Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-07-21
THE ILLINOIS COLORED CONTEN.
TON.

THE ILLINOIS COLORED CONvEN.
TON.
A convention of the colored men Of Illinois
is now in session at Springfield with the
avowed purpose of insisting upon their
rightful recognition at the hands of the Re-
publican party. The convention claims to
represent thirty thousand votes, and in
reality hold the balance of power between
the two parties in the State. They claim
that although they have steadfastly sup
ported the Republican party through evil
and through good report, their claims to
recognition have been wholly ignored, but
one of their race having ever been chosen to
seat in the legislature. When they have
asked for an Office they have been given the
janitorship of some public building, perhaps.
or assigned to some mental employment
that brings but poor recompense. Now
they propose to ask guarantees in place of
promises, for the promises upon which they
have been SO long subsistiug are not very
satisfying.
The complaint of the colored people of
Illinois is just one, but the race In that
State have Jared no worse than in the
other States of the Union where the Repub-
hcan party is in the ascendancy. That
party, ever since the beginning of its exist
ence, has protested an undying love for the
negro race, and has claimed the credit Of
it's emancipation from bondage and eleva-
ton to the dignity of citizenship. It has
never ceased to rail at the Democratic party
for its alleged disposition to keep the negroes
in servile occupations. Yet, after the ne
groes have been educated, and many of them
have attained to degree of intelligence far
above the average of the members of the
Republican party, the effort is made to sat-
isfy their ambition with promises of political
preferment that are made only to be broken.
The party is willing to use the colored mems
votes, but they are not willing that they
shall participate in the benefits of political
success. The Republicans now control nine
teen of the Northern States, but save in L.
linois no colored man has been elected
to legislative position. They control
hundred and thirty Congressional districts,
but every one of those districts is represent.
ed by pure looded white man. No State
official elected by the Republican party has
even trace of negro blood in his veins.
although nearly all of the officers in every
Republican State are indebted to the colored
men for the emoluments they enjoy.
Among the foreign ENJOYS but one is COL
ored man, and he was sent as minister to q
nation composed of men of his own race.
No nationality or race has ever been treated
SO shabbily as the negro race has been treat
ed by the Republican party.
The colored people of Illinois-and indeed
Of the whole country-are justified in pro-
testing against the manner in which their
services to the party have been rewarded.
They have exhibited rare fidelity to the par
ty, and have asked but little in return.
That little has been denied them. They
have now partially awakened to realizing
sense of the fact that the professions of af-
fiction for them are merely empty bonn
bast; that after their votes have been record
ed they are showed to one side to give place
to some less worthy representative of the
dominant race. They need hope for no bet
ter treatment in the future. The Republic
cans will eat the kernels of the nuts after
the colored people have cracked them, and
throw the she LIS to their obedient serfs, just
as long as they are in no danger of losing
] their votes. The pending convention may