Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1880-09-23
SEVERAL, OR MORE, WORDS TO
THE NEGROES.

any rights or privileges, and
IN proof of this they cite the
BANNER as democratic news
paper, which they say always
makes fun of the negroes. The
BANNER is a democratic news
paper, but it never made fun of
the colored people as class.
When negroes have misbehaved
themselves they have been
"written-up;" white men have
been treated in precisely the
same way, yet the republicans
have not accused the BANNER Of
making fun of the white people.
Whenever the colored have
done a creditable act they have
been commended for it, and to
theircrcdit be il said this hasbeen
Of frequent occurrence. Every
one recognizes the fact that the
colored people are citizens and
i as such are entitled to all the
rights, privileges. and emolu-
ments Of citizens. We have al
ways approved and advocated
the education of the colored
race-the BANNER did this at
time when some men opposed
it; happily for all concered pub
lie opinion in this respect has
changed-we have done our full
share towards bringing the
change about. 1t has always
afforded us pleasure to COM
mend good acts on the part of
the colored people and to en-
courage them in all laudable
enterprises. 1t is well enough
to remember that the few bad
negroes who misbehave them
selves and get before the courts
are comparatively few in num-
Der and that the great majority
of the colored people who quiz
city pursue their avocations
and make an honest living are
not responsible for the bad ne
groes. 1t has always been the
policy Of this paper to speak
out and give its honest opinion,
it has nothing to hide and does
not resort to duplicity.
The negroes in this county
occupy peculiar position; they
have had bad leaders, men who
for selfish ends have endeavor-
cd to array them in opposition
-politically-to the majority of
the property owners and tax
payers. 1t cannot be denied
that the democrats of this coun-
ty own by far the larger portion
of the property and pay for the
larger portion taXas, and while
the negroes have, as class, an
tagonized the democrats by vot-
ing against them, they invaria-
bly, go to a democratwhen they
are in trouble or want a favor.
There is no reason why the
negroes should not act with the
men who give them employ
ment and befriend them, when
it comes to the election of coun-
ty officers. While the colored
people have steadily voted the
republican ticket and elected
white republicans to paying Off
ces they have never been allow
ed any of the chicken pie. Their
white leaders have always held
the paying offices. AT the last
republican county convention
the claims of the negroes were
wholly ignored, they gave
colored man the nomination for
treasurer, calculating that if he
was elected, he would be COM
PEELED to get them to make his
bond and they, and not he,
would run the office and get the
lions share of the profits. In
fact he is simply in the position
of cats paw to pull their roast
ed chesnuts out OF the fire. The
nomination Of a colored man to
the legislature is an empty hon.
or, il elected he WILDE with the
minority in that body and will
be wholly powerless for good
or evil.
a WASHINGTON special says
the republican campaign COM
mittee have bled the department
clerks until they are poor. Some