National Republican., 1877-11-28
Political Independence.


all political independence among the colored
voters Of the South, II Is announced that mo
less than three negroes were elected to the
Legislature (of MississippD on tho straight
Democratic ticket from various parts of the
State" and that 'colorcd men were also chosen
to county offices in several instances on the
same ticket"
This shows that the elective franchise In the
hands of the freedmen is gradually, and by no
means slowly, working out its natural results
As q slave, without legal, rights, the colored
man was lookedsipon very much rs slaves Of
other races have been looked upon In all ages
and climes; cmancipated and armed with the
ballot. he commands respect, reluctantly con-
ceded at frst but tending to grow by insensi-
bic degrees, until the contempt bred by slavery
shall have wholly disappeared. This result
will be accelerated as members OF the race ac-
qure property and education, and the number
who succeed in doing this will increase rs the
South increases in general prosperity. As
tending to promote such prosperity, by estab-
lishiug social order and security, the policy Of
President HAYES Is THO one best calculated TO
advance the true interests of the colored race,
and secure their steady progress toward the
goal of political independence. National Union.
We place the above on record rs d matter
of reference in the future, if needs be, and
to confront il with some facts of recent
date, which do not seem to justify the rose
colored prospect for the colorcd man in
Mississippi which our contemporary seems to
think now exists We wish that history
would justify the belief that "the elective
franchise in the hands of the freedmen is
gradually, and by no means slowly, work
ing out its natural results" but ut present
it does not. We are reluctant to think that
"the natural results" of the endowment of
franchise are such as have been developed
in Mississippi during the late election. We
rely upon Southern evidence to show that
the most unnatural results followed ."the
elective franchise in the hands of the freed
men" in that State. The Columbus hide
pendent Of the 9th instant, n Bourbon DEM
ocratic journal, which is published in
Lowndes County, Mississippi, exults over
the great Democratic victory in that State
at the election on the 9th instant, and af-
fords the following explanation as to how
the natural results" were reached in Sc
curing an unanimous Democratic vote in
that county. 1t says:
We confdcd in our ability to defeat any
open demonstration, and judged that II was
only necessary so to plan that we might de-
| tect the tirst movement that should be made.
To do this 1t was determined to print yellow
| paste board ticket.
In the last issue of our paper, which went
| to the country, having in view this arrange
ment we wrote: If Radicals begin to show
interest in voting and you see tickets different
from your own going into the ballot-box, don't
hesitate to go to work, for you may know the
enemy is upon you"
Is this the natural result" of conferring
suffrage upon the colored man? Is this the
destiny that is in store for the oolored citi
zen? Is this the prosperity" the socia
order and security that comes us the fruit
age of the policy of President HAYES?
Is this the one best calculated to advance
the true interest Of the colored race and sc
cure their steady progress toward the goa
! of political independence
1t is not difficult to interpret what tn
Mississippi mandate {" 90 TO WORK means
when used in this connection. 1t mean
"go to work" with the pistol and knife in tn
hands of the chivalrous Democracy Of tn
South, and nothing less. The device Q
q yellow paste-board ticket was adopted I
prevent folding and to compel thereby ever
man to vote an open ticket. In that beauti
ful paradise of free speech and free suflrag'
the County Lowndes with registered colore
voters to the number of .3,s5O, and whit
voters !, ,275, elected its entire Democrat
ticket unanimously, the highest vote rt
, ceived by any candidate being 1,2i7. An
what is more, as the natural result ,
, colOred suffrage nearly every county i
Mississippi did equally as well. The polio
. fourishes, and by this path and
this way, the "colored race" are maxim
STEADY progress toward tho goal Of polit
cal Independence" In the result Of IL
late elections in Mississippi "the'goal" al
pears to have been reached through an iii
dependence" that excludes them entircl
:, from the ballot-box, unless they vote Il
= yellow paste board ticket of the Democrac
- We cannot congratulate the colored free,
man upon such prospect; neisher can "
. congratulate any educator of the publ
mind upon presenting it as an eviden'
that ho is making steady progress tOwal
:, the goal Of political independence" Sour
: education never comes to a people throug
the channels of delusOn.
II