Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-12-19
Facss versus Rhodomo IN ssde.

The "bIoody shirtp campaign
which the Republican party stands
ready to inaugurate, fourteen years
after the war ended, is based upon
the assumption that there is a
reign of terrorism and prescription
in the South, under the influence OF
which white aud black Republi-
cans are debarred of their civil and
political rights. The enfranchised
negro is held up as prosecuted
being, and is represented as being
drive in hordes to the polls and
compelled to vote the Democratic
ticket. The facts of the case are,
however, that the negro, through
out the length and breadth of the
South. is absolutely free to vote as
he pleases. No other influence is
sought to be exerted over him save
such a. naturally arises from the
ties of neighborhood, common in
terssts and old associations. Pre-
cIsely such relations would the
best friend Of the colored man de-
sire to see spring up between the
two races. Only the most devilish
and selfish policy would treat the
black man, amidst the inevitable
smbarrassments attending the ad-
justment OF his new relations with
his old masters, as o leading factor
In national politics. The fact is
that the Republican party act as If
they owned the negro. Every po-
lItical calculation they have made
during the past ten years has been
founded upon that assumption. He
was enfranchlsed by the Republi :
can leaders not to vote as pleas ed
him best but to vote the republican
ticket early and as often as he
could. Whenever the colored man
chooses to ally himself with the sec-
tion in which he lives--his true
policy and the one which will
best advance his material and
moral interests-the Republican
party of the North has the impu.
dsnce to look upon itself as out and
injured. It conferred the right OF
negro suffrage to secure its grasp
upon the government. Whatever
its pretences 1t would disfranchise
both the white and black people Of
the South tomorrow to guarantee
the same result.
The following, which we take
from the Atlanta Constitution Of
December I'd, shows the steady ad-
vances which are being made by
the negroes of Georgia in wealth
and thrift, and the perfect civil and
political equality which is accord.
cd to them without question:
It will be seen by these figures
that the negroes already owning
over half million of acres of land
in Georgia, added to this total
$500 acres during the last year.
This purchase OF land was In addi.
tion to the other methods by which
the negro has demonstrated his in.
oreasing prosperity, and his desire
to accumulate and save money. In
the total tax returns the negroes
not only made up a loss of about
500, 900 caused by shrinkage in val
ues, but added besides $57,523 to
the returns-showing a clear gain
In property Of over 100000 in one
year. This we submit Is not only
creditable to the industry and
thriftiness of the negro, but it is
the most convincing testimony
that he is satisfied with his condi-
tion, that he is contented with his
surroundings and perfectly satis-
fed that he will be protected in all
his rights, either before a jury or in
everyday transactions. A people
that feel the weight of oppression,
or fear the tricks of injustice never
invest heavily in lands. They are
afraid to pin themselves down to
the soil, unless they have guaran-
tees of the most perfect goodwill
and fairness.
We do not believe that any State
Ia the Union can show q laboring
populations population of serv.
ants-that has done better, all
things considered, than the negroes
OF Georgia. Besides their materia
advantages they are prospering rap
idly In an educational way. Tn,
State Of Georgia supports common
schools In every county and give
$8.000 = year to the colored univer
sity. There are now either com
pleted, or in process of erection fv,
colleges or universities for colore(
people in the city of Atlanta. II
no city in tn, Union, and in M
State, Is there better provision
made for the education of any clas
of people, than is made in Atlant.
and Georgia for the negroes.
We cannot refrain in this connec
tion from calling attention to tn,
verdict rendered In this city tive
days ago, in q case where whit,
man killed negro. 1t was proved
that the negro insulted the whit,
HAL III tuo Aiost OppIopilouS terms
that he cursed him and curset
his mother-that being once driver
of he returned and renewed tn,
abuse and intensified it-that b,
had gone with the purpose of "fx
ing'' himself and had returned ap
parsntly armed. The insults ths
he had put upon the white mar
were such as no white man car
take from white or black. The ne
gro was OF desperate character
The prisoner was only 20 years oi
age, had a wife and two children
He was defended by able counsel,
and the defense was as strong as
any counsel could have made 1t. In
the face of all this the white man
was convicted of the hiph-