Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-10-03
The Col0red People aud the Republican
Party.

are waking up to the fact that they do
not belong to the Republican party, and
they do not propose to be used much
longer for the special purpose of giving
the Republican party predominance in
the affairs of the Republic. The city Of
Newport, r. L., has citizen, Mr.. Geo.
T. Downing, one of the most intelligent
cOlored men of the country, who pub
fishes his views in the Providence (R.
~ Journal, and boldly takes the posi-
ton that the Republican party owes
fully as much to the colored people as
the colored people owe to it, and that,
as there is at issue between the two
great parties no question in which the
colUred man is specially interested, he
is at liberty to join whichever one his
present circumstances show to be best
disposed toward him, irrespective of any
sentiment of gratitude for past favors.
Mr.. Downing maintains that whatever
help was given to the negro by 1.-THE Re-
publican party was given for the party's
own aggrandizement and profit. and not
for any philanthrOpic desire to free the
slaves" Undoubtedly Mr.. Downing's
view of the subject is correct. Doubt
less there were men in the Republican
party who wanted the slaves emancipa-
ted, but the great mass of the Republi-
can party were not imbued with any
such sentiment With them emau cipa-
ton was war measure and not a peace
nor . humanity matter. The Union
was on one side and slavery on the 9th"
er side. II the Union could be saved by
getting rid of slavery, amen. If the
Union could be saved without getting
rid of slavery. amen again. Is that SO?
In Il letter written by Abraham Lincoln,
a Vof to Ii =,
President said -
'I would save the Union. would
save it the shortest way under the Con.
stitution. The sooner the National au-
thority can be restored, the nearer the
Union will be the Union as it aOds. If
there be those who would not saUe the
Union unless they could at the same
time sdue slavery, do not agree with
them. II there be those who would not
sove the Union unless they could at the
same time destroy slavery, I do not
agree with them. My paramount OBJ
ject in this struggle is to save the Union,
and is not either to save or destroy
slavery. II / could save the Union
aOithout freeing any slave would do it;
and if l could save it by freeing all the
slaves would do it; and if / could do
it by freeing some and leaving others
alone I would do that. What 1 do
about slavery and the colored race do
because believe it helps to save this
Union, and what / forbear, I forbear
save the Union"
Such is the language of the great lead
er of the Republican party. Emancipa-
tion for the good of the slave, emancipa-
ton in the cause of humanity emanci-
patton, owing to the crime and curse Of
slavery, form no part OF the Republican
idea. 1t was emancipation for the sal
walton OF the Union. Everything turned
upon the Union, nothing upon the we'll
being of the slave. 1t is not surprising,
therefore, that intelligent colored men
have come to the conclusion that they
owe the Republican party nothing and
that the Republican party does owe the
colored people much-in point of SUI
premacy, everything. 1t is well said
that without the negro vote not one
branch of the National Government
would be under Republican CONTROL
The Slim majorities in both Houses of
Congress depend upon the colored vo-
ters 80 en- ,irely that an even division of
these voters between the two great par
ties would have left a far larger balance
on the Democratic side than now exists
IN favor OF the Republicans. In the
White House sits President elected by
the faithful devotion of the cOlored peO-
pie to phantom benefactor, whose real
form was long ago laid in the grave with
Lincoln, Greeley, and Sumner" Intel
ligent colored men are everywhere be-
ginning to realize the fraud of Republi-
can professions of love for the colored
people. and they are breaking away
from its embrace, and the day is not dis.
tant when the Republican party will
find out that the colored people fully
eomprehending its mean treachery and
false professions, will turn from it with
lOathing. ng.-lndidn0 State Sentinel.