The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-05-11
AN APRIL SHOWER.
REDPA TET ON TIE PRE~I-
DENT.
His Letter Advising the Colored People
OF the South to join the Demo
cratic Party.
WAsnINoroN, AprIl ~, ls77.

WAsHISGToN, April Il, 1877.
DEAR SIR.-You ask me what ]
think of President Hayes and his poll
lev, and what the colOred voters of your
State, and the other Gulf States, should
do, If the national administrator
abandon them?
The ofIice-holders say that eve
shOnId give Hayes policy a fair trial
What part of his policy? No one
opposes Cancellation. Every decent
man desires Ii. That is part the first
of Hayes policy. But part the second
Ia surrender. IL means the acquiesence
of the National Government in the rale
OF the majority by the minority be-
cause that minority of citizens has a
majority OF property, Intelligence and
military power. Now that policy has
been tried on this planet OF ours for
ages upon icons for six thousand years
by the brieiest and least scientific
computation and IL has always, in eV-
cry cline and among every race, re-
suited In the oppression of the ignorant
and poor. It has had s'trial'' enough
in this world. Republicanism means
not the rule OF respectabIlity, but the
State policy is the suicide OF Republic
canism. i p
Now, then, for your question, what
should the blacks do?
First OF all, they should be taught
that they can now honorably and freely
choose their political associations with
ont reference to the past history OF their
race. ar ..l
They should be taught that the men
who fought for their freedom are now
In q helpless minority In the Republic
can party that tie blacks owe 1t no
allegiance whatever now; and that its
recognized leaders, who WELD the pow
er OF the government, are to-day the
recreants who advocate and defend and
decree their abandonment.
It is true that the Democratic party
resisted their enfranchisement, but It
is equally true that the Republican
party refuses to protect them in the
exercise of the franchise that they gave.
There Is absolutely no difference what
ever, now, between the Democratic
party and the Republican party Gas
represented by Hayes,) on the question
of the rights and condition of the ne
gro, excepting In one important par
ticular., That exception is a vital one.
It points out the path of safety to the
black voter. 1t points out, also, the
path OF duty. We owe allegiance where
we receive protection. The Democrats
prote ct the Democratic negro; the Re-
pubiicans abandon the Republican ne
gro. ftH
For myself, being a white man and a
northern man, propose to remain In
the Republican party to do my part to
purge 1t from the thieves on the one
hand and the pedagOgues on the other
hand, who now infest It; but Ii were
a negro and In the South, should join
the Democratic party at once, and vote
for Its candidates whenever they were
reputable men. Whenever they were
bandits I should refuse TO vote at all
/ was a. member of the first Republi-
can National Committee, and l have
always been a radical Republican in my
political action. But 1 was more than
that-a kansas Republican, Il John
Brown A bplitlonist; aud through < 'od
report and evil report, | have never
wavered In advocating the rights of
the negro. There Is no man so black
that 1 am ashamed To look in his face.
feel that have done my whole duty
TO the black race. And with this rec
ord, uDbroken by a single word or act
conservative, l should urge the black
men of the South, If my voice could
res CHI them, to join the Democratic
party.
If they were to do so in a body, what
would be the result? Absolute protec-
ton, TO begin with in their rights of
life and property. They would not be
driven from their homes by the thou
sands as they were driven into the
highways of South Carolina, Mississip-
pi and Louisiana, because of their 10y
atty to the Republican party. The
Democratic negro is the safest male
creature that i. know of In the Gulf
States. All other males must fight for
themselves. For him only every white
shot gun Is ready to do battle to the
DEATH
So -
1t is a wickedness to try to keep up a
Republican party in the South, except
on the basis of large native white
vote. 1t will end only in still further
troubles to the poor misled and too
grateful blacks. The best thing every
black man can do in the South is to
consult his own individual interest
without regard to party platforms Gas
President Hayes has done,) in making
up his mind for whom he shall vote in
all future elections.
am not alone among the friends of
the freedmen In believing that they
now owe no allegiance to the Republi-
can party. asked Wendell Phillips
the other week-after saying that
should advise my colored friends to join
the Democratic party in the South-if
he would blame them for refusing to
remain in the Republican party and
joining the Democratic party
Certainly not" was his prompt re-
ply.
1 asked Senator Bruce why he did
not urge the blacks to desert the Re
publicans who had deserted them? /
told him / would like TO sign a letter
with him urging them to do so. He
said that as q Senator he could not
publicly advocate this policy; but that
he had advised all his friends-mear-
ing colored political leaders-to make
the best terms they could make with
the Democracy; to "look out for them
selves.
What Senator Bruce does and Wen
dell Phillips approves cannot be a false
policy for the Southern blacks as
class. -
But II I could lead the blacks, 1
should say to them still further-pay
less attention to politics and seek pow
er through business. Become the Jews
OF America. There are two great poll
cies Tor men and races-force and con-
clliation. The Anglo-Saxon race fights
The jewish race conciliates. Both have
become great powers by policies entire
ly opposite. The black race cannot
fight. 1t would be exterminated ii it
tried that policy. 1t must win power
by the arts OF peace. Let the blacks
adopt lagos advice: "Put money In
thy purse" Work. Buy land! Own
your homestead and patch of garden!-
Go to school! Get rich! If one coun-
ty persecutes you go to another: If
State refuses you protection, leave Ii.
and seek home elsewhere Above all,
ask for schools for your children, and
leave the State II they are not built
and Kept up for You.
Cease TO array yourselves against the
whites In politics, but, at the same
times quietly and everywhere and al
ways insist on the right of securing an
education for your children. Securing
chat right, your children will secure
others by and by. Fraternally yours,
To Mr.. n. Howard, ex-Sheriff of JEFF
feFson county, Miss.