The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-09-14
The Colored People and the Repub-
lican Party.

The colored people of New England
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
OR. IL Journal, and boldly takes the
position that the Republican party owes
fully rs 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
colored 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
L fayors. Mr.. Downing maintains that
/ whatever help was. given. to the negro
by " the Republican party was given for
the party's own aggrandizement and
profit, and not for any philanthropic de-
sire to free the slaves" Undoubtedly
Mr.. Downing's view of the subject is
correct. Doubtless there were men. in
the Republican party who wanted the
slaves emancipated, but the great mass
of the Republican party were not inn
bued with any such sentiment. With
them emancipation was n war measure
and not peace nor humanity matter.
The Union was on one side and slavery
on the other side. If 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 SOP In letter written
by Abraham Lincoln August %, 1862,
to Horace Greeley, the President said;
81 would save the Union. 1 would
save it the shortest way under the Con-
stitution. The sooner the National
authority can be restored, the Learer the
Union will be the Union as IL tCGs. If
there be those who would not SGue the
Union unless they could at the same
time saUe slavery, do not agree with
| them. If there be those who would not
SAGE the Union unless they could at the
same time destroy slavery, l 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. If I could save the Union
sotthoM freeing any slave would do it;
and if could save it by freeing all the
slaves l would do it; and if l could do
it by freeing some and leaving others
alone l would do that. What I do
about slavery and the colored race do
because l believe it helps TO save this
! Union, and what / forbear, forbear be-
cause do not believe it would help to
save the Union.''
Such is the language of the great
leader of the Republican party. Eman-
cipation for the good of the slave,
emancipation in the cause of humanity
emancipation, owing to the crime and
curse OF slavery, form no part of the
Republican idea. 1t was emancipation
for the salvation of the Union. Every
rnfng turned upon the Unfon7 nottfsg
upon the well-being of the slave. 1t is
not surprising, therefore. that intelli-
gent colored men have come to the con-
clusion that they owe the Republican
party nothing, and that the Republican
party does owe the colored people much
in point of supremacy, everything.
1t is we'll said that without the negro
vote not one branch of the National
Government would be under Republic
an control. The slim maiorities in both
Houses of Congress depend upon the
| cOlOreu NOteFS So entlrely unaG an even
division of these voters between the two
great parties would have left far
larger balance on the Democratic side
than now exists in favor of the Repub-
licans. I'm the White House sits Pres
ident elected by the faithful devotion
of the colored people to phantom ben
efactor, whose real form was long ago
laid in the grave with Lincoln, Greeley
| 4
are everywhere beginning to realize the
fraud l OF kepu9ncan professions So, OF love We
breaking away from its embrace, and the
day is not distant when the Republican
party will find out that the colored people
fully comprehending its mean treachery
and false professions, will turn from il
with loathing. State Sentinel