The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-06-30

Sheats for Congress, replied, "because
Perrin told them to-" being asked if they
would have voted the democratic ticket il
Perrin had told them to they answered
unhesitatingly, Eyes"
But the leaders whom they thus fol
low do not instruct them in political du-
ties. They do not discuss political ques-
i tons before them. They appeal only and
continually TO the negro's fears and to bis
sense of obligation to the federal power.
In Alabama they were told that the bacon
was sent by General Grant, and its re-
ceipt made it their duty to vote the
straight republican ticket" In some
parts of Southern Louisiana the negroes
are still summoned from the field to po-
litical meetings, ''by order of General
Butler" | know of case where can
didate for q county office circulated a
printed general order" commanding all
colored men to vote for him, and signed
~. S. Grant, President" and he re-
ceived the solid colored vote One of the
most intelligent and excellent men I met
In Louisiana told me that in 1872 he had
made thorough canvass of the part of
the State in which he lives, addressing
himself entirely to the colored people, by
whom he is liked and trusted, and try
ing to explain to them the necessity for
good government and their interest in the
matter, but said he. 81 presently became
aware that was followed by republic
can, an illiterate and low-lived man whom
no colored man would have trusted with
70, but who overturned all my arguments
by whispering, Don't believe what he
tells you; they only want to put you back
into slavery. So pertinaciously has this
base insinuation been used among the
blacks that when last fall the democrats
carried Alabama know of two instances
in which colored men came into the
nearest town to ask white democrats, in
whose honor and kindness they trusted,
whether they would be allowed to choose
their own masters and whether they
would be separated from their wives and
children"
8. Human nature being what it is, no
one can be surprised that the political
leaders who found it thus easy to mass
the colored vote, who found all the fed
eral power flung into their hands and
themselves its ministers, who by these
means alone were able to maintain them
0OlFCS IA pOmOA3 ACSaIdACSo CuLlI6ly VI
the use they made of this power, that
under these conditions they should be-
come and remain both weak and corrupt.
The mass of ignorant men by whose votes
they were kept in power paid no taxes,
and were not therefore, directly affected |
by the public plundering, and the plum
der has been so great and the number of
white men engaged in it so small that
they were always able to divide with the |
more ambitious colored leaders, who, on
their part have been, as was inevitable,
easily corrupted. Nor has the colored
man been slow to learn that trickery and |
baser parts of political management
They were ignorant and poor, and saw
power and wealth in their reach; and they
did what poor and ignorant white men,
having the same temptations set before |
them, have done the world over, and no.
tably in the city of New York.
I must reserve to another letter fur |
ther discussion Of this subject, for it is
Of the utmost Importance that it should |
be generally understood in the Northern |
States that the enforcement laws, and |
The federal interference which It permits,
however necessary they may once have
been, are now purely and dangerously |
CHARLES NORDHOFF.