The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-01-19
ELLIOTT, LEE AND STRAKER.
Their Address to Garfield in Behalf of
the Colored People tMeaning Them.
~SplyeS.)

CLEVELAND. O.. January II. The coloret
delegation visited Mentor to-day and waite'
upon Gen. Garfield 1T his house. The deieet
ton was composed OF X. Is. Elliott. Sanue
Lee and ID. \. Strakcr, of South Iiroliua
Henry T.. Curry, of Texas, James Is: Devrr
aux, OF Georgia, aud Geo. ". Prince, Jr, Geo
l.. MADISON. James ". Hord, John ~. Lcihy
J. W. Harris and Stewart Ellison, OF Norti
Carolina.
On being received by Gen. Garfield, II. 1. Ell
lott, the Spokesman, addressed the President
elect, and after congratnlattng him on his cleo
ton. SAID: We have come ~ present you &
brief statement OF our condition III the south
but not in the spirit of dlctation, but In The
belief that Il fair representation OF our cause
can best b. made by those OF us VINO are com
PEELED to endure grtcvOuS wrongs lOr oplfl'
ions sake. Although clothed with the rights
nf citizenship by the pro isions Of the ConSti'
tuition of the United States, and recognized Us
such by legislative enactment and Judicial de-
ciSionS, yet still In all the southern states VIC
are citizens in lame and not In fact. Our
right To participate in elections for the cfoice
OF public officers Is not only questioned, nut
IN many localities absolutely denied us by
means OF armed violence: fraud and intlmlda'
lun in many of the southern States.
Sir. the rights of majOritics are Illegally and
wautonly Suhrcricd ny The impcriolS VIII OF
INSCRIPTIONS mlnorilics for no other reason
than this, that these nlajOritieS consist OF men
who, free aud enfranclIisci by the laws OF the
land, prefer to remain loyal to the country oi
which they are citizens, and Stead!aSt IN the
support of that political party when saved
the life OF the nation, and to the charge oil
which can mos, safely be entrusted the duty
OF preserving the results accomplished by the
late war. The methods rrsorted u Dy our po-
lilical opponents in tho South to deprive us
Of ri.htinl participation in public affairs have
been so often stated To the public, ana are SO
well known to you. that it Is unnecessary
/ that We should enter upon :; Diet Tiled state
by the infamous use of fraudulent tissue bal
lots, by liberal Justification OF registry books
and election returns. 10y 1"rclole tle'tincnt
from the polls of cgro voters by armed mons.
by murder and Il general system of terrorism,
and by the refusal in many instances TO- hold
elections ut precincts where The majority OF
voters are Republicans, the elections nave
been rcnucrci Il mere !atce. STATE govern
m hts have been made to derive their powers
not from the consent of the govern ell. but
from the arbitrary Will of dominerrinG mi
n%oritirs. We are p0werleSs, sir, to redress our
wrongs through the machinery OF Tue Stale
courts, for u lintentSa and purposes they are
organized against us, the jury oftentimcs be-
Ing conprcd not only OF those who sympa-
thise with bIeakerso of the law, but frequently
consisting in part of actual participants III
wrong doing.
Thu address then goes OF to say that even In
the Federal courts the colpred people cannot
obtain redress of wrong done them 1or inc
reason that those who are responsible FOR
these wrongs sit in the Jury box To pass Jlids-
mcnt on them. That this condition of affairs
has created Il feeling of unrest among thecol.
Orcd people Of the SOutl, ana mas icu iHtliS VI
them to seek relief III strange and rnconsc-
NAL parts of the country.
The address then sets forth the i~nadequacy
OF educational facilities In tie south. ana
urges the importance Of creating a national
system of education under the control OF the
Federal Government. The address then con.
tinues: 1--WE deem it our duty in the Interest OF
those whom we have the honor to represent.
as well as in the interest Of the Republican
party at large, to call attention to the charac-
ter OF Federal appointments IN Inc south IN
the past, and respectfully uIg" that theSystem
OF Placing in public positions men not only.
in want OF sympathy with the principles OF
the Rclublican party. but whouSc those posi-
tions TO ohslruct and hinder the enforcement
of the law passed for the protection OF the
rights Of American citizens. be abandoned,
anil that men who, though calling themselves
Republicans, are of no fixed or wcli-defined
poiiticai sentiments; men who are all Things
to all men and nothing to any, aud who arc
totally without a following and represent no
body but themselves, be nD longer set over us
rs Representatives OF the Federal Govern
ment. such appointments. sir, instead OF
strengthening the Republican party, have
been q positive source OF weakness"
The address closes with the expression o!
tho hope and belief that the rights and Inter-
cs.s of the colorcd people will not be forgotten
by the Prcsidcut-clcct in the hour OF his tri-
ulnph.