Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-07-10

VIZ E-cpNANF O"AN4g nG-o ILC DAdlChs
who seldom owns real estate, used.by a
few designing whites, to lay taxes, to
make laws, to carry on the government,
regardless of the wishes and rights of
the great body of intelligent and sub
stantial citizens. Mr.. Nordhoff men,
tions many counties in which the col
ored men pay in all less than 81, 600 of
the annual taxes, and yet are in SO
great d majority that their votes, mass
ed by INSCRIPTIONS demagogues of
both colors, constantly waste and mis-
apply the taxes Of the county. Inevit-
ably in such cases there must be a feel
ing of hostility by the whites
toward the blacks, and it is an evidence
of the good nature of TIE mass of
whites that in the main they conduct
themselves toward the blacks kindly
and justly. They concentrate their dis.
like upon the men who have misled and
now misuse the black vote. 1t is COM
monty said, 'the negroes are not to
blame; they do not know any better"
On the other hand, aa the feeling is in.
tense it Is often undiscriminating and
includes the just with the unjust among
the Republicans. Hence what is called
''ostracism," which viii last Just as
long as the color lineis maintained, and
as long as Republicans maintain them
selves in power by the help of the black
vote.
Considering the system of intimida-
ton by Republican leaders under which
the blacks have suffered, and their be-
lief that the Democrats would in some
way injure them, Mr. Nordhoff thinks
it absolutely necessary to the final po-
htical settlement of every Southern
State he has visited that it shall have
for at least one term q Democratic
State Government. In this way alone
can the cOlored people be relieved of
the fears which have been impressed
upon them. In Arkansas this condition
has been reached, and the color line is
substantially broken. The negroes,
seeing that the Democratic victory
brought them neither wrong nor out
rage, settled down to work, and many
of their leaders in all parts Of the State
were inclined to act with the Demo
cratic party. This, On the other hand,
stands already On the verge Of a d.
vision which no efforts Of the Demo-
cratic leaders can prevent, and it is
probable that in 1866, thevoters of Ar
kansas viii divide into two parties, re-
gardless OF the color line.
In Alabama the same change is
going on-au over the State. In tn Z,
local elections, independent candidates
are springing up; in Montgomery,
Opelika and other towns a body of
negroes has voted the Democratic
ticket, and it is certain that if Gov.
Houston firmly and impartialIy exc
cutes the laws and sees that equal pro-
lection is given to all, the Democrats
will secure for 1876 a large part of the
colored vote. Nothing can prevent this
wholesome and necessary reconstruc-
ton Of parties, except the interference
of the Federal power.
The Civil Rights bill, which was so
strenuously pushed through the last
Congress by men who aimed to be the
especial friends Of the negro, is, in Mr..
Nordhoff's opinion, q dead letter in the
South, and must be so, because the
negro does not demand or care for its
enforcement. It's adoption was, from
every point of view, one of the most
singular political blunders of the age.
Strongly confrmatory Of the state
ments made by Mr. Nordhoif as to the
feeling entertained by the negroes to-
ward the whites whom they have fol-
lowed with such blind devotion as POI
Htical leaders, is the following plain
talk from Fred. Douglass, made at a
celebration near Washington on the
5th inst: "All we ask is a fair field
to work in and the white man to leave
US alone. We have been injured more
than we have been helped by men who
have professed to be our
friends. They are lawyers without
clients, broken down ministers without
churches, wandering teachers without
schools. They are great beggars.
They have the gift Of begging down to
a nicely. They are great at getting
ont circulars. They scatter them
broadcast oyer the land as leaves be-
fore autumnal gales. If yoa are worth
anything they will find out where you
live; and if yen never got letter be-
fore you will get one now. Fellow
citizers, We must stop these men from
begging for US. They nisrepresent US,
and cause the country to LOOK upon US
as d poor and helpless people"
Referring to the Freedmen's Savings
Bank, he said; I'VE have had Freed
mems Savings Institute, but we don't
want any more. Our white friends
told us that if We had cents, to bring
them to them, and they would take
care of them; and if we had dollars, or
hundreds, or thousands, also to bring
them to them. They told us they had
a goose and a golden egg. Yes, We