The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-06-13

~ Il Wv VIZ eOAsA0A VA P0OAAO nAAhAAo Al tA0
hands of the best men of both races, and
cannot but lay the foundation of a pros
porous future, that Twill not he surpsAsed
by any section OF the United SHtes
whilst the maintenance of separate and
distinct organization, based upon scolor
and opposition to the former slave-hold-
crs, must eventually lead to d complete
wreck of whatever prosperity you have
attained-for time certainly has deve-
loped the fact that You cannot depend
upon the influence of Northern politi-
cians 10 sustain you in any conflict that
may arise from your ''race, color or pre-
vious condition Of servitude." have
frequently heard your people demand
political recognition and representation,
in proportion to your numbers, on tho
same ground that the adopted citizens of
this country from Ireland, Germany and
other foreign countries claim it. In this
you forget that the second generation of
the Irish and Germans are Americans,
and have NO peculiar traits which distin-
guish them from other American citizens.
But your rlce have been here for more
than $50 years, and still they are Afri-
cans; and, should you remain 1000
years more. you will still be Africans,
although you will be American; citizens
You must remember that you are sepa-
rate and distinct type Of man.. and that
this, country is full of the deepest preju-
dice against all races other than the Cau-
casian. - --a
You should also remember that many
of the leading, Republicans of the coun-
try. in the earliest history of the organi-
zation of the reconstructed State Govern
ments, passed through, the South, and,
returning to, the North with the most
terrible statements of the opposition of
the Southern people to the National Go
yern1dept and their bitterness towards
the, oologed ,map, sssgmed,, the most
radical ground 4 and, out of Congress
fol, political purposes, Some Of them
even found their own lives in jeopardy
M their attempts to give public express
sion to their P1litical opinions while in
the South. II Ard yet, after the lapse Of a
1aX kaS s s. a Rastis. s..aS have e re-
the, North, pFeeenting another phase of
white mepo tie South and eendemning
the colored man This revolution in
feeling and Judgment ,oeR only he un-
derstood as an ndication, Of the revolu-
ton that Inns, taken place in the political
opinion Of the North, ,whiohyis now
ready TO hold you respp4sible for their
own folly and mistakes, end to unite
with the white men Of the South in your
elimihhtinn mihh from othe ,feld oof; politics.
And SO, We And that all these men, who
few .years ago, were the most violent in
hypr OF the negro, are now practically
his most nncompromising opponents.
This shows want sof, knowledge, of
huppAn nature, They should have known
at tha TINA that, 1t was, not possible
TO take 9 man out of the cotton-feld and
nnaka HIM ofo ko-
you can make, q inst man out of those
who adopt that line Of policy. ~
With the past and the present as have
presented them before you, what is
the duty of the colored people of the
South in the future? I. would say, in
answer, that whatever is to your interest
is unquestionably your duty. The ques-
ton, therefore, is: What is your interest?
I hold that your true interest is to stand
aloof from all, political parties. You
have little to hope or expect from union
with any political party, any further than
its own interest can be subserved by
afaliating with you. With this uncer-
tainty cs to their support of your interest,
and the absolute certainty Of the opposi-
ton Of every politician who believes that
he can succeed in his political ambition
without your aid, and that he can make
~ASNS ~ oPPOA6 sAA<AAA OS
you, my advice to you is to maintain an
independent position. If you quietly
stand by and see those combinations
made by which you are to be sold out,
you will make a fatal mistake. If you
are to become the subject of barter among
political parties, my advice to you is to
become party to the sale yourselves
You can make better terms with your
former masters than can the old time
Abolitionists; for if they make the sale,
you gain nothing by it in the way of po-
litical power; but, if you yourselves
enter into a combination, you can
reasonably hope to secure some share
Of political power and influence for
yourselves and your posterity. Do
not tie yourselves to any party which
will be certain to sacrifice you whenever
it has accomplished its own purpose;
but say to all parties in the future that
you will support men instead of parties
that you will support the men in whose
honor you can trust, and who will qua