The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-10-12


appeared in front of the stand. He
said he was National and was the
sole representative of that party in
the parish. They had no ticket in
the field and he did not feel called
upon to make speech. His friend,
Judge Blackman, who had once de-
Tended him and whom be knew to
be a good man and staunch Demo
crat, and who would stand on the
same platform with him two years
hence, would now address them.
Judge Blackman said that he had
taken up for Mr.. Calhoun because
he was oppressed. He always was
for law and order, and if be could
do anything for the oppressed or
in any way bring about peace and
prosperity, he would most gladly
do so. He did not blame the col
ored people for being Republicans,
for he would have been one too,
had be believed as they did that
the Republican party had freed
them. And he too would have
fought to the bitter end against
Democracy had he believed that
they desired to enslave him again.
1t was natural for them to love lib
erty, and it was right for them to
defend it. He did not have a word
to say against them on this score.
Many different people had had to
fight for liberty, as the Jews and
others, and when once that liberty
was tasted no power on earth could
again enslave them. But these
people did not make the matter a
race issue. They did it by identi-
flying themselves with the best in
terests of the people with whom
they were associated. There was
but one thing that prevented the
negroes from accomplishing this
high standing of liberty. 1t was
prejudice! The monster that was
crushing them to earth with its
iron heel. 1t is this that divides
the negroes from the whites now,
and prevents them from joining
hands with their friends in the
present struggle. He was sorry to
learn that his old friend Kearson
had lately been SO foolish and
wicked as to feed this prejudice, by
telling the colored people that the
liberties of their children would
be in danger if they allowed the
Democrats to rule the land. The
Democrats have ruled for two
years, and still they are free. and
it will be so if they rule for the
next forty years. Talk about put
ting a freeman back into slavery !!
The thing is absurd. He had had
a better opinion of Kearson's hon.
esty and ability than to think he
would utter such thing. When
he was running for the Office of
Judge. the RAIDS had told the ne
groes that if Blackman became
Judge he would not allow the col
ored women to wear trails and
hoopskirts, and that the man would
have to get passes to go from plan
tation to plantation, or from parish
to parish! They were lies, to be
sure, bnt many negroes believed
them and would not vote for him
for that very reason. These were
the kind of lies that had been used
to keep them from supporting
Democrats. They all knew it to
be so. Yet these very Republicans
had no use for the negro unless
they would give them Office. Once
when Thomas beat Willett in
Willett went away say
ing he would "never again vote for
id niger" These sort of fell
lows id the niger in the hills
and Rugged him in the bottoms.
They have kept the negroes array
ed against the whites for ten years
sometimes in arms-by prejudice.
When the RAIDS claimed to have
set them free it was false. God
alone was to be praised for it, and
MS watchful providence would pre-
serve them in their freedom. The
Democratic party had afforded to
hem that protection which the
republican party had failed to give. |
If the Republicans had lied To