The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-11-23
NEGRO SUFFRAGE.
IN. o. Democrat, Nov. eth.l

Blsine's complaint, the other day,
that the representation accorded
the five million negro population
Of the South annulled the voice of
New York, the most populous and
wealshiest State Of the Union, in
the national councils, had q rare
suggestion of prophecy in it. The
Republican leaders are already be-
ginning to rebel against the access
sion to the political strength OF the
South, resulting from the fran
chise conferred upon the negro
population by themselves aud in
opposition to The hitter protest of
the South.
The PARTY that did not hesitate
to force that measure upon the
country in the critical days Of re-
construction that, for merely par
tisan purposes, cut loose from all
traditions and deliberately reversed
the whole social and industrial or
ganizstion of Southern society,
certainly will not hesitate one mo-
ment to deprive the negro of his
suffrage in order to reduce the
power Of the South in the national
councils. Such men as Blaine are
now complaining that the repre-
sentation allowed the negro merely
serYes to swell the Southern power
in Congress. The negroes, they
aver, have no representation, and
~ an element of popular sover-
eighty thew exercise no influence
on politics. The negro, in other
words, must be represented as a
negro. and by Republican, and
not as q citizen, by q Democrat or
q Republican, as he may select in
accordance with his views in re-
gard to questions Of political or
material Importance.
It ID but q short step from this
complaint to . deliberate attempt
to deprive Eve millions of the citi-
xens of the South of their SURFACES
ssmply because they are, neyross.
That this project has already
been considered by the Republi-
cans there can be no doubt, In
deed, the Washington correspond
emit of the Baltimore Sun writes
to his paper that Gov. Hampton
had stated in public speech that
overtures to that end had already
been made to him by prominent
Republicans. Says he:
The practical result Of their ef-
forts has been to give to their OPP
ponents thirty, five additional votes
in the electoral colleges and in the
House Of Representatives. The
deliberate manufacture of whole
sale calun,nies upon the South in
this and in former campaigns can
not make . solid North, although
1t has been carried on in that
hope. The next move, therefore,
OF the discounted Republicans will
be to take away the boon which
they conferred upon the negro. BY
advices received here TO- day from
South Corolins it is learned that
Gov. Hampton in a late speech
proclaimed that he had been APP
preached by prominent Republi-
cans, among them a brother-in- law
Ut cabinet officer. with PROPOSE
tiohs TO deprive the negro of his
vote. Such propositions were, of
course, indignantly rejected by
Gov. Hampton. If Gov. Hampton
consistently can do SO, he ought to
give the names of these Republi-
cans to the public.
The least that Gov Hampton
could do would be to give the
names of these eminent Republic
cans from whom these propositions
came. In con nection with the ut
terances Of Blaine and John Sher-
man previous to the election, and
the indignation of Evsrts since. the
disclosure might be Of unusual zig
ni6cance.
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