Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-08-05

Cur Delaware BuIldoxers.
A colored man named Hari ID came 10 this
city lss. week and announced his intention
to attempt to organize a colored Hancock
and English Club. The JOURNAL has kept
we'll posted concerning his movemsnts
and does not care to conceal the
fact that 1t has not the highest respect
for the man, because his habits and associ-
atoms are not such as to inspire respect
while ugly stories come from the scene OF his
previous operations. Nevertheless we
cheeyfully announced his meetings,
having no desire to refuse the man q
hearing, and we paid slight attention 10
the threats we heard that he would be
mobbed il he undertook to make
speech.
1t appears, however. that the threats
were not mere idle talk and that Harris,
having attempted to make speech in
favor of the Democratic candidates, at
New Castle last Saturday evening, was
mobbed by crowd of negroes, and some
one in the crowd threw brick at HIM
which severely wounded white man who
was among the listeners Now, Harris
good or bad character has nothing to do
with this phase of the subject. He is
certainly as good as some white men who
make political speeches, let him be as
Mt 20 81 ha
He had perfect right to make
political speech if he wanted to- and to
make it on which side he preferred. Yet,
for attempting to make it, he is assaulted
by mob of negroes and the people who
are Mortified about alleged outrages on
free speech way down South, in some
community about which they know moth
ing, are entirely calm over this deliberate
attempt at bulldozing negro right at our
very doors.
Here is a new and striking illustration
of the insincerity of the pretended regard
for the negro for his own sake. Accord
/ ing to the stalwart theory the war was
chiefly fought that men OF Harris color
might enjoy freedom of speech and the
right to express, by tongue and ballot, their
political convictions yet we doubt
if there is Republican in this
community really grieved at heart
because this fellows right
to free speech has been lawlessly abridged.
The right tho war was chiefly fought 10
establish in the opinion of these philan-
throphists was the right of negroes to
make Republican speeches and vote the
Republican ticket, and there is absolute
Indifference to the rights, privileges or
welfare of any of the race who manifest q
disposition to vote the Democratic
ticket or urge others to do
so. II this is the temper
negroes display in Delaware where they
never have had any power, what reason is
there for doubling the truth of the stories
about the wholesale persecution they re.
sort to in South Carolina TO prevent mem
bers of their own race from voting the
, Democratic ticket there2
We have no doubt that there
| is Just as much intimidation o.
{ negroes by negroes in the Soutl
/ as there is of negroes by white men
1t cannot be possible that men who owl
r little properties, as thousands of negroe,
I in South Carolina and the other Southern
o States do, or that even steady laborers win
b want peace aud order in the communit,
i, and schools for their children, can desir
!. the restoration of the sort of government
a which taxed real estate out of the hands o
i its owners, mortgaged the credi
of the States beyond hope q
redemption, almost, and even stol
the school fund which was the hope of tn
d race that gave the thieves power. W
n do not think so meenly Of the negro rae
B. as to believe that the better members of
1t would want to restore such government 9
is that and yet we hear on quite as goo
1t authority as any bloody-shirt story eve
lie had, that these men are threatened wit
sr violence If they vote the Democrat
lie ticket, and that negro preachers and negr
N women are the most addicted to strrip
s. up the wrath of the mobs.