The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-09-16
The ColOred Mans Awakening

Signs unmistaken and unnumbered in
dictate that the colored suifragan is truly
to be enfranchised and day is not re-
mote when his vote may be accepted as a
genuine expression OF opinion. An eff
fort Oh the part Of intelligent planters 10
put into practice the theories embodied
in the amendments to the constitution,
and to accord to the colored man not
only the prerogatiyes. but the RESPONSE
bilities OF citizenship, ha, been salutary
In its results. In q majority OF
leases to coored tenants the
taxes are paid by the lessee.
However small be the portion OF land ST.
cured, and how low the rent, this Is in
sisted upon. The tenant occupies
the identical position of orditary prop
erty holders. he Is taught the serious con-
sequences OF malfeasance in Office and
the great wrong inflicted by the misap-
propria lion of public funds. To the fall
urc of the constituted authorities to re-
build the levees, and the consequent con
slant inundatiOns after the levee tax
earned by colored labor had been
promptly paid, may be attributed nine
tenths of the dissatisfaction existing
among the voters of that race.
Acquiring. as do ali others, knowledge
through experience, a majority realize
that tic honest disbursement OF public
money is essential to the welfare OF every
citizen: that his faithful performance of
public duty. not the personal Characters
ties of the individual. is the criterian by
which to Judge. In the face of this
awakening. we are not surprised to learn
that In the parish Of 1T. Landry, quite
recently. eighty-six colored field-hands
called In a body upon their employer and
voluntarily proposed to accompany
hlm to the polls. Believing their inter
ests to be identical. they requested
him to select the candidates in his Opin.
ion best fitted for positions, promising
their suffrage. The planter, who was
about to leave for the city to be absen,
some weeks. replied that to return or
election day would involve some trouble
and expense. He asked what assurance
could they give hun that in the interven.
ing time the proposition would not be
| Withdrawn. At their own solicitation al
agreement was drawn up and signed
wherein each OF the eighty-six agreed to
accompany their employer TO the poll:
| and vote the Conservative ticket.
When the best interest OF the country
| become the disiderata of every citizen
when the residents of Louisiana. white
partsans. but of efficient public servants
| turmoil will cease and the shadow of the
color line instantly vanish. What Louis
lana needs is honest work, and an honest
| devotion to the revenues of the state tC
the legitimate purposes Of the govern
ment. He who adds to our aggregate
wealth will never be asked the color OF
his skin, and it will be ascertained thai
| the muscular force necessary to accumu
late implies the mental power 70 econom
ically dishurse. What the colored citi
zen now most needs Is home and the
acquisition of sufficient property TO make
him tax payer. When once politica
| issue ceases to be a sentimentaiity. anC
/ his dollars. as well as those OF his COnser
| vative neighbor, are involved in the result
| OF AN election. the elevation to office d
the ignorant and unprincipled need nc
longer be approximately. o. Times.