Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-09-24

ihaue IL necessary Iof whOic people TO unite
and act together for selfdefense and for the pres
eryation OF white civilization as untrue. and an
emanation OF that selfish spirit which in the past
demanded everything for one race and was I'M
willing to concede anything to the other.
The population Of Alabama in 1870
numbered 521,3S4 white persons and
H5,5lO colored persons. The two races
then were and still are nearly equal in
numbers; and, hence, both being citizens
equally entitled to VOTE their political
strength is about equal. The colored
people of that State, as in the other
Southern States, and, indeed, throughout
the Union, have had the sagacity to see
that the Democratic party, both North
and South, has held and still holds the
attitude of either open hostility or heart
less Indifference to their interests and
rights, and that the Republican party in
both sections has proved itself the party
Of equal civil and political rights, with
out distinction of race, color, or previous
condition of servitude" The perception
Of these two opposing facts abundantly
explains why the colored people have so
universally allied themselves with the
Republican party. They would be fools
to have done otherwise. Democracy has
never done anything for them. It has
never sought their elevation. Itopposed
the constitutional amendments, and has
opposed all legislation for their enforce
ment. 1t has never gone beyond a
reluctant acceptance of the emancipation
and entranchisement of the colored man
as an unwelcome necessity. Its princi-
pies and temper toward the negro give
the lie to its party name. The Ku-Klux
Klans were made up of Democrats and
the white Leaguers" that are now TAX
ing their place and seeking their ends are
also Democrats. The whole history of
Democracy in respect to the negro for
the LOST thirty years is fifty represented
by calling it the White Mans party.
Politically considered, it is the party OF
fixed antipathy to the colored race and
if ever a war of races shall occur, De-
mocracy will be its chief cause.
The Alabama Democrats, in their pro-
gramme of "white civilization" have not
originated new idea in the history of
Democracy, but simply brought to the
front what has long been thoroughly
"dyed in the wool" They hope by an
appeal to the prejudices of the white
men to carry the election in that State
this fall, and thus establish the ascend
ency of our GLORIOUS Caucasian civiliza-
ton" For this purpose they throw down
the gauntlet of the race issue and seek to
draw the line between races. The Re-
publicans, on the other hand, true to the
instincts and history of the party, pre-
sent the programme of American civil
zat;on as defined by the Constitu-
ton of the United States and
founded on the broad doctrine of
equal rights, without any distinction of
race. They reject the issue of race
against race. What they demand for one
man they equally demand for all men.
They propose that both races, in respect
to civil and political rights, shall stand
on the same footing. Their theory is one
of harmony between the races, without
any prescription of either.
We have hoped and still hope that the
issue of races will never in this country
develop itself into an active struggle.
There is no necessity for it, and it can
accomplish nothing but evil to both races.
Both are sufficiently numerous to perpet-
uate their own existence, and exist they
will and must under one common politi-
cal system. The colored people at the
South since their reimbursement have
undoubtedly made some grave mistakes.
The wonder is that they have not made
more. Yet there is no evidence of any
disposition on their part to force the race
issue. What they ask and what
they ought to have is the full enjoyment
of their rights as citizens, and because
the Republican party is pledged to this
doctrine they are themselves Repubn-
cans. Let Democracy squarely and hon
cstly take the same ground and then
prove its faith by its works; let it cease
to be the white mans party; and then
and not till then will it cease to be justly
obnoxious to the colored people. Till
then they plust vote against it or put in
serious ieoH ardy their own interests.
Nothing, moreover, is clearer .han that
the Republican party will not have com
pletco its mission so long as Democracy
holds to this white mans theory. 1t
fought the theory before the war, fought
it during the war, and has been fighting
it ever since; and it must continue the
fight until the theory is absolutely dead
and buried. There has been no time
since the war in which Democracy could
be safely trusted with the rights of col
ored men. That time has not yet come.
The issues of the past are by no means
dead and viii not be until Democracy
shall he dead or thoroughly reformed on
the great question of human rights, in
Guiding those of the colored people.
Were the General Government in its
hands ku-kluNism in some form would
speedily be revived at the South.
The constitutional amendments and the
laws enforcing them rest to-day just
where they have always rested-upon
the ascendency of the Republican party.
The white mans party, if in power
would repeal the latter and reduce the
former for the most part to dead letter,
1t wants a still longer quarantine to
rid IL of tho old virus of npMrO AMI innthN