The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-07-17
RADICALIsn1IN THE SOUTH.

The cons pirators dislike exceedingly to
give up their hold upon the southern states.
Under Grant with carpet-baggers and loaded
muskets the radicals were able to control
the elections, and place their tools in power.
This is al changed now; still desperate
effort will be made to carry several congress
sional districts where the negro vote is large
As we have remarked old things have passed
away, Grant and carpet-baggers are no longer
in power, and federal troops are
subjected to the degradation of protecting
ballot-box suffers for the success of the rad
ical party. The New York Herald takes a
sensible view of the matter and says:
While the republicans possessed the state
governments and were able TO call for federal
troops, the negroes were plant tools in their
hands; but even then 1t was notorious that
the colored vote required that peculiar man
ipulation which in the southern republican
slang was called organizing" The "Organ-
izer" was an important functionary, usually a
custom house or other petty federal official of
the caIiber and oftenest of the character of the
how notorious Anderson, who was sent int
a county with instructions II collect the
leading negroes, promise them such local
desired, and with their help hold barbecues
and other public meetings, at which the blacks
were told tnat General Grant or General But
them to vote the straight republican ticket"
and see 10 it that erybody else did so too. In
Louisiana IL was usual To send band of music
with the "organizer." In Alabama it occurred
to one brilliant organizer to send handbills
through his county, signed with General
Grants name, ordering the blacks to vote the
ticket under peOalty of being dealt with by
the district attorney, aud the vote was very
foil at that election. In a Louisiana parish in
1874 he cOlOred voters were summoned to a
barbecue and admOnished to vote straight
"by order of General Butter" aad they all
turned out without delay. Everywhere they
were assured that their liberties depended on
the pred Hminance of the republican party in
the state, and that, no matter what promises
the democrats made them, they really meaut
10 re-enslavc them. Under the stimulus Of
this assurance, and with the further assurance
that federal troops were at hand aud that the
president was the intimate friend of the local
politicians, and did not hesitate to threaten
any OF their color who should vote the. demo-
cratic ticket with death, or what was almost
equally serious to the blacks, exclusion from
church ana female society-what among the
whites was called "ostraciSm :"
Fortunately for the colOred people aud for
the country tins INSCRIPTIONS manipulation
OF ignorant voters is no longer possible. 1t
would be absurd in republican politicians to
tell the negroes that a democratic success Will
re-enslave them. for they have been living
Under democratic rule aud see that II has In
many important ways been blessing to them,
and that they are entirely safe in life, liberty
and property. Further, as the southern stale
governm ents are in democratic hands the re-
ganizers," and TO beguile the colored leaders
and preachers with promises of office and
picktngs.
Evidently if the radical party has major
ity in the next house OF representatives it
will be compelled to obtain its recruits out
side of the southern states.