Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-09-03
OUR coLoRED BROTHERS.

Why should the colored citizens vote the
Republican ticket? It is somewhat natural,
but it is mistake. 1t is natural, because
the Republican party is associated in their
memory with anti-slavery. Is it worthy of
benedictions, or to be trusted now, because a
radical element, years ago, declared the CON-
stitution to be covenant of hell and league
with the devil. The constitution belongs to
the colored man as well as to the white man.
1t is natural, because the party is associated
with emancipation. But it is well known
that emancipation was war measure Cd
posed by the most powerful elements in the
party.
There is no solid reason now why the
colored people should vote the Republican
ticket. 1t is an Imagination rather than a
reason, sentiment rather than an idea, a
political prejudice rather than principle.
The colored man owes his freedom to the
Republican party no more than he owes the
sunshine, the air he breathes, or the water
he drinks, to that party. He owes his free
dom, his emancipation, to God. He is a
free man by no grant or purchase from the
Republican party, but by the operation OF
the laws of the God Of man and of nations.
He is citizen with the right to vote, be-
cause of that Democratic principle
which has leavened the whole mass
of our population, which starting away back
in the days of the ancient republics, and
long before emanating from the throne of
God on Mount Sinai, and declaring that
mans only king was Jehovah: had Travelled
the circuit of the ages until it burst forth
into life on the arena of new world, and
declared the right of self government.
The Republican party is monarchical
organization with oil its tendencies towards
aristocracy, and concentrated and centralized
power and wealth in the hands of few. 1t
would to-day abridgs the right of suffrage if
it could, and require as q qualification
to vote, membership in some House of
Hope, or conyenticle of the elect whose re-
Iigion mocks God on Sunday, and serves the
devil the remainder of the week. The
interests of AL the working people Of this
country, of eolored as of white. of every
race, color and creed, are the same, and the
Democratic parry is the Only true advocate
and defender of those interests.
Is the prejudice Of the colored
people against the Democratic
party just? Neither the Demo
cratic party nor Democrats introduced
slavery into America. Great Britain brought
it to America and continued it. Neither the
Southern States, nor Southern people en-
shaved the African race, or any portion of it.
When the States and people framed the con-
stitution, slavery already existed. The slave
trade WAS continued until 1903, mot at the re-
quest Of the South, but of Nav England.
This is historical truth and cannot be de-
MED. The constitutional debates as pub
ty for this statement. The South could not
get rid of slavery, that is, there
really was no practical way
except by gradual emancipation through a
generation or two. Slavery. was curse, but
the curse was inherited from Britain. It is
ell over; the country is free and has entered
on new career, with no blight of slavery,
and there is no reason why colored citizens
should vote from sentiment or be infu-
enced by prejudice.
Who is more worthy of their vote than
Gen. Hancock? Where is the soldier who
fought on more battle-felds for the Union?
Where have they truer friend? To day all
citizens are equal before the law, and
while there is no apology for slavery, and
many evils have been entailed by Britiah
rapine and avarioe that fed upon the slave
trade, yet it must still be remembered that
there are now four millions of Christian
freemen instead of that band of African
oaptives landed on the shores of America
two centuries ago.