Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1876-09-16

fish ends. The colored people of
the South have been made to be.
licve from the start by their pre-.
tended Republican friends that
there was money in politics, so
much 20 that it has been impOssi.
BILE in very many instances to get
good, honest cOlOred men in 0l6e,
becas,se they could not be nsed to
wink at whatever white Repub.
licans might do tLat was corrupt.
The most illiterate, unprincipl-d
cOlored men are generally chosen
for Office by the white Republicans
of the South because they are
easier to manipulate. White men
have been elected to Office by ne.
gro votes who scarcely had a Sc
cond shirt to their backs before
being installed in Office; q few
months later they are sporting fine
horses, gold watches and chains,
smoking fine cigars, and purcha.
sing fine dwellings, travelling, etc.
The black man notices this and
Immediately makes mp his mind
that the next time he is asked to
vote he must receive something,
if not he must have an Office,
whether competent or not. The
rebels soon become eyasperated,
and murder a few white Repub'
lican officials, and they invariably
throw mp their offices and run tC
the North, leaving the negro to
stand the storm. se 3 5,s
James Redpath says: at is the
greatest problem Of our time,
and q most complex problem.
Let me slkte it broadly. If We
give military protection to the ne
gro in all elections in South Caro-
lima, Mississippi and Louisiana
where thsrr is n large black ma
Ijority, we shall establish y system
of government which no white
! race on the face OF this eartF
either ought TO endure or win en-
dure." .ssa
And the other side of the pro
hlem reads: "If We fail 70 protec'
the negro in the right of, snffrag'
we thereby surrender the States
OF Sonth Carolina, mississippi, ant
T.OuisiaHa to the same.banliti VIII,
drove those communities into civi
war; s0.r ~
This reminds one of the Demo
cratic platform In reference to th'
finances of the conntry-its
puzzle to tind out which side it i
on. Mr.. Retlpath Winds up rs fol
lows: "As Mr.. Tweesl remarked
What are sou going to do abOu
lits We must do something. Mas
Iterly inactivity means dastardl.
surrender. To legin, with, VI
must comprehend the situation
and above all we must not ii
labont it. And we must reinemb
er that after all the negro has du
ties and that after all the rehe
has rights too" e :
| We admit TINT the negro lia
duties, and contend that ii honest
| lylet alme lIe would perform thos
iluties; but % long ~ the "whit
ra,sr tleccitfnlly feel that some
thing sqpecisl mast be .lOne for til
negro whenever they think tina
by thia speciality they can gail
place and position, the negro wi
he,hinderetl IN doing his duty.
No one questi0ns or interfere
with the rights Of q 1lbels, they ar
freer than a11 1othU class of pei
pie to-day under the Stars an
Stripes, the can travel from on
lend of tho country 70 tlle othe
expressing their views ut ever
/ croesroad, Whatever those view
may be, unmolestetl. Talk al,ol
rebels having rights, they has
all the rights; tie right to mnr'
er, llupuuishe<l, IN u s0-calle
civilisNl community, n the king
4 rights. Oh, Redpath! /! don't tai
! ishout rebelriGlsts, y0a have whip
: tsl them on the battle field, ai1
! tlsey stu have lpsrs rights tO-da
than YOU ever had.
.lesss ..re u. F. DOuGI.Ass, in