, 1876-08-13
TIE NEGRO IN POLITICS.

] ILL N61ht In NAAAAASUA d.
There is much outcry against the negr'
when he makes his appearance in politics
Many dislike to see him there, and We con
fess that there is sense in which we ais
dislike the sight. We always suspect some
thing wrong when any class Of men appcar
as class, in politics. Either they are suffer
ing wrong, so that they are compelled tt
| combine for protection and redress, or elst
they are meditating an evil design agains
| others, which requires similar combination
There is unhealthiness somewhere when
! parties are formed and lines drawn on class
distinctions. We like to have all men come
to the polls simply as citizens, and not as
Protestants and Roman Catholics, or as
Americans and foreigners, or rs the rich and
the poor, Or as black and white. And so,
when black man OF German casts his bal
lot with other voters, and neither be nor
others say anything about his color or de-
scent, we have normal illustration of Re-
publican institutions. 1t is en- illustration
of something quite different when German
comes as German, or an lrishman as IN
Iishman, or negro as q negro, seeking
e-interests, irrespective of public inter-
ests, or under q compulsion of aggression on
the part Of others.
We admit, then, that in some sense it is
unpleasant to see the negro prominent in
politics. We should prefer to have it other
wise, and to hear no remarks from any quar-
ter about the black vote. Let men rally to
the polls as members of parties representing
principles and measures of craftsmanship,
and not as rival or hostile races. But now
comes the question, Who is responsible for
this continual appearance Of the negro in
politics? Who thrusts him forward, and
will not allow him modestly to retire? Who
is so fond Of seeing his ebony face and ivory
teeth as carefully to provide that he shall
be prominent on all occasions? Verify, wo
think we must hold the Democratic party re-
sponsible for this. 1t was that party which
persistently guarded the system Of slavery,
and leagued with those who made it the basis
of all their political operations Tho South
knew which party it could trust and use on
that subject; which party, while professedly
aiming at other objects, YVES always willing
to carry out the behests of the shareholders
for the protection Of their institution, at
whatever cost to other interests. It WAS the
Democratic party which WAS ever pandering
to the prejudice against the African race, and
whose Northern orators in Congress habit
ually spiced their eloquence with the use Of the
elegant word t'nigger, while their party con-
stituents at home took pleasure in mobbingthe
wearer Of black skin. It was that party
which was relied on to pass fugitive slave
laws; to admit new Slave States; to vote
down WnMor provisos Of freedom for the
Territories, and thus to make slnvery national
and freedom sectional; and, finally, to repeal
the Missouri Compromise, whereby pre-
viouR generation Of slaveholders had guar
anteed liberty above the latitude OF MASON !,
DuoS's line. By such policy, disgraceful
to tho country and to humanity, the negro
WAS kept continually before the public mind
For the negro was thus necessarily identified
with every political issue which arose. No
question could come before Congress and be
settled simply upon its merits. It was con-
sidered invariably according to it's relation to
the negro-question, as that lay in tho mind
Of the Southern Shareholders and of their
Northern Democratic allies. Such subjects
Is the tariff, the sale of public lands, admis-
sion Of new States, the organization Of Ter
-itories, census~tab1es, foreign diplomatic
appointments, tho ratio Of Congressional |
representation, the management Of the army |
md navy, and the prosecution Of war, were !
1ecided by their favorable or unfavorable |
oearing upon the price Of slaves and of the
productions Of slave labor. "Cotton is
King" became proverb in those days, and |
he Democratic party rode steadily into pow
r mounted On the back of the negro slave.
TWAS the Democratic party which thuspre
erred to keep the negro in politics till they
.ad brought about civil war. For that
'arty held negro SO close to its eyes that
could see nothing else, and SO allowed the
;ecessionists to rule the Administration, to
orm its Cabinet, and to prepare all ueedful
measures for the rupture, even to the steal
ng Of the munitions Of war of the United
'tates. It was Democratic President, also,
Tho refused to take any coercive measures
gainst the seeding States, and it was the
Democratic party which threw all possible
bstacles in the way of the successful prose-
ution Of the War after the Government
anne into Republican hands, and who de-
ounced the proclamation of emancipation
nd the forming Of black regiments. In
ther words, every time the Democrats had
hance to shout ssNegro," they did it, and
hey thrust that sable individual continually
I the forefront. thinking to use him as
ationnl scarccrow.
They have not yet changed their policy.
hey claim that they can carry every South
m State but South Carolina, aud that the
outh is thus thoroughly Democratic. And
hat has been their platform in rallying that
sction to their party? The cardinal doctrine
as been to keep the negro in politics,-to
lsist on color-ine, On the one side of
hich should stand the Democratic whites,
i'd on the other the Republican blacks, the
tier to be prescribed. and intimidated, and |
lrown out of their rights, even where they |
ere in the majority. How they worked it
/ Mississippi, the report Of the Committee
1st made to Congress incontestably shows,