The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-09-12

advancemenI What single bene2t has % FAR
resulted 70 the colored people q shs South from
this unnatural alliance into which they we're
unsuspecsingly led Has II NOT rather operated
TO pacs then In a utterly false and disadvanta-
geous position Was not the llfeslnggle oI
their undiscsplined race in competition with the
resistles AnglolSAxon sufficiently problemsIieal
at best without remembering them with the ad-
ditional incubus of social and political hates
Seventeen years have passed away since the
coloTed men Of Florida assumed the rights of
citizenship. Despite all the corruption and un-
warranted power exercised by the Radical party
to maintain its control Of the Affairs OF the gov
eminent, the law Of truth and justice. a. en-
bodied in the principles Of the now dominant
political party, has asserted ITSELF The conduct
of public Affairs has established itself in the
hands of the iighifnl representatives Of The SOIL
the machinery of government, and the custody
of the peoples money necessary cooperate It, have
fallen, by the true logic OF events into the trusy
hands Of the people themselves, and there they
are going TO remain. IL as they declare, and as
they may very naturally desire. the colored peo-
pie of Florida feel inclined TO assist in exercising
any functions in the government of this country,
there is but one sody open to them, and thai is TO
familiarize themselves with the fundamental
truths and principles that underlie the DEMO
CRATIC theory of government, TO recognize and
comprehend that the social and industrial inter-
est of Florida and the whole South admit of the
application of no other principles in It's govern
ment
Whatever other policy may be deemed pref
cradle in some other portions of the Union,
where the industrial interests are different, in
the South common sense demands that the Dem
ocratic idea shall prevail; and lifelong Republi-
cans from the North. whom circumstances have
removed to Florida. are quick to recognize this
important TRUTH and are everywhere throughout
the State making il manifest AT our elections.
These Northern men who supporting the
Democratic party in Florida are not doing 50
for the hope of any reward except such as comes
from good government, for they have no political
aspirations, but in casting their lot among us
seek to maintain that principle OF government
that their intelligence dictates is alone adapted
to the interest of the country Why Is it that the
cOlOred man is incapable Of comprehendng this
truth? Is il because he is stupid dolt, incapable
of comprehending anything, or because he pUs-
an intelligence superior 10 every one else,
and Is wiser and better Republican than the |
educated white man of the North who sees fit To |
alter his creed and adapt his political opinions to
the merits of his surroundingse We think il is |
neither. We do not think colored men at all |
stupid, nor extraordinarily wiser and better than /
other people; but we attribute the whole error
to the unfortunate effect of those early teachings
had from designing white men, who, for their /
own ends. poisoned the understanding of the /
colored people, used them for selfish purposes,
abandoned them when those purposes were /
served, and left the to wallow in their blind
ing prejudices and passions, alienated from their
neighbors and the men who might assist them.
So long. however, as the colOred people of the /
South occupy the false and unfortunate position
they have been placed in by the cunning shysiers
who once led them, they will be subject 10 the
selfish purposes and uses of weaker, sore-headed
and ambitious demagogues like McKinnon and
his Kinder gdrten allies, and while it may be
true that well deserved defeat and disgrace will
ever attend the efforts of these maukish Conf
dencc men," and the representative people Of
Florida have reason to apprehend their In
dependent or other isms resulting in anything
further than well deserved rdicule and contempt,
it is nevertheless true that every such expert
ment with the passions and prejudiccs of the
colOred people serves more and more TO load that
unfortunate race with an estimation in the minds
of observing men that they are not yet suff-
GENTLY enlightened 10 judge wisely for them
selves.
The purposes had by McKinnon in attempting
TO assume The leadership Of the colored people
is part and parcel of the same unprinciplrd ac-
ton had by the old gang of while frauds who
climbed into place with the help uf negro votes
and fattened on public pap while their supporters
were left To shift for themselves.
The difference is that when the old Radical
frauds played upon the negroes the latter not
so well informed as now but there are hundreds
of thinking, reading among the colorrd
people, and that they are not 10 be hoodwinked
by every unprincipled political adveniurer who
attempts 10 haanyJa90k them into supporting
his greedy measures is made apparent by the
action Of the Quincy Convention. The regular"
plaster clapped on the irrupIiOn viii prevent the
Independent pimple ever coming TO head Go
home, McKinnon, and run for Constable in your
county.
Judge A. l.. Woodward.