The Van Buren press., 1878-03-26
The Colored Vote in the South.

kepubilcan paper, discussing tue
southeru political situation, says:
"At present the negro in Virginia is
out OF politics. He has nearly ceased to
vote for State officers, and his party has
ceased TO nominate them. The solid,
white vote so ctfcctually neutralizes his
that tho Conservative candidates walk
over the track. Probably less than half
tho negro voters went to the polls Mt the
last State election. They are still i'll
their drift Of sentiment Republicans, but
puralyzed and indifferent"
This condition of affairs is the more
significant from the fact that the rela-
tons between the whites and blacks in
Virginia, since the adoption Of the fiji
teenth amendment, have been uniform
ly friendly. None Of the race troubles
so frequent in other Southern States
have occurred there, and it has never
been intmated that the blacks have been
interfered with in any way, in the exer-
else of their rights Of suffrage. Yet, ac-
cordng to Republican authority, they
are " paralyzed and Indifferent They
take SO little interest in the political
questions submitted to them that COM
paratively few &c to the polls. They
voluntarily dsfranchse themselves, not
because they are afraid of being injured
in purse or person, but simply because
they do not care enough about the bal
lot to use it. The same thing has been
observed in Texas, which, next to Vir-
ginia, has shown less Of the 2 prejudice
of caste" than any State in the South.
A very large proportion OF the Texan
coorcd citizens do not vote at all, and
in some counties, at the last Presidential
election, not II single eolored vote was
cast
What explanation can be offered for
this F? We know Of but one, and that is
based on the popularity. of the negro
character. The colored people, as mass
are like children in their fondness for
novelty, and like children in their read
mess to abandon or neglect things that
have ceased to be novelties If these
things happen to be in the shape Of du-
| ties, the abandonment comes sooner and
the neglect is more complete. When
the negro was not a citizen, he clamor-
ed for citizenship. 1t was given him,
and for . little while he exercised his
new privileges with enthusiasm. But as
soon as they ceased to be new, as soon rs
they ceased to fatter his vanity or bring
him substantial returns, he ceased to
care for them. While there were car.
pet-brggers to stir him up with promises
and threats he managed to shake of
some Of his Indifference but when this
spur was withdrawn, he lapsed into his
natural condition and is likely to remain
there. He never has had, and we feal
never will have, any sense of his perso-
nal responsibility as citizen any real
izing sense OF the Importance Of the du
ties which entranchisement laid upon
him. In short, he is to all intents and
purposes, only political machine, which
will stand still unless wound up and sci
going by some outside influence.
The part which the negro is to play il
Southern politics is already torshadowed
in Virginia. The dominant party has
50 little opposition that it is beginning
to divide into two factions, which may
be called the Conservatives and Liberals
Between these the negro holds the bal
ance OF power ana consequently hi
vote will be eagerly soughtatter by both
and sought in "a manner that will not i'm
prove him rs a man or a citizen. Ii
other words, he will be at the dispose
Of the highest bidder, and recognize nc
principle that does not appeal to hi
pockets. He will be a demoralizcd an,
debauched political foot ball, kicke'
backwards and forwards for a price
Aud what is done in Virginia will b
done in every State whore the colore'
vote is sufficiently large to be worth pun
chasing. The fifteenth amendment ha
brought the country only 50 many NOR
voting cattle. list. Louis Republicans