The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-05-04


IT is an insult to the boasied intelligence
Of their readers when Republican editors
assert that the withdrawal of the troops
!, from Columbia and New Orleans was a
betrayal of Southern Republicans, or, in
other words, betrayal of the negroes, for
without the colored vote RepEblicanism in
the South would have neither "a local hab-
itation nor a name.' How can the govern
ment of Hampton in South Carolina, or
that of Nichols in Louisiana. forcshadow
the ''bctrayal'' of the colored people? 1t
I will not be pretended that they could re-es-
tablish slavery in their own States, even if
they desired TO do SO. Nor can it be said
that they will attempt to take away the
right of suffrage from the colnrcd man. In
his late speech to the colored people of
Charleston, Hampton assured them that
twelve years ago, just when the civil war
ended. he advocated the right of the negro
to vote, and that he stood now precisely
where he did then. In addition to this, lie
told them that while in Washington not
long since five or six prominent Rep u6Ifcans,
men in high position, actually consulted
him as to- how the vote of the colorc6 man
could bc restricted. "My answer was, he
said, 'that we do not want the vote of the
colored man taken away or restricted, for,
aside from the friendship we bear the race,
their right to vote gives us thirty more
votes in Congress, and when peace comes
We are satisfied that the best men of both
races and parties will vote together for the
common veal" Governor Nichols occu-
pies precisely the same ground rs Hampton,
and time and again has publicly declared
so. AS to the schools, Gov. Hampton
pledged himself aud friends to give 'fhe
colored people better facilities for educa-
ton than they have heretofore enjoyed"
and to use all his influence to bring about
that result. In view of all this, how con-
temptible are the crockodlle tears of North
eYn agitators over the downfall of Cham
be!lain and Packard and their assumed
betrayal of the rights OF the negroes under
the Democratic rule of Hampton and
Nichols? The history OF every one Of the
old slave States since the close of the rebel
lion conclusively proves two things. First
that carpet bag government simply meant
systematic plumber and Wholesale robbery
of the white taxpayer, and, second, that
not until the people, both white and black
expelled the thieves from power and filled
their places with men who felt Just pride
in the prosperity and well being Of both
faces, was their future welfare assured.
Look at the wretched condition, under the
blighting influence of corrupt carpet bag
government, supported 10y the military, of
Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and
Georgia, and contrast it with their prosper
Gus and peaceful present. Order has been
brought out of chaos-peace and quiet have
banished turmoil and strife and in each
of them honesty and economy on the part
Of those who administer their affairs are
the rule and not the exception. There has
been no ''betrayal' of the colored race by
their Governors, their Legislatures, or their
Courts, nor will anything of the kind take
place i'll South Carolina and Louisiana un-
der Wade Hampton and Francis T. Mich
oils.