National Republican., 1876-10-27
TIE VIEWS OF A PROMINENT CoLoRED
CITIZEN.
An Appeal BY George 7. Downing.

The question of equality before the law viii,
perforce, present itself. Certain individuals
who have acted with the Republican party at
tempted at the commencement of the present
canvass to ignore the question, but, as is seen,
they are convinced that it will not be ignored.
There are those besides the colored people who
will object to its being ignored; yes, parties
unfriepdly as well as those friendly object. The
South was overpowered, but not converted; it has
not been won; its nature has not been changed.
1t feels that it is aggreved it has pride it is
arrogant, domineeriDg; it is revengeful; it
was educated to the belief that it had divine
right to fog men and hold the colored man an
abiect slave. This is its present belief. The is
sues of the war involved whether all men
should be free and equal before the law, and
whether State should be coerced by Federal
force. If the Federal Government is not to
maintain and defend the freedom and equality
of all men before the law Grant should have
surrendered at Appomattox,
The subject of dispute between the North
and the South is embraced in the last three
amendments TO the Constitution, which
amendments would he a nullitY without
proper legislation by Congress to enforce the
same. 1.-THE South would approve and live
up TO these amendments there would be no
difficulty. The question of coercion would not
present itself. But iy is too evident that the
South has eermined upon an opposite policy;
il designs 10 suhiugate its blacks, be q unit
and present i'self power greater than ever
before, ard appcal Othe love of place true of
the Northern Democrat, which will cause fim
to serve the South.
Do rot regard me as an alarmist, for it is an
intelligent conviction that presses upon ME
that if this combination succeeds it will lead
10 another war. You will notice thai what is
proclaimed in the above amendments prevail
in the North, with none of the dreadful evil
consequences anticipa' ed: this would be true
ID, f,al
in the amendments, and il that intelligence
along with kindness and regard would essay
to rule accordingly, its colOred element would
yield up to Intelligence and kindness. But the
South can be changed only through the strong
arm Of power, Uy the North comm anding re-
spect, by resolutely maintaining its convic-
tions. by defending all citizens everywhere in
the Republican party. The Democratic party
favOrs the South, which is opposed to the
theory. In the North the Democratic party
does rot openly avow its hostility to the doc
trine, but all of its votes, whenever the prin-
ciples in question have been pas ed upon, are
recorded in hostility to the same.
The South makes this its main issue. The
Democratic party cowardly present others. They
hope to get into power by charging extrava-
gance on the Republican party. Yes, in the
face of the fact that the last Democratic ad-
ministration, that of Buchanan, levied upon
the people per capita tax of Sl79; while that
of 1875, under Grant, was only $1.40, ex
elusive Of the burden put upon the people by
the Democrats and the South in the late war.
The Democrats charged fraud in disburse-
meDts. There is percentage of fraud to be
expected in administrations. The same IN
der Grants present administration amounts
to 26 cents on 81 900, while under the last
Democratic administration, that Of Buchanan,
it was SG.9S on a $1,000; under Franklin
Pierce, 1886; under j. X. Polk, 1884, and
urder Martin Van Buren, S21 .15.
The Democrats talk of civil service. This is
answered by the fact that it is an axiom of
the Democratic party that to the victor belongs
the spoil. How it will carry out its rule was
seen by its action last winter in the House of
Representatives. 1t removed individuals in
discriminatory, regardless of merit and ef-
fciency, to give place to Confederates who had
fought against the Government, who were no.
toriously inefficient, who were guilty of afro
cious acts; yes, to give place to man who named
his child Wilkes Booth in honor of Abraham
Lincoln's assassin. 1t removed forty MANNED
but faithful soldiers who fought in the Union
army, removed them to make place for Demo-
Gratis of the above stripe. 1t talks of reform
in general way. l fail to comprehend the
same; the mystery increases when / think of
the fact that this pretended reform party gets
its recruits 10 great extent, from those who
violate the sanctity of an oath, who intimi-
udlc anu VIM SWARM OuJ Ol uOuSes
of prostitution, gambling dens, drinking sa-
Icons and Ike deprayed places to assist in
shouting reform. and in unfurling the Demo-
cratic flag with its mockirg inscription-purity
written thereon.
In the name of freedom and equality, of
good civil service, of economy, of genuine re-
form, of settling the negro problem, of avert
ing another brutal war, to have the Govern
ment meet its obligations, TO resist unjust and
disIoyal claims, let me appeal to patriots, what
ever their former affiliations may have been,
net to vote for the Democratic nominee for
President. He is against coercing State; he
has declared that every Northern soldier who
put foot on Southern soil was trespasser and
liable to sn action: he has yielded on the cur
reucy question; be has not favored freedom
and duty.
feel It my duty to make this statement be-
cause OF efforts being made to mislead the col
ored people, as well as others, as to these
facts. GEO. 7. DOWNING.
NEWPORT, October IS, 1876. .- -~