The New York herald., 1876-10-17


The President is reported to have said in
a conversation about South Carolina affairs
on Saturday that she was determined that
the colored republicans in that State should
vote in accordance with their honest con-
victions, if he had to order the whole army
into the State to enable them to do so." If
he had uttered this threat with an accurate
comprehension of South Carolina politics,
Mr.. Chamberlain, who has called on him for
troops, would be very badly scared man.
What Chamberlain wants is not that the ne
groes shall vote according to their convic-
tions, but that they shall cast solid vote
for Chamberlain, conviction or no convic-
ton. The unfitness of the federal authority
to interfere by arms or in any other way in
elections is clearly shown by the attitude OF
the President in this case. He hears but
one side, and there are in South Carolina not
two, but three, sides. Three parties are
there in the field-one for Hayes and Cham
berlain, one for Tilden and Hampton, and
third for Hayes and Hampton. To
the last named a considerable num-
Der Of prominent and influential
republicans belong. and under their guild
ance and instruction large numbers of col
ored men have determined to vote that
ticket. We believe they are right in doing
SO. In fact they are following advice which
the HERALD gave them several weeks ago,
and for the best of reasons; it is to the in
terest of the colored people of South Caro-
lima to take General Hampton at his word
He has promised them solemnly equal and
complete protection in all their rights he is
a man of character and determination, who
will keep his word, and he will do what
Chamberlain, as every negro in South Caro-
lima knows, has never done.
Whether the negroes are right or wrong in
voting for Hampton. however they have
right to do SO but this federal interference
attempts and is meant to deprive them of
that right 1t not only deprives them,
but it also interferes with the
rights of those negroes, very considerable
in number, who mean to vote the demo-
cratic ticket outright, Tilden and all.
Wherever federal troops or federal interfer-
ence in any of its shapes are felt in the South
there the intolerant and lawless republican
negroes are encouraged to persecute their
brethren who manifest democratic or inde-
pendent leanings, and these fellows go about
very freely and openly threatening the lives
of colored men who are even suspected of
an intention to do anything but ''vote de
straight republican ticket" This kind of
intimidation is going on now in South Caro-
lima, as it has been carried on in Louisiana,
in Alabama in every Southern State. No
white intolerance is half as bitter or half as
brutal and cunning as this negro intoler-
ance, and it is encouraged and en-
bittered wherever federal troops are
placed in the hands of republican
politicians to use for political purposes. In
1874 m Alabama negro speaker addressed
crowds of negroes and advised them to hang
any negro who should offer to vote the DEM
ocratic ticket. He advised the women to
have nothing to do with such man; his
wife ought to leave him, he said; his sweet
heart ought to scorn him !; the Church should
spew him out nobody should employ him
or speak to him. The same thing is now
going on in South Carolina in the Chamber
lain interest. Charleston correspondent
of a republican organ here makes this con-
fession:-"The fact is, the negroes do intim-
idate man of their color who desires for
any reason to turn democrat. They will
turn him out of their churches; none of the
women will marry him or talk with him; the
men also ostracise him, and if he is caught
where there are no white men he is sure to
be mobbed, stoned and beaten" corre-
spondent of our own, writing from Aiken,
sends us two afiidavits of democratic negroes
showing actual threats Of assassination, and
the problem is well stated by one black man,
who asked ''who would protect him if, hav-
ing voted for Hampton, the State should
happen to go republican,"
The Southern plantation negro has no
political convictions such as General Grant
speaks of. He has mainly fears, groundless
fears, imposed on him by interruptions re-
publican leaders. He is taught that his
white neighbors mean to re-enslave him,
that General Grant is his only protector and
that the republican State candidate, as in
this case Chamberlain, is General Grants
representative, for whom he is bound to vote
because those are the orders of General
Grant. That is his whole political catechism.
When he begins to doubt, as multitudes are
doubling in South Carolina this year, he
leans toward the democratic party. At this
Chamberlain calls for troops. Why? To
protect the blacks? Not at all. His ad-
herents do not need protection. 1t is to in
timidate those who are about to oppose him;
he calls on General Grant for troops they
come and behold every negro is at
really General Grants man." and that
the blacks must support him. That is the
meaning OF this trick of "calling for troops"