The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1876-12-07
The Negroes as Voters.
From the Now York Herald.

From tho New Yer! Herald.
1T is commonly assumed by
prominent Republican leaders and
journals that States like South
Carolina or Louisiana must neces-
snrily be Republican because the
blacks there arc in the maio. i,y
that is to say, they assume that tle
colored voter is unmovol by reason
and necessarily supports the Republi-
can ticket. Now, if this wero true,
it would be public calamity, aud
would show that the cololed men
is unfit to be II voter; for he has
now had nearly ten years training
in political duties, and ought to be
IL more or less reasonable being,
ought at least to be affected by ar-
peals to his own interests.
But the facts are all against the
Republican assumption; many
causes have conspired to alienate the
respectable and Intelligent colored
men in the South flom their usually
corrupt and selfish white Republic
can leaders. Wo VIII enumente
only few. The failure of the
Frcedman's s Bank, inhicting dis
tressing losses on a great many in
dustrious blacks, has led many to
leave the Republican party. The
high taxes imposed by Republican
rule in such States as Louisiana and
South Carolina have induced a
great many colored property owners
to 60 over to the Democratic ranks.
The constant turbulence of these
States. compared with the orderly
condition of Arkansas and Alabama,
has led many colored mon to seek
similar quiet by giving the local
government to the Democrats
They have discovered that negroes
have all their rights in Democratic
States, and are more prosperous
than in the Republican States
Again, disappointment at not re-
cc.ving from General Grant, after
many years Of waiting, the celebrat-
ell ''forty acres and q mule" which
Republican politicians in the South
SO freely promised, has embittered
many ignorant plantation negroes
against the Republican party. The
fact that employers of labor, i'm
poverishcd by public robbery, could
not afford wages to labor, has had
its just influence, for, in some parts
of Louisiana, dozens of costly sugar
plantations are not worked because
their owners cannot afford to run
the risks of n crop with the prevail
ing high taxes.
It must be remembered That all
these pleas against tho Republican
party were necessarily and properly
urged upon the colored voters dn
ing the past canvass, not only by
the whites, but by men of their own
race. Thirty colored speakers,
prominent and influential men, can.
vassed Louisiana on the Demo
cratic side, while on the Republican,
side such influential colored leaders
rs Pinchback were silent anl absent
from the State Nor is this all
We are not to forget that in the
course of years the relations be-
tween the races have become more
kindly and confidential, anl thus
the natural and just influence of
intelligence and property has been
brought to bear upon the colorod
voter. .....
Whether tho three Disputed
States havo cast majorities for
Tilden or Hayes remains to be as
certained. But if they or any OF
them have gone Democratic. it would
be absurd and mischievous to claim
that this would be prim0 1acie
evidence Of fraud or intimidation.
On the contrary, it ought to be OK
pected as tho result of natural and
proper causes---causes SO numerous
and strong that, except for the
Federal interference during the
canvass, we should have confidently
expected such q change, and even
now the presumption lies, it seems
to lis, in favor of the Democrats
rather than the Republicans.
i" y A q