that, if a man lies to them once he will do
it again and is wholly unfit for confidence.
they must expect to continue to be de
ceved Let them remember that some
good did come out Of Nazerelh, and they
may get good advice even from Demo.
Gratis Let them consult their rejecting
powers and decide for themselves whether
AS q mass, they are better circunstanced
to day than FIVE years ago. Are they ad.
va.cing, as race, in the scale OF citizen
ship. Have they so conducted themselves
as to command the respect of all fellow.
citizens. Are they, under the teachings
of their Radical friends, become indus.
trious. temperate, thrifty and compare.
lively more intelligent, than they were
ten years ago. Ii they find they have