Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-11-25
THE NEGRO VOTERS.

There were not wanting Republicans
and influential ones at that, who We've,
the Fifteenth Amendment, to secun
! the liglt Of suffrage to the American
J negroes with alarm and dis,rust 1t wa
not but they believed the principle tha
underlying it to be the correct one, fo
all iiboralthiukers mustalm;t that if colot
alone was the only disqualification Of tn,
race, it amounted in strict justice to nc
disqualification whatever. But thepolc3
Of onrranchising large class who had
been sladiousy kept in ignorance all
thoir lives was IL doubtful one at best
and one to be justified only Icy the eAi-
gencjes which called it into being. 1t
was, in fact one OF those advanced theo,
ries Of Mr.. Sumner, who was one of the
most radical thinkers Of his party. But
the po,ioy was adopted and some ofthe re-
suit, feared are now upon us. 1t will
nardy be denied that these results pre-
sent SOME serious questions for consilera-
:ion. In the Grst place il las greatly in
creased the political strength Of The
South in the House Of Representatives
and in the Electoral College. The gro
population, numbering in that section
some four millions, causes twonty five
or thirty representatives to swell The
list Of the South, snd gives that much ad-
dtionai strength to the party able to con.
troll the vote. No one win question but
this vote viii, if not improperly iuAuenc-
ed, be cast for the party which gave it
Freedom aud the rights Of freedom, at
least for the present time. For it is Il
lnct TO which we cannot shut our eyes
that this class OF voters, if treated with
kindness by, and acquiecs a confidence
in the Old masters, will be apt to be in
nueuccd more by them than by strangers.
Such, we believe to be the case already in
such States as Virginia, Kentucky, and
other Of the former slave holding States
where, the Institution Of slavery partool,
more Of the old patriarchal character
where the greatest fear Of those in bond
age arose from the dread Of the scpara-
ton Of families. This, however, is not the
case in what Is known as the "Cotton
States" There the slaves were general
~ owned By large planters, the place Of
The master was supplied by overseers,
and the negro was valued just in proper
ton to his services. With this class lift
ed almost at one bound from the depths
Of bondage to the high dignity Of citilcn-
ship aud placed upon political equality
with their former masters, the fear Of
return to their former condition Of servi-
tude viii lie one pregnant with danger
They are ignorant and mlottcrod, but
they cannot fail To see that their lihcltic.
and privileges rs freedmen are safer un-
der Republican than Democratic rule
And that the aim OF Democratic local
legislation win be opraciicaIly re-estab
lish slavery, by legislation which viii be
made to bear heavier upon Tint class
than any other, is thing we have to
fear notwithstanding the fair promises Of
Tlacn, Wade Hampton, Colquitt and
others Of the Democratic leaders, The
fact Of Democratic supremacy win arouse
the jealous fears Of the race, and mike
them almost ready TO believe anything.
however improbable, if one tenth Of the
reports Of intimidation and prescription
which have reached Us are true. 1t is
not to be expected Of human nature, even
if wrapped H. n dark -Lin That it will
tamoly submit to n deprivation Of rights
without resistance, Hence the reports
which have already reached US Of the ne
eroes being angry and excited at the news
Of TiIden's presumed snccess. Many OF
the more ignorant Of them doubtless be
lieve that to be but prelude to the re-
Establishment Of the old order Of thing.
We fear this feeling Of di.tmst viii, III
no distant day, culmiuate in serious
trouble, especially ifthis Democratic re-
action be followed by some OF theopDros
sive State legislation which characterized
the first attempts at reconstruction I'M
der Andrew Johnson's administrations
There are laws already in forcein some
Of those States which, as samples OF IN
friendly Legislation toward tie colored
race, occupy a position analogous TO The
legislation Of lhis State towad the Chi
rc.e did some years ago. This j, wrong
1t is a violation olnotional laws and no
matter which party is in the a-candency
such laws should be swep. from the stat
utes Of the various States.