The Portland daily press., 1876-12-23
A Democratic Dilemma.

For years the Democrats have insisted with
great vehemence that the testimony of the
negro is altogether untrustworthy, that no
charges made by him of intimidation Or out
rage are to be for moment believed, that
he can be bribed to relate any story which
may be prepared to influence Northern opin-
1on,-in short that he is born liar whom no
man should believe.
Now in this year 1876 we find these same
Democratic disbelievers in the veracity of the
negro basing their claim 10 the electoral vote
OF state upon the testimony of black men,
testimony which is, they have repeatedly
assured us, utterly worthless. If the negro
cannot tell the truth then his statements be-
fore the House committee are false. But if
the Democrats concede that they have been
wrong in their opinion, il they acknowledge
that the testimony of negroes IL trustworthy,
then they are confronted by thousands of
affidavits of colored men showing gross out
RACES and intimidation by the armed bands of
Democratic riders known as regulators. The
Democrats are welcome to either alternative.
Perhaps they will accept neither, and will
gravely argue that Republicannegro always
lies and Democratic negro always tells the
truth. The people at large however will hes
itate to accept the distinction. Perceiving
the effect OF joining the Democratic party up
on white mans honesty, they fail to per-
ceive why that act should have so different
an effect upon black man.
The fact seems to be that few black men
in Louisiana have from interested motives
joined the Democracy, that the act has been
looked upon by their teIow-blacks as treach-
cry to their race. aud that they have conse-
qaently been Stunned as renegades. But
there is no evidence that personal violence
has been used, or tha: they have been sub
jected to the terrible outrages which have
been practiced upon colored Republicans by
the White Leaguers. In the one case men
nave been socially ostracsed for betraying
the interests of their race. In the other case
they have been driven from their homes.
manned, and murdered, for upholdng those
interests. These are the differences between
the treatment of colored Democrats and col
ored Republicans in Louisiana.
THE Providence Journal, in an article on
"The Masked Candidate" says that Samuel
j. Tilden has been exposed during the past
campaign to the fierce light that beats upon
Presidential candidate, but the sun of pub
licity has refused to photograph him, and no
defined image of his personality or his char
acter exists. He Is less understood than any
man who ever occupied his position. One
looks in vain in his words and public acts for
elements of personality. "This want of open
individuality is in itself sign of character.
It is the sign of tortucus and timid nature
and when combined with ability it signifies
intrigue, dstrust of the public conscience,
lack of lofty aim or a generous policy.
From it we might expect an attemps to win
the Presidency with the arts of lawyer
managing a case, to create confusion by a
constructed claim from Oregon, to argue
from false authorities, to discredit honorable
witnesses, and cajole the jury of the country
by denying evidence, and in fact all the
means..which have thus far marked the cam
paign Of the Democratic contestant"