The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-05-09
The South-The Negro-The Repubii-
can Party.

The South-The Negro-The Repubii-
can Party.
A. w. CAMPBELL. Esq, OF Wheeling,
West, Va, made for himself a national rep
utation in 1880 by rising in the Chicago
Convention and initiating or hooking Mr.
CoSKLINo's pompous manner. He was n
GARpIRIn man. lie was a personal friend
OF the deceased President; and IL the lat
ter had lived a while longer, Mr.. CAMPBELL
would no doubt have received an appoint
ment OF some importance. have known
Mr.. CAMPBELL for many years. Before the
war he was, though residing in a slave
State. an avowed Republican. He is a
quiet. undemonstrative man. but a plain
spoken one. He is, as such men usually
are, candid
We'll. Mr.. CAMPBELL has made a trip
through the southern States, and has told
10 the readers OF the journal he establish
ed-the Wheeling LateHigenceT-what con-
illusions he has reached concerning the
negroes and the Republican party OF this
section. lie AYERS that the negro popuia-
ton is an obstacle-'' both a political and
material stumbling-b!ock ito southern
development. "As a rule, ten lrishmen
or ten Germans would do as much" as
twenty negroes; and ''yet the negro docs
pretty much all the agricultural work OF
the South"
Mr.. CAMPBELL has discovered for himself
what sort Of party the Republican party
of the South is; and tells his brother Re-
publicans Just what he learned concerning
ii. We quote:
.'Still another drawback TO development
down here is the political condition OF the
country. II is unnecessary TO say that
practically the white people Of the South
are solid against southern mot northern)
Republicanism. Indeed. there is no Re-
publican party down here TO speak OF out
side OF a few white politicians and the ne
groes. II there ever was one, 1t is dead.
see no signs OF il anywhere. occasionally
meet a northern man or woman who is a
Republican, real old-time one-but they
are passive, and for the reason that they
don't admire and will not affiliate with
such Republicanism as has existed here. i
am strengthened in my conviction that the
South must become an independent field in
politics, and that the colored man must dl-
vide his vote among candidates. In this way
his vote will be counted; and Malone,
Chalmers, and other like Independents will
spring up, who will act with the Republic
cans in Congress. The darky cannot IL
his machine alone"
Surely it is very desirable that they
should do so. but will the negroes ever di-
vide their votes between the two partiesy
OF course there will always be here and
there a negro who will vote with the DEM
ocratic party from one motive or another;
but we see no reason to doubt that as a
race or class the negroes will continue to
vote for one party, and that OF course the
party which makes the most concessions to
them. The Coalitionists OF Virginia, for
example, have appointed two negroes trus-
tees Of the public schools in Richmond.
Suppose the Democrats wish to compete
for the negro vote, must they promise TO
put three or more negroes on that Board ?
Or, If they should do so, would not the
other side be compelled-yes, compelled,
for the controlling reason, il for no other,
that the negroes all, or nearly all, now be-
long TO their party-to offer to appoint four
or five or a majority of the Richmond
School Board (there are only nine members
in III from the ranks of the negroes?
See how white candidates for Office have
been demoralized by their axniety to secure
negro votes. We mean particularly Re
publicans and Rcadiusters. since these
have LONE most of this work of pandering
to negro preiudices; but ii the Democrats
are to attempt TO divide the votes Of the
negroes 10y dividing Offices and honors
with them, the competition will go from
bad to worse until mixed schools and
mixed marriages will be offered. We can
imagine no other result. Think where the
whites Of Virginia stood in 1866, and see
where and how they stand now, and con-
clude if you can that the Democrats might
safely attempt to secure the votes Of the ne
groes by offering to divide the offices with
them. 1t is safer TO do right. Let us be
just to them; but let us not attempt to
pander to their prejudices. The fact that
the Republicans or Coalitionists are bound
by the circumstances in which they find
themselves placed to outbid us ought to
decide the policy Of the Democratic party
even II there were no other or higher con-
sideration. To return to our illustration:
IL the Democrats might consistently offer
to appoint two negroes on every school
board, we cannot deny that the Republi-
cans might consistently appoint three or
more; and il we compel them to choose
between losing the negro vote and outbid-
ding us for IL, the Democrats will not be
blameless in the matter. Not by any
means.
L.. L. Innl A nnInr. Io4ao. o..