New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-20
THE COLOR LINE IN FLORIDA.

PEACE AND PROSPERITY WHEN 1T Is 0BLlIERAlED-
NEGROES UNABLE TO FORM PARTY OF THEM
sELyEs-NECEssITY FOR DIVISION OF TIE
WHITE VOTE
TO the EdftOr or The Trt6nne.
SIR: The Florida Union of Dec. contains
the following passage:
OF tho white citizens 80 out of every hundred vote the
Democratic Ticket
The writer is referring to the Gulf States. That, Of
course leaves live per cent who voted for Hayes
Firs, Now say that II these % ont OF 100 white cut
Gems could De examined witnesses, Oh OATH they would
saw that there never was and can be held farer
election than the just held never one freer from IN
timdation. violence, or fraud Oh their part.
S.cond also aim that, the part of the five per
cent Republican voters they have for tho last 10 years
been I'm the habit OF constantly intlmdaing the negro
VOTERS by asserting privately and publicly in speeches
a poitical meetings that in Of the success OF the
Detrocr,tc party they would DC r6manded again Into
slavery N tn.s is denied L will prove II hy plenty OF
aldaylts Intimidation their part is chronic 1t has
been INDUCED in So long that the negroes no longer be-
Heye it,
Third The 90 per cent of the white voters who vote
the mocratc ticket possess at least the same proper
tor of the wealth. Intelligence. and responsibility OF the
Guf states, leaving for the per cent OF Republicans
and all the negroes the remainder
Folyh As the Democrats possess all the wealth and
lespectabity Of the country is 1t wonderful that tie
blacks are coming TO them with their votes, and nd
so col IA
hodcrs are losing their mold on themi Does not TINS seem
reasonable Unreasonable that employ should y9tt WIN
cmployrrl that people whose interests are Identical
should sometimes think alikei
E1tb OugDt not tue Intelligence and wealth OF state
TO rule the state! And Ifthcy do not IS not republican,
Il sham and 4 delisiOn 7
Sirb would not d. better n the white voters were
divided nearly equally iii the NOrths II they were
Inn, divided the cOurcd voters would be dYlheu Win
them and We shonld no longer have - Il color line.
SccenM How long do you think il VIII take 10 divide
the white II the dominant party continues 10 per-
seruto and ntmidate by introducing bay onets INTO
our legislative halls aud deraiing Us OF our honest
vote by means OF returning boards who count us OUT
when we ale too numerous or detTau wIOle counties
s nv own By cOllusiOn aud tTeacheryi For we believe
10 a man that our County Cleih Resigned ana ne GOV
ernor accepted his resignation on purpose to prevent
registration aud election, and when they alcd IN the
latter effort and legal election was held ~ returns
were thrown because they were not sealed DS the
County Clerk there being by design no County Clerk go
Eigi Treat the Southern people fairly and there VIII
soon parties here elsewhere Tho negro never
cap a political party of himself. do Won exr ct him 10
hold primaries, make out his ticket issr bs party
PLATFORM canvass his district marshal his votes Mt the
0os when he cannot read writc No. he must De led
al present by somebody aud the simple question Is by
whom % per cent of wHite voters representing %
per cent OF the wealth and Intelligence oil the county
per of oiiceholders or Once seekers ana
few OF their white tools Let the wealth and intel
gence OF the North III justice and truth answer.
lfaadtfe Co.. Fla, JAN q, 1877. j. c. W.