New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-29
DEMOCRATIC TESTIMONY.

If the Democrats are daily overesti
mating their strength in the country par.
ishes, it is not our fault. We have re,
| peatedly shown that colored men will moi
vote the Democratic ticket unless by COM
pulsion. When marched to the polls
under guard, with their tickets exposed
on their hats. as at Baton Rouge, colored
men may be instrumental in casting Dem
ocratic ballots; but swelling majority by
such shotgun machinery can hardy be
called voting. When we say that our
State ticket will be elected by handsome
majority, and that Louisiana will show q
balance of fifteen thousand votes on
the Hayes and Wheeler side, we take
it as granted that we are not to
have Mississippi election, but fair ex-
preston of the people at the polls, peace
full and without intimidation. The opposi-
ton party tells US that Democratic meet
ings are everywhere attended largely by
colored men, and that the speakers are
cheered. We do not doubt it. Give a
working man plenty of barbecued meat,
and holiday without loss Of pay for his
time, and be will most likely consent to
hear q speaker on any subject. When the
time for voting comes, however, the work.
ingman will exercise his own Judgment,
and will vote the Republican ticket, if not
improperly il fuenced to vote against his
honest convictions.
The Minden Democrat, the Democratic
organ for Webster parish, says:
The Radicals in this parish are earnestly
IT work organizing their party, and, from
all we can learn. are getting along ewin-
miDgly. The negroes are as much welded
TO their idols and have as much confidence
in the men who have been leading them TO
their ruin az ever. They rally to cell to
Organizs with q readiness and enthusiasm
worthy of better cause. Could they but
be maze t. see clearly, as intelligent men
with the right to vote should see, the deep
vortex and ruin into which their race is
being led by their leaders they would turn
upon them and join the Democratic ranks
as s0lidIy as they are now fockiDg to the
clubs aud meetings held for their edifca
ton. Bnt here, in Webster parish, of all
Others, it seems harder to convince them Of
the error Of their way. They will not listen to
the teachings f their real friends; men who
have clothed and fed them and their fam
lilies every year since the war, can not make
them believe that their interests are in any
way connected when il comes to voting.
The mesnest, dirtiest Radical in Webster
parish has more influence over them than
The most talented and honorable gentlemen
The nearer the white renegade comes to
putting himself completely upon q social
level with the meanest of their race. the
louder will they hurrah for him as poiit-
ical leader. 1t is crying shame that such
u people are permitted to hold the destinies
Of any government in their hands, and par
ticularly q government that is based upon
the intelligence, patriotism and love OF its
people.
In this opinion there is much erroneous
reasoning and bad temper, but there is
evidently an honest conviction that the
colored men will remain true to the party
which gave them freedom and the privi-
lege of the ballet. A few ideas advanced
by the writer are worthy of Nasty. He
argues that if the negroes were as intelli- |
gent as men ought to be, to be allowed to
vote, that they would see the advantage
Of acting with the Democrats. 1.-The man
who does not do as do is fool" Quail
led suffrage is limited at. He says the
negroes and their families have been fed
md clothed by their real friends (mean-
ng Democlats) every year since the war.
L the negroes have not paid for their
God and clothing by labor, three
lines over, Webster is an excep-
ional parish. He says the dirtiest
Radical has more influence over colored
'eople than ''the most talented and hon.
rable gentleman. There is where he
makes mistake. The villainous looking
loafer who tries to make DEM
Gratis ont Of Webster parish negroes is
Of talented and honorable gentle