The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-03-11
Negro Revolt from Republioanism
National Independent Political Union.

"e"v"ai huoPVHuchi FonuCai OhiOh'
Negro Declaration Of Independence. Repub-
Acan Fafthlessness aud Cor1pfions Err
posed and Scdthfng.y Denoimcedby Colored
At largely attended meeting Of the
eolored citizens Of the different States,
held in the City of Washington, on Feb,
ruary 2Sth, 1876, the following was unan-
imously adopted and, on motion, it was
ordered that the document be printed in
circular form for distribution throughout
the United States
We, eolored men, representing nearly
all the States and Territories Of the United
States, believing with the fathers, that
the happiness Of the people is the sole end
of government, and taking into considera-
tion the unhappy condition now existing,
growing out Of the prostration Of business,
the decrease Of commerce and the heavy
taxes forced from an impoverished people
to carry out the extrayagancies of an ad-
ministration become infatuated by sordid
ambition, and taking into consideration
the dnplicity, want Of faith, corruption,
yaciating policy and selfish motives Of the
Republican party to which we have been
allied since we became citizens, and for
which we have sacrificed so much, do
hereby denounce it as being the primary
cause Of all the wrongs committed against
us, the impeder of the progress and pros
perity of the country, because it has never
ceased to use US as cover for its base
designs, usurpations and eneroaehments
upon the liberties Of the people Of the
South, aud, therefore, we sever all con-
nections with that intamously and tyraa-
nicaty administered organization, for the
following reasons:
For its palpable violation Of the princi-
pies upon which it is founded for its fail
ure to fulfil its solemn promises made if
National and State Platforms; for the po-
litical serfdom in which it has kept our
Southern Brethren whose impolitic band
ing together has perpetuated its supremacy
to the detriment of the material prosperity
and tranquility Of the States in which they
live; for establishing bank, ostensibly for
the benefit Of the Freedmen, but actually
for the pecuniary advancement of knavish
bankrupts, favorites of the administration,
and appointing men of speculative ability
and doubtful characters to control it, who
have not only mismanaged, but stolen
millions Of our hard earnings, thereby re-
ducing us to object want, and for persist
emily refusing to pass any Legislative meas
ure for the reliefthe ignorant, but confiding
men and women who deposited their all
in that pseudo f'hilaathropic, but ruineus
receptacle, only because Of its Republican
character; for ignoring intelligent colored
men Of undoubted integrity in the distri-
button Of the patronage, and appointing
either ignorant blacks who were used as
administration tools, or infamous whites
who depleted the treasures, and prostitu-
ted the Offices for political preference, even
In States where the overwhelming numer-
ical strength Of the blacks make Republi-
can ascendency possible; for banding ig-
norant colored men against their white
fellow citizens, in order that greedy and
Inscriptions cormorants from the North
may ride into Office and then leave them,
after amassing fortunes and attaining honor
and fame, the enemies Of those who would
have otherwise befriended and protected
them; for conniying with white men inim-
ical to our best interests and relentlessly
bent on engendering class hatred for party
ends, whose plundering and coersive legis-
lative measures and Unsuitable thirst for
gain have made Of the fair fields of the
South bowling wilderness, and palsied
the very energies of the people; for ravag-
ing treasures, running whole communities
by oppressive taxation, increasing the state
debts to fabulous amounts, and goading
the people to desperation; for usurping
powers not delegated to the general gov
ernment; for throttling state legislatures
and expelling the peoples representatives
from State Capitols by force and arms,
thereby substituting military despotism
for civil authority; for disgracing the
American name and character abroad by
the appointment of gamblers, stock joJJers,
sioindlers, and men whose villainous char
acters were known to the appointing power
as Ambassadors, Consuls and Diplomatic
Agents, for speculating with the finances
of the country; for aiding and abctting
conspirators to defraud the public treasu-
ry; for unprecedented extrayagance in the
administration of the government; for sus-
tanning the Executive in the practice Of
nepotism and in the appointment Of per-
sons to Office to whom he was indebted for
favors received, and many unconstitutional
measures, such as the appointment Of
military Satrap to negotiate treaty with
out being confirmed by the Senate; for
using the public revenues to carry cleo
tions; for creating and maintaining Board
of Public Works, a Board of Audit and a
Board Of Commissioners, who have, in
violation Of law, prostituted the credit of
the United States, piled up an enormous
debt on the people Of the District Of Co
lumbia, subsidized presses and paid law
yer's fees for personal defence with public
money, corrupted corrupt contractors for
personal gain, fraudulently issued bonds
and certificates, and left the city bankrupt
with unfinished streets and sewers; for
packing the Supreme Court Of the United
States in order to obtain decision favor
able to the policy of the administration,
and tampering with the Judiciary of states
to the detriment Of the rights and liberties
of the people; for prostituting the civil
service for the promotion Of favorites,
brothers-in-law and other relatives to high
Offices of trust and emolument; for appoint
ing incompetent and infamous knayes to
judicial positions in Southern States, not
withstanding the solemn protests Of the
most respectable and enlightened citizens
Of said section; for cheating labor in de-
fianee Of the eight hour law which guar
anteed two dollars per diem, TO all laborers
on government work, by paying them one
dollar and seventy-6ye cents per diem and
forcing them TO work ten hous; for re-
moving faithful officials for no cause,
other than that they would not screen
guilty friends Of persons in high Office,
and violators Of law because oir their eocial