The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-10-05

masters. The negro gradually gaineg
knowledge, became more enlightened
and began to think for himself. Yea
after year passed and he was firm ant
faithful, but his fidelity was unrewarded
The land was not divided: the adven
turers filled all the Offices, save possibly
q few seats IN the General Assembly. and
the colored men had received nothing
One by one they saw all the fair promises
OF these men come to nothing and remain
unful6lled- They became disgusted and
left the party.
2 The colored people were induced BY
these same men to deposit their hard
earned savings in the Freedman's Savina
and Trust Company. This they did nntil
millions of dollars, the fruit of negro toll
and negro industry, were accumulated in
that institution. The money 10 gone. the
bank is ruined, and the colored people are
left to wonder what has become Of their
money.
8. The colored men saw the white men
who controlled their votes and filed the
offices grow wealthy, and one by one re-
turn to their Northern homes. They de-
manded representation in the Offices. and
were answered with fair promises or the
sending of one or two of their number to
the State Legislature. In q community
where they polled 900 votes there would
be one negro holding the meanest Office
in the county. The white Republicans
became sick, and then either left the State
or quit politics and deserted their friends.
This demonstrated clearly enough that
the negro was courted solely for his vote.
and not from any interest in his welfare.
4. In 1874 the Democrats came into
power. The negro was frightened out of
his boots, and expected every right that
that he had to be taken from him.
For six years the government has been
in Democratic hands, and the negro still
casts his vote unmolested; he still sits in
the jury box; he still exercises everv Do
litical right that he ever had, and without
interference or hindrance; his children
have good schools to attend free; he still
makes his contracts, and is master of him
self.
5. Under Republican rule the negro
saw the State and county overwhelmed
with debts honestly and dishonesty con-
tracted; taxes SO high as to impoverish
the country, dishonesty and corruption in
high places, warrants upon the treasury
of State and county selling for one-haif
of their face value, jury certificates worth
absolutely nothing, and all things in q
most miserable condition. Since Demo-
Gratis have been in power the public
debts have been greatly reduced, the tax
es steadily decreasing year by year, State
and county warrants paid dollar for dol
lar, prosperity in every branch of business,
and honesty and fidelity in the execution
of public trusts.
6. Under Republican rule vast sums
were annually appropriated for the pub
lie schools, but the schools were only
opened for two or three months in the
year, and then presided over by teachers
utterly incapable of imparting instruc-
they have see seen the taxation for this pur-
pose reduced, but schools for colored as
well as white children are open during
six or eight months in the year, and COM
petent teachers are employed, under whom
the SONS and daughters of colored men
are receiving an education.
7. Under Republican rule the colored
men saw crime unpunished and rampant
all over the State-murder, larceny, riots
all crimes were everyday occurrences
in our midst. Now they see crime, when
committed, detected and punished, strin-
gent laws made for the protection of the
life and property of all men alike, prompt
redress of all grievances by the courts,
and the criminal business of our courts
reduced and crime diminished fifty per
cent.
8. Formerly colored men saw the races
arrayed against each other, bitter race
prejudices existing-nothing but antago-
nism and strife! Now all our people live
peaceably and quietly together. There is
no strife, no contention, no bitterness, and
all men are happy, prosperous and con-
tented!
9. Colored men, after calmly and quietly
reviewing the events of the last ten years,
have very naturally asked themselves,
I" What have we gained by our blind adhe
sion to the Republican party? We have
held none of the Offices, but, on the contra
ry, men have induced as to place them in
power, and have grown rich and left us to
our fate; we have received nothing at
their hands; we are dependent on the
white men of our State for our bread, for
our subsistence, for the schooling of our
children, for all that we have; we 60 to
them in trouble and distress, and we are
always treated kindly, they are all in all
to us, and why should we oppose them in
politics They have taken from as not
one of our rights We have been more
prosperous under their rule than ever be-
fore We are better protected now under
the law than heretofore, and why should
we hate them-work and vote against
them and their interests p Reasoning in
this way, and looking at this stern logic
of events, the colored men of the South
are voting by the hundreds with the white
people, and areopenly avowing themselves
to be Democrats.
These powerful reasons, in my opinion,
induced the colored men of our State to
free themselves from the political bondage
of the Republican party, and to vote for
what they deem to be their best and
truest interests. They see that they are
protected in all their rights, civil and po-
litical. They receive to-day for the edu-
cation of their children twenty times more
money than they pay for taxes; they sit
upon .juries in all the courts of the State,
and are paid for their services they vote
for whom they please without restraint or
intimidation from the whites they rent
the land they cultivate from white man
at low figures, and are not defranded and
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