The Indianapolis leader., 1880-10-02
THE CAMPAIGN.
An Enthusiastic Meeting on the
West Side Addressed by SEN
ator Bruce and Governor
Pinchbaok.
Rousing Meeting at the Vermont
Street A. N. L. Church Last
Monday Might.
undiananoli. .Journal.l

The meeting held at the Vermont Street
A. NJ E. Church last Monday night was a
large and enthusiastic one, the colored Re-
publicans turning out gloriously, spite of
the unpropitious weather. The meeting
was called to order by Hon. J. 8. Hinton,
and organized with Prof r. B. Bsgby as
chairman. Mr.. Bagby said he esteemed it
no small honor to BE called to preside where
two such eminent representatives Of the
colored race as Senator B. K. Bruce, of Mis-.
sissippi, and Ex-Governor p. B S. Pinch
back, of Louisiana, were to speak. He
thought that when he saw these two men,
great and honored representatives of the Re
publican party, that the predjudices against
his race were dying out, and yet he had
only to go across the southern border to
Louisville, Kentucky, to find these pred
judices in almost as fourishing condition
as before the war.
He then introduced Senator Bruce, who
briefly reviewed the Democratic party and
its enmity to the colored man. 1t was the
party, which had questioned the right of the
government to defend itself; had questioned
the right of the government to MAINTAIN a
completed Union and questioned the right
of the colored man to the habiIiments of
citizenship. He then reviewed the infamous
black laws of the South-the vagrant law,
the apprentice law, and the contract system,
all or which had been devised Immediately
after the war, to make liberty sham and q
mockery, better only in name than slavery.
He showed up the contract system and the
judicial system of the South, the latter max
ing the courts of justice merely instruments
of wrong and oppression to the colored man.
These laws, foul blots even upon the record
of the Democratic party, were protected By
General Hancock's famous order. That the
colored man has not prospered In the South
is because he has not been vouchsafed true
liberty. He has not been contented. To be
contented, one must be protected. To &C.
quire property, one must be permitted to
enjoy the fruits of their own labor. 1t had
never entered into the mind of the Demo-
cratic party to make laws for the five mil.
lions of blacks of the South. The Demo-
cratic party asked the voter to forget the re-
cord of the party and look only at the prom
ises of the candidate. That we can not do.
We know that under our form of govern.
| ment a personal government is impossible
The party controls its candidate, and Han.
cock would reflect the temper and will and
wish of the Democratic party. An honor
able man having accepted that party's nom
ination could not do otherwise. The color
ed man is assured that the amendments te
constitution are sacred. 1t is just before the
election that the Democracy became solicit
Gus about the amendments. They never
| trouble them at any other time. They as
sure that they will be as safe in their hand
as in the hands of the Republican party
but we think not; and they will not be en-
tirely safe until we kill the Democratic par
ty-the party that opposed emancipation
opposed the enlistment of colored soldiers
opposed the enfranchisement of the colsret
man, and opposed and is still opposing every
thing that is for the good of the colored man
Prof. J. William Pope, of Pennsylvania
then sung sour Flag" and Sammy Tilden'
Lament receiving the warmest applause
Hon. P. B. S. Pinchback then spoke. II
said that all over the North people of bot
parties were now meeting and freely dis
cussing the merits of candidates and parties
In the South 1t was not so. There no dis
cussion was tolerated. There was but on
kind of meetings, and they were not Reput
ncan meetlngs. Ine lun0amentai prlnclpi
of free speech has been set aside in eleve
States,of this Union, and it may not be Ion
before it is set aside in all the States. Mort
as well as South. The colored people of th
South are asked why they do not assert thei
rights and protect themselves, if they hav
the majority as they claim to have. Th
people who ask this forget that it took th
powerful North more than four years to pr
that people down. and now they expect
nation newly born to doit The Democrat
party is in power in the South, and whel
that party is in power you find ostracisn
wrong and outrage committed on the colore
man. Why, you've only got to 30 ss fl
South as Louisville to find it. But it ma
be, with four years more of Republican rul,
we can even go to Louisville. The Repul
lican party is the ark of safety of the colort
nan. Far.t ,f.-l :e
The First Ward Glee Club, "GriHin
Quintette," then sung. and the meeting .
journed. At the close of the meeting Z
informal reception was held by the di
tinguished speakers, who were introduc,
and shook hands with large number Of Il
audience. ~