The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-08-18
George Alfred Townsend, afbitter Repub-
ILoan parLisan. in writing Of Pattis0n. saws .
Must COlored Men be Republicans Z

George 7. Downing, Of Newport, r. , is
I one Of the most intelligent cOlOred men of
this country. Recently he wrote to the
Providence Journal a reply to some criti-
cISms made by that paper uDOn the position
OF the cOlOred voters with regard to the Re
publican party. Mr., Downing says that the
I Republican party owes fully as much to the
| cOlOred people as the cOlOred people owe to
1t, and that, as there IS at issue between the
Two great parties no question in which the
coiOred man is specially interested he is at
liberty TO Join whichever one his present cir
cumstances show to be best disposed toward
1 MN, irrespective of any sentiment OF graft
Jude for past taYOrS. Mr.. Downing main
/ tains that whatever help was given TO the
negro by the Republican party was given for
the partY'S own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and profit
I and not for any phiianthTOpjc desire to free
the slaves. While there is a measure of
truth in this latter assertion, it is not true in
the degree asserted by Mr., Downing The
bepuDllcan party would never have freed
| the negro from slavery and still less give
| him all civil rights, but for the fiery enthu-
slasm and unseldsh devotion of the abOli-
( ton element of the party and since for a
time that element obtained control il was
natural that the whole party should be as
crOed the credit. But the present leaders
of the Republicans are so very different from
I those who controlled the organization that
( freed the slaves that to all intents and pur-
poses the party to-day has no more claim to
[ the gratitude of the cOlOred men than the
purchaser of an estate has to claim descent
from the family that formerly owned it.
In this view of the case, Mr.. DOwninp's
( frat prop0sitiOn-that the Republican partv
owes as much to the cOlored people as they
( owe to it-understates the facts It owes
I far more. Without the negro vote not ono
branch of the national Government would
be under Republican control. The slim ma
JOrlties in both Houses of Congress deDend
upon the colOred voters so entirely that an
even dlvisian or these voters between the
: fvE-1 ~gaaf ~ 4 H-,r~r LIT
balance on the Democratic side than now
exists in favor of the Republicans In the
/ White House sits a President elected bv the
faithful devotion OF the colOred people to a
phantom benefactOr, whose real form was
I long ago laid In the crave with Lincoln
Greeley and Sumner. Mr. Downing NAV
! well ask then what the present Republican
. party has done to deserve the continued al
! legiance of the cOlOred voters. 1t will not
; do to sneeT at this protest as merely de-
/ mand for more patronage. Even If this be
the case it is an entirely legitimOte demand
! judging by 5he theory and the practice of the
| Republican leaders. President Arthur is
called practical politician - because he
{ knows how to distribute the Government
patronage so as to secure a fair return in
votes for each appointment The too-can-
ala Mr. flanagan, who expressed his disgust
/ al the thought OF going to the CHICAGO Con-
ventiOu for any other reason except to oct
Offices has Just received his reward The
Z German, the Irish and the Scandinavian yO-
/ terS ali receive due recognition in the ap-
/ poTtiOnment of federal appointments but
I the negro, more faithful and more cOura-
I geOus in holding to his allegiance than anv
/ of the other classes, is to a large extent for
gotten in the distribution of places. It is
I not claimed that he is entitled to Office be-
I cause o. his vGte-quite the contrary II
! the cOered man Is to be invited into the Re-
/ publican ranks at the polls on the score of
/ gratitude to the party he is entitled to a bal
J ancing of accounts to see on which side the
/ Indebtedness lies; and if other Republicans
/ habitualiY demand Office as a payment for
/ their votes he certainly cannot be treated as
a pariah for simply following their example.
[ There is one point that the Republican lead
I ers would do well not to overlook: The col
I ored voters can do without the Republican
/ party the Republican party cannot do with
( out the cOlOred voters. Philadeipo5d Record.
: Ind