Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-01-11

Our Duty to the Negro.

The Virginian now in representative
position, with ambition to be retained,
WHO refuses to profit by the severe ex-
perience Of the republican party cannot
be thrown overheard too soon. Since
1872 the republicans have lost over half
million Of the popular vote, for which
they are entirely indebted to the silly
notion that nothing could break their
power. They felt that a perpetual lease
was natural incident of the war and
only awaked from the delusion when a
quarter million majority was polled
against them.
The conservative party of Virginia
has gone on increasing in strength until
it would now seem to be impregnable.
AT present it is so. Whether it shall
remain SO depends upon the administra-
ton of our state affairs by conserva-
tive authorities. It behooves us in this
climax Of our glory to think moment
lest we become drunken with success
and, our reason addicate in favor Of the
too common mistress Of men.
We should now have impressed upon
our minds that the negro is valuable
political factor. We have been teach
ing this during whole campaign
throughout the South. His enfranchise-
ment gives US majority in congress
and the substantial control Of the federal
government. Grant sees this and con-
fesses it by recommending an education
al qualification to get rid of the radical
elephant. We can no more expect to
use the negro in one election and fight
on a color line at another successfully,
than that Blaine and his parasites could
preach reconciliation between the sec
tons for four years and then rally their
cohorts to the bloody shirt in 1876.
The negro is voter. He has shown
himself capable of receiving instruction
when property approached. Shall we
instruct and direct him, or leave him to
be misguided by men who will use him
forever against our best interests?
Beyond this there is another thought.
Parties are always undergoing reorgani-
zation. New issues come and go, and
men conclude upon them as they are
presented. Should any be precipitated
upou as that would divide the
white people, the negro would hold a
balance ofpower, and his strength would
be employed on the side that malignity
would suggest, should he be left to the
fostering care Of designing knavery.
If Tilden shall be inaugurated other is
sues will be sprung upon the country
than those upon which we united the
virtue and intelligence of our people last
fall. Should Hays be put upon upon us,
be will employ every means to give
responsibility to his party in the South
by distracting attention from the real
mattars in controversy between the
parties as now divided. Besides this, a
country and states in debt as we are to-
day must be in constant peril Of seduc-
tive side issues. In many possible con-
tingencles an undivided negro vote
would as certainly decide all questions,
as that the South IS now the political
arbiter in federal controversies.
What is to become of the negro vote ?
is question well worthy the delibera-
ton of patriotic men. 1t is potent for
good Or evil. Carlisle says the greatest
liberty which man enjoys is the privilege
of the uninstructed to be directed and
firmly held in the path ofright. Correl-
atively, we may add, the highest free
dom Of the enlightened citizens enjoy
nent should be to direct and firmly hold
the less informed in all that appertains
to the general welfare.