Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-12
Tue RACE REvoLr.

The colored Republicans OF Shelby county
who making such gallant fight agains
the white leaders mouopoliziDg all the
Offices, are not alone in striking for that in-
dependence by which they have everything
10 gain and nothing to lose. The revolt Of
the colored people against the injustice Of
the Republican party pervades the coiored
race in all sections of the Union. We pub
lish in another column a sensible letter
from a leading colored citizen OF Knox
county TO George S. Hayden, of this city.
1t will be seen that the writer-Henry Cas-
per-is making the same fight against the
Knoxville ring which Bob Church, Green
Evans, Ed Shaw and other leading Republi-
cans are making here. Casper shows the
fidelity of the blacks to the Republican par
ty and the ipgratitude and injustice by
which this devotion has been requitted.
For long years the negro vote, everywhere,
has been polled consistently and persistenily
for the Republican party. They have
voted at the dietation of white leaders
without question, and when complaining of
so much voting, which paid them nothing,
the white Republicans have appealed 10
their gratitude by reminding them of how
much they had done for them. Were you
not slaves and have we not made you free
men and voters? has been powerful and
unanswersble argument 10 bring the negro
up 10 the ballot-box to vote as directed. But
the colored people have discovered that
emancipation was a military necessity"
a nd yet on this false claim. so easily refuted
by reference to the public documents and
files of Republican newspapers, the blacks
have been held in bondage by the Republic
can party. "We set you free; we gave you
the ballot" exclaim the politicians. The
colored people are now replying: "You gave
ia freedom and the ballot as a mill
tary and political necessity. You could
not conquer the South till you set us free,
and you need our votes to hold the South
under your feet and to elect a Re-
publican president. So much Tor the great
obligation" The negro has commenced to
reason about it and to see that he has only
changed his masters. He sees that his vote
gives the white Republicans the spoils of
office, snd that he gets only a crumb from
the table covered with luxury by his vote; and
he is tired OF giving and never receiving.
Everywhere the white Republicans are dis
eliminating against the blacks. In Missis-
Eippi the administration repudiates Ham
Carter, an old and iaborious colored Rspub
lican, and supports Chalmers, lauds him to
the skier, halls him as the great apostle of
reform, when only yesterday they held him
up as the fiend incarnate of everything hor-
rible and despicable. In Virginia the negro
is sacrificed TO reward the new white con-
vsrs. The revolt is not confined 10 Mem
phis and Knoxville. The colored men of
Missouri are cutting loose from the Fed
eral rings Instead of rushing around
and boo.-lickiug and toadying to a
parcel Of white men who do not
have the respect and confidence of
men of their own color, the Missouri
negroes have something to say of the cheap
white demagogues who for many years
have been profling by the ignorance and
carelessness OF the colored people. In late
convention Of the colored people of Mis-
sou-i the following resolutions were adopted:
Resolued That we indorse every movement
whose purpose shall be the emancipation of the
negro race from the thraldom of political dema-
EOgues Ihat WliG we acknowledge With
found gratitude the efforts Of the Republican party
in behalf of our race, and that its platform OF pri
ciples as announced at every convention is the
most practical progressive and safe to all the Gle
nents of our composite nationality; nevertheless,
be IL
Resolved That we hereby announce as the new
Monroe doctrine of the era OF emancipation that
the negro voter in the United States shsll rot
hencelorth consider himself subject for colonial
Tfon and appropriation for any political party but
tat the individual right to think, speak and act
for himself shall be untrammeled by any chains
ResOlUed, That we commend to the negro voters
Ot the State that whenever eOlored man has been
nominated on the Republican ticket and been
a while t6g 0neT t pST5 OF J Lae nSEst
emily and without regard to party.
This is the spirit which pervades the col
cred people in all sections The white Re |
lublicans can no longer count the blacks so |
much voting cattle to be used as ordered. |
In his submissive adherence to the Republic |
can party, the negro voluntarily placed
himself in antsgonism 20 the Democracy,
and of course expected nothing from them.
But they see that they have nothing to lose
by independence, that any change will be
Tor the better, and hence the revolt. The
colcred people have tried the Republican
party for nearly twenty years and found it
wanting. They begin 10 see that they hold
The balance of power in electiug presidents,
Legislators and all officials, and
their revolt against the Republican party
and strike for Independence will make them
an important factor in politics. and will be
followed by good results to both whites and
blacks.