The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-09-14
Alex. Stephens and the Negro Vote

speech delivered by Mr.. Stephens to the
people of Atlanta he appropriated por-
ton Of his remarks to the colored people,
He asked the question why
they should not vote for him and in as
signing reasons for an affirmative response,
he related what he had done for them. He
said that he had always been in favor OF
their education that since the war he had
sent number of them to the higher schools;
had divided his lands Into small farms,
erected houses on them and placed families
of his old servants on them, with farm ma
terial and stock on them to work the lands,
and to pay the rent in produce. From this
statement, which was strictly true, we have
no doubt he had been very kind to them,
so far as their physical comfort is con-
cerned, and indeed, favored their mental
an ! moral improvement
This may be and is doubtless all true. And
yet Mr.. Stephens is the representative OF
party that is not willing to recognize the
full import and purpose of the laws and
Constitution OF the country as they relate
to the political and civil rights of the ne
gIo. He c0nfOunds his conduct as philan-
thropist with his duty as statesman, and
because he has returned the services and
kindness Of the negro as slave and freed
man, with acts OF benevolence and char
ity, it is no justification for his co-opera
ton with a political force that legislates
and devises to deny the higher rights of cit
izenship. Even with so experienced public
man as Mr.. Stephens-one who has given
expression to liberal sentiments in and out OF
Congress. in direct antagOnsim to those his
party inculcates and practices-there seems
to exist reserved right to circumvent the
laws and nullfy the Const tuition in their
provisions for the civil and political rights
OF the colored man. They will not recog-
nize that he is a citizen, clothed with all
the manhood rights that pertain to any
other citizen, and that courage, patriotism,
philanthropy and public policy require that
the laws should be vindicated in all OF their
demands, in defiance of prejudice, or pre-
conceived notions of what the laws should
be. The inconsistency and ingratitude are
not with the negro that he does not vote for
Mr.. Stephens as the representative OF the
Democratic party, but with Mr.. Stephens
that he allows himself to be placed at the
head Of a party whose history is inconsis-
tent W it'll what Mr.. Stephens believes aid
expresses. In his own State there is con-
stitutional restriction upon the popular
vote, similar to that In Virginia, and from
which ours was borrowed. Ii is true Its
enactment was not in violation OF the
pledges the people of that State had made
| as a precedent to representation in Con-
gress and the resumption of the control OF
their State affairs. as it was in Virginia. Ii
is a part OF the Constitution of Georgia, as
adopted before representation i'll the ma
tional councils was allowed, and does not
| involve the question of nfidelity to public
faith, as does the capitatlon tax restriction
| in Virginia. But it is nevertheless price
placed upon the ballot, and designed to op'
crate as DISTINGUISHING clause upon the
negro because of his poverty. So long us
| Mr.. Stephens stands i'm the relation OF rep
resentative of the party that conceived and
adopted this restriction, he can expect
nothing else than that the Vgro will vote
against him. We're he to announce him.
self a candidate for Governor, Independent
of the Democratic organization, and upon
the liberal political sentiments he has more
than once declared, the colored vote would
readily come to his support; but when he al
| lows himself to be put forward as the stan
dard bearer of the Bourbon element OF the
Democratic party. the negro will vote
against him and ought to do so.
What objection could Mr.. Stephens urge
| to the negro votes, that he should practi
cally endorse the hostile legislat ion of the
Democratic party to the colored mans
political rights? Mr.. Stephens was an ole
Henry Clay Wing. He believed in the
American system of the Kentucky states
man. He favored protection to home in
dustries. through tariff laws; the idea ola ma
tional banking system; the improvement by
4 W -
These were cardinal beliefs with the Whie
party, which Mr.. Stephens supported and
in the advocacy OF which he devoted the
best years OF his life. The negro has consis
tently voted for these measures. in casting
his ballot for the Repub lican party, while
Mr.. Stephens is identified with the party
which before and since the war has con
sistently opposed them. If the negro vot'
is thus appropriated for conservat i've end
If it helps to put in operation the meas
ures which encourage the industries ant
regulate the commerce OF the country Il
the public safety and good-measures which
Mr.. Stephens has favored and no" favors
but to which the party with which he il
now identified is opposed, he should no
complain that it is cast against him.
These remarks are intended to have ap
plication in Virginia. in the present COIL
test, more than to expose the inconsistency
OF Mr.. Stephens complaint against the ne
gro. No one in Virginia or Georgia car
point to single measure hostile to thu
public welfare, that the negro has sup
ported. He has practically aided, through
his ballot, in building up American manu-
features in giving a safe and reliable ba
sis for business through notwithstanding
currency In preserving Amer lean credit
and promoting the happiness and prosper
ity of the American people. Hal he fol
lowed the example of Mr.. Stephens, anl
became identified with the Democratic par
ty, he would have opposed all these things
but in not doing go be has proved himself &
conservative factor in politics, a better
friend of American interests and American
progress than has Mr.. Stephens, with al
his knowledge, experience and opportuni
ties.
The negro voters of Georgia may well
ask Mr.. Stephens why it is he has gone
back on himself-why it is when the
present labor system and the material
| wants of the South, now more than ever in
the history of the country, demand the prac
cal operation Of the governmental policy
which he has during his entire past life sup
ported. that he should abandon it. and
unite his fortunes 18th the party that he
had opposed because of its views upon these
very Quest ions