Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-10-20

TRE RADICAL PAaxX AND THE
ArsENDMENTS-TH POOR NE
GRO!
There are thirty amendments TO the
Candy Constitution now pending be,
fore the people for ratification. The
Democratic panty has in open conven-
tion formally endorsed them. The
Radical party has in an equally open
and public wsy in convention assem-
bied formally condemned them; but
strange to say. that is if any action OF
the Radical party can be strange be-
Gauss Of its inconsistency, The indivId-
ual members of that party have not
been SO violent or SO gneral IN their
opposition. Indeed, the journal OF the
proceedings Of the Constitutional
Con v4ntion of last year shows
that majority of the thirty
amendments now pending met
with not single opposing RAdi-
cal vote in that body. And three
r,ora met with nearly equal favor. two
Of them having received only two op-
| posing votes TO ninety SIX IN their
favor. uhilo .he third received only
three opposi g vote. to ll3 In its
favor. OF tho whole thirty amend
| n2ents only four met with Unanimous
oppoaition Of the Radical party. And
al no
party IA party condemns the alend
| rlenta AMI prosusts against their rati-
| fcation!
But we do not have to go very far nor
! DO we nave to look very closely TO ind
| "a rcanou for such inconsistent con
duct. A single glance at the com
plexion aud CON; ,sition Of that party
| explains the V .ole mattor. 4 party
that is composed OF nine-tsuths lie
gross and one-tenth whites, even
though the wbitos do monorolize all
the Offices, must pander to the negro
element. This is tQe price white Rad
icais pay to negro Radicals for the po'-
session Of the profitable places in the
gift of their party.
The game was plain one. Ia the
Convention, white r adicals voted for the
amendments to satisfy the better por>
ton OF the handful Of white men who
belong To their party, out of the Con
yention they protest against them to
satisfy the negroes. 1t matters moth
ing to them how Inconsistent the two
things may be. A Radical cares little
| for consistency, and indeed it is
| very small matter TO one who has
| made up his mind to become the
companion, political or social, Of ne
groes or of white mon like Tourgee,
Hester, Pool and numbers of others
that might be- named. When a man
comes to that pass, man born and
reared, we mean, in the South and
living in the South, he cares for moth
ing save the loaves and fishes of Office.
The negroes are indeed TO be pitied.
They are without education and with
out the intelligence necessary to an
understanding of the condition in life to
which they were SO suddenly elevated,
and the result is they have been and
still are the dupes and tools OF the few
designing white men who will stoopllo low
! enough TO gain theis CONFERENCE.-The
is to say, those who consent to re-
cognise them as equals. This is the
1ly thing that will gain negro
| political confidence. No matter how
exalted aud Pure q white mans char
acter i'll all respects may be no negro
will trust him politically, unless h'
proclaims the doctrine of equality
This conceded, however, and no matter
how vile the white mans chracte
may be the negro will trust him i'm
iplicitly with his dearest rights.
Now this is the explanation of the
ease with which handful of white
men manage their negro followers
and Of their indifference to all appear
ance of consistency upon the amend
ments and all other questions. Civil
! rights is at the bottom of it all. "Civi
rights is sure bait to catch negro
votes with-a bait that Traitor Ton
Settle knows how 10 fish with as wei
, as the next man.