The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-09-14
A LEADING COLORED REPUBLICAN
TELLS PLAIN TRUTHS.

Ex-senator n. W. Rsvels, OF Mississippi,
has replied to the charges brought by Bout
well against the people of Mississippi. and
being Republican OF undoubted reputa-
tion, and An interested witness to the late
election in Mississippi, must be listened to
with degree of credit even by the most
biased Radical minds. Senator Revels's
letter was written and published few days
after the election in Mississippi, which re-
suited In the success Of The Democrats, and
its republication now, when Grant claims
that the Southern negroes are about to be
inrimidated into voting the Democratic
ticket, is strong testimony against bis party:
HOLLY SPRINGS, N ,velnber z, 1875.
To rs ExceieDcy, U. S. Grant, Presidvnt Of the
Uni ed states: - ~ =
My Dear Sir In view of the results of
the recent election IN our State, have de-
termIned 70 write you letter canvassing
the situation and giving my views thereon.
VIII premise by saying that am no poll
tlcian, though having been honored by
reat in the United States Senate. never
baVe sought political preferment, nor do /
ask 1t now, but am engaged in my calling
sire for the welfare of all the people, ire
spective of race or color, 1 have deemed it
advisable to submit to you, for considera-
ton, few thoughts in regard TO the poIit-
icsl situation in this State. Since recon
structinn the masses of my people have
been, as it were, enslaved In mind by
unprincipled sd7enturers, who, car
lug nothing for the country, were
always willing to stoop to anything,
no matter how infamous, 10 secure power
TO themselves and perpetuate it. Ny peo-
pie are naturally Republicans, but as they
grow older in freedom SO do they in wisdom.
great portion of them have learned that
they were being used as mere tools, and, as
IN the late election, not being able to cor
rect the existing evil among themselves,
they determined, by casting their ballots
against The sc unprihcipled ADVENT ufers, to
overthrow them. My people have been told
by these schemers, when men were placed
upon the ticket who were notoriuusly cor
rupt and dishonest, that they must vote for
them; that the salvation of the party de-
pended upon it; that the man who scratched
ticket was not Republican. This is only
one Of the many means these malignant DEM
agogues have devised to perpetuate the
intellectual bondage of my people, To de-
irrespective of race or party atfiliation,
united and voted together against men
known to be incompetent and dishonest.
cannot recognize, nor do the masses of
my people who read, recognize, the major
ity of the officials who have been in power
the past two years rs Republicans. We do
not believe that Repubhcanism means cor
ruption, theft and embezzlement These
three otfenses have been prevalent among
the great portion of our officeholders. To
them must be attributed the defeat Of the
Republican party in the State, if defeat
there was, but l, with ali the ghts before
me; look upon it as an uprising of the peo-
pie, the whole people, to crush out corrupt
rings and men from power. The butter
ness and hate created by the late civil
strife, have, in my opinion, been obliJsra-
ted IN this state, except, perhaps, in some
localities, and would have long since been
entirely effaced were it not for some un
principled men who would keep alive the
bitterness of the past and in
culcate a hatred between the races, in
order that they may aggrandize themselves
by Office aud its emoluments to control the
people, the effect of which is to degrade
them. l give you my opinion that had our
State ADMINISTRATION adhered to Repub lean
principles, and stood by the platform upon
which it was elected, the State TODAY
would have been on the highway of pros
perity. Ii the State administration had
advanced only patriotic measures, appoint
ed only honest men to Office, and sought
to restore confidence between the races,
bloodshed would have been unknown,
peace would have prevailed, Federal inter
ference been unthought of, and harmony,
friendship and mutual confidence would
have taken the place of the bayonet. In
conclusion, let me say to you, and through
you to the great Republican patty of the
North, that / deem 1t my duty, in behalf
of my people, that present these facts, IN
order that they and the white people [their
former masters) should not suffer misrepre-
sentation which certain demsgogues seem
desirous of encouraging. H-
Respectfully, Fl. W. REvELs.