The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-05-02
r:IE CoLOxED PEOPLE.
.Bnme~ BsedPRIh Advises theHM "a
JOin the Democratic Party.
All Le,.er TO ,Ierlmau Howard.
WASHING ron, April 14Is77

WAsHINGroN, April II 1877.
Nav. then, for your question. What |
should the blacks no!
First of all they should be taught tina,
they can now freely and honorahly choose
{ lcir political associations without reference
Ii the past history OF their race
They should be taught that the mcn who
touUhf for their freedom are now IN help
/ - minority in the Republican party; that
the blacks owe it no allegiance whatever
nnw:and that its recognized leaders, VINO
WELD the power OF the Government, are to-
day the recreaAts who advocate ana de
fond and decree their abandonment.
IL i, true that the democratic party re-
sisted their acknowledgements but Is equally
true that the Republican party refuses TO
protect them in tie exercise OF trahchl>c
that they gave. There Is absolutely no ar
ference whatever. now. between the Dem
ocratic party and the Republican party, (aS
represented bylHayes) on the questiod oi he
r Ghts and condition of the negro, excepting
in one import mt particular. That eNcep-
tion i vital one. IL points out the path
of safety to the black voter. lie points our,
also the path of duty. We Owe allegiance
where we rec i've protection, The demo
Gratis protect the negro; the Republicans
abandon the republican negro.
For myself, being IA white man, and "A
Northern man, propose to remain III the
Republican party to do my part 10
purge it from the thieves on the Que han
and the DPOIZO2ut- on tic OltICI manu- " ~"
now inftst il but if / were negro and IN
the South, | should JOIN the democratic par
nv Mt once aud vote for its candidates when
ever they:weTe reputab e IN IN. whenever
they were. bandits | should refuse 10 vote AT
all | was member of tue first Repu6li-
c1n National Committee and | have always
been a radical republican in my polltlcal
action. But | was III IRE thIn that nan
SIS Republican," a ''John Brown abolition
lat :" and through good report aud evil re-
I h,V WQVprt1 in aNEDpatinU
the rights of the negro. There IL no IN IN so
black that am ashamed 10 10 bk IN ms face.
feel that | have done NV whole duty to
| the black race. And with this record, uh-
| broken bv single word or act conserve
! tive | should urge the black men OF the
| South, if my voice could reach them, o
| Join the democratic party.
Ii they were to do so in a body, what
would be the result? Absolute protection;
! TO begin with, in their rights of life and
| property Tn V would not be driven from
! their homes by che thousands As they Were
driven into the highways of South Carroll
/ ma, Mississippi aud Louisiana, because OF
! their loyalty to this Republic III party. Tic
! democratic neg % is the SIfeSt IN lie creature
! that know oi in the Gulf States. All other
males must fight for themselves. For him
| only, every white shot gun is ready To d.
! battle to the death!
The exodus OF the blacks to the democrat
! jc party would III AXE that powerful organ
| iZatiou the cham piOn OF negro rights.
! There is a movement growing rapidly IN
the publican party that seeks to limit the
| franchise to the educ lted class and To the
| holders of property. The sentiment has
| sprung out OF the corruptions of shllelall
| rule in New York and other Northern cities
| that are controlled by the Irish vote, The
democrats will resist this measure on be-
! half both of the Irish and the blacks, be
cause the negro vote gives the South -
members of Congress which the democrats
have now gained forever in consequence of
| Hayes Southern Policy.
! It will make NJ difference to the friends
of the negro in the North whether he votes
for the democrats, (and thereby secures
SAFETY and justice for him self and his fam il y
iRbther ways or whether he persists in
| stOlidly voting for the demagogues who use
| him, (as III ayes Is dOIe) a mere Ia llor
to political poNer--tO be kicked aside a-
| soon as he j. used, Ii the black man does
vote for the Republicans, his vo:c will not
be cOunted--Ind he will gain the i'll will OF
his white Southern ncighb)rs without aid
ing his friends i'm the Northern States,
If there are colored men who cannot vote
for democratic candidates let them refuse
| to vote at all.
1t is wickednesS to try to keep upa Re
! publican party in the south executing on
the basis of large native white vote. II
! will end only in still further troubles to ths
! poor and misleI AMI OD-grateful blacks
The best thing that every black man can do
| in the South is to consult his own iudiVi l.
forms, Gas President Hayes has dGEo,J j.;
making up his mind for whom no sh2,i vot,
| in all future elections,
/ am not alone among the old friends OF
! the freedmen in believing that they now
owe no allegiance TO the Republican party.
asked Wendell Phillips the other week
after saying that should advise my color
ell friends To join the democratic marty in
the South-It he would hlan, them tor re-
fu5ing to rem ain in thc Republican party
ana loiain4 the Democrats party
"Certaiuiy not was his prompt reply.
! asked Senator Bruce why he did not
| urge tile blacks 70 desert tbs RspabIic1n,
who had deserted them? | told him that /
would like TO sign with him Il letter urging
them TO DO 50. He said that IA Repuhiii.
can Senator he could not publicly advucs'
this policy; but that ba had advised -, -
friends-meaping Gal'red pJli'' az h''
70 mage with the demo"~- ,'o"u ielie s..
| TO. themselves" ."cy 70 IooA out
What Sa~-
! PHI" 'ilOr Bruce does AND Wendell
Ups approves cannot be false policy
Tor the Southern blacks as a class
Fraternally yours, JAMES REDPATH
To Mr.. NJ Howard,
hr-ShertI Of Jefferson County Mississippi.