The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-10-07

Since the war closed, for sixteen years the
Republican party have had absolute control of
the Executive department, and, until the last
Congress, of the Legislative department of the
Government, and most of the time by two
thirds majority. Has that party given protec-
ton to the negro in the sense in which they put
the necessity for 80 doing before the people? +?
Their very campaign cry is an admission that
they have not SO done. If they cannot, or will
not do it in sixteen years, how much longer
shall we trust them with the power in order
that they may do it If, at the end of sixteen
years, they claim that they must be- continued
in power four years longer that they may do it,
how long shall we, who have some connections
as to the misconduct of the party in other re-
CARDS as well as in this, put up with all the
in order to have them fulfill their promises, SO
often solenlnly made and as religiously
broken2
I unhesitatingly declare that, at the close
of the war, and during the period of recon-
struction, / was one of those who believed
stringent measures necessary for the protec-
ton of the newly enfranchised colored citi-
-zens in the South. of this opinion in
1876, four years ago, and fought the Presi-
Dental campaign of that year upon that issue
only. was in earnest. l desired laws to be
passed that should protect every man every
where in his rights voter and a citizen.
But the first act as we have seen, of Mr..
Hayes, acquiesced in by his party, was to
abandon all possible right of claim Of interfer-
ence in the South in behalf of the negro-to
remove the few troops that were there, if any
were necessary, and to take pains to turn over
the governments of Louisiana and South Caro-
lima to the Democratic party, destroying the
governments elected by Republican votes there,
which, if they were not duly and legally
elected, then Mr.. Hayes himself was not duly
and legally elected. The assertion of the one
fact must be the assertion of the other. The
assertion of title to his Office must be the as
sertion of title to the Republican State Govern
ment of Louisiana. The denial Of the election
of Governor Packard to Office was the denial of
the election to Office of Governor Hayes. In
deed, Packard had some half score thousands
more of majority than Hayes had.
Nothing has been done. Nay, nothing has
been attempted to be done to afford protection
to the negro in the South, or indeed anybody
else there. Indeed, these States in the South
were put in condition 30 that nothing could be
done by the Federal Government Nay, ALL
both white and black Republicans, have had no
recognition ut the hands of the Administration,
except the few men who were engaged in the
false and fraudulent counting of electoral votes
in the several States. In fact, Mr.. Hayes,
after his experience with them, would not ad-
NIT there were enough Republicans honest
enough to take the census, and his party now
are finding fault with the enumeration made
by his appointees. These facts are too notori-
ous for comment even, much less denial. Am
!, friend of the negro, bound to fight another
campaign in his behalf as Republican simply
to see him abandoned and myself cheated once
more? What guarantee have I that General
Garfield will take different view of this ques-
ton from Governor Hayes? They are both
from Ohio, and each has been and is sup
porter of the other. Why are Republicans to
be deemed to have abandoned their political
principles, and gone over to the enemies of the
country, because we propose to vote for
Union General for President, while Mr.. Hayes,
who has been the moral and official head of the
Republican party, second only TO President
Woolsey, of Yale, can with applause appoint
Confederate General to Cabinet office? I
fail to see any distinction between the two acts
in any aspect save that we are going to vote
for great General and Hayes appointed a lit
tie one Now, then, it is because am friend
of the negro; it is because desire to stand for
him; it is because desire to do all that in me
lies to aid him in the difficult position in which
he is placed by the attainment, SO unprepared,
of his citizenship, that l now propose to act
with the Democratic party. They at least can
protect him and believe will SO do.
The industrial condition of the South shows
that the negro, necessary as laborer, must be
protected, and will be as soon as political an
tagonisms die out. The negro has, since his
freedom, disappointed both friend and foe in
two regards. First, it was believed that he
| would not labor a free man, yet the South
has never raised by hundreds of thousands
| SO many bales of cotton as the present
| year.
Ag ain, it was believed that he would not
multiply without master to preserve and pro-
| tect his offspring. But if the returns of the
| Republican appointed census officers are to be
| taken, he has shown such increase in popula-
| ton as has always been deemed by statisticians
| the highest evidence of happy homes and a
prosperous people.
Believing, as do, that with the election of
| General Hancock race collision will be at an
end; knowing as 1 do, that he has the execu-
tive power, determination, and steadfastness IN
right that never has faltered, 1 think can
trust him to see that the promise of his letter
| of acceptance that the Thirteenth, Fourteenth
| and Fifteenth amendments shall be car
ried out in their letter and spirit, is fulfilled.
IL freely confess to You that desire TO be in
| such relations of political kindness and cour-
| tesy with the Democratic party, that may be
| permitted to point out in behalf of the colored
| men, what deem would be for the best inter.
| ests of all, and what doubt not will be thel
| wish to do in his behalf.
But of one thing am certain, that cannot
| be more powerless for good to the colored race
under General Hancock the Democratic party
holding the Government, than have been, and
| every other friend of the colored men has been,
under the administration of r. B. Hayes.
PRESENT PROSPERITY.
The only other reason given why the Re
| publican party should be continued in power,
is the present prosperity of the country, which,
they do not explain how, is due to the legisla-
ton or administration of the Republican party
Is this claim a just and tenable one?
Is not the exact contrary the fact that quite
| every business that could be affected by legisla-
ton or administration, is not now prosperous
Every business that could not be affected by
legislation or administration is prosperous
The Almighty, in his beneficence to us, has sen
us the largest crops of all kinds of provisions
for series of years, we ever enjoved, and, a
the same time, also provided market for tn,
surplus of those crops, amounting in a singh
item to nearly 200, 900, 900 bushels of wheat il
Europe by the failure of the harvest there
Had the Republican party anything to do witt
that? Yet the agricultural prosperity is claimed
for that party. The balance of trade in ou
favor was due to that excess of export over i'm
port. Is that due to the Republican admins
tration
The fact that nearly ,OOO, 900 bales of cottol
have been raised in the South this year, largel.
by the labor of the colored man-is that due Il
the Republican party =? They admit they hav
not, and declare they could not, interfere witt
them for the past four years.
They have the audacity to claim, in the Chi
cago platform, that the Republican party ha
raised the value of our paper currency from
thirty-elght cents to par in gold. They forgo
to tell us under what legislation the greenbacl
was brought down from par in gold to thirty
eight cents.
Is it not the fact, that while the reduction
from par in gold to thirty-eight cents went o.
. "a reduction the effect of the war-we lad tn
largest prosperity; and while it was being raiso
from thirty-eight cents to par in gold, by thei
legislation, we had series of business depres
sions, and reverses which brought men an
communities to the very verge of universs
!. bankruptcy crisis through which we hav
passed, and from which we are now revivine
since the Republican party lost their power 9
legislation? Does that party claim that banl
rupt state of business as trophy of their lee
islation? 1t, indeed, was from an act of legil
: lation-the resumption act; the prosperity wa
from an act of God-the crops.
But, citizens of Massachusetts, let us conside
affairs q little nearer home, with which we al
better acquainted. Before the advent of th
| Republican party into power, every river an
harbor on our coast WAS engaged in ship built
ing. 1t was a vast and successful industr,
Now there is not single ship being built i
1 Massachusetts,, and hardly half score of small
!, er craft.