The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-08-16
Creatures Of Imitation.

AS rule the negroes are creatures OF |
imitation, and, whether taken collect |
lively or separately, it is the vices instead |
of virtues that are initiated. The white |
people hold conventions and resolve, |
and in humble imitation thereof the ne |
groes feel called upon to do likewise.
It matters not whether necessity |
arises for the assembling of themselves
together and passing resolutions, it
must be semi-occasionally done lest
they be charged with want of enter.
prise and progressiveness. Two negro
conventions have recently been held,
one at st. Lotiis and the other at Gal
vestor-the former National and the
latter State affair. These conventions
were not unique but may be considered
unusual. In the mail good sense
marked the Texas convention. The ad=
dress issued showed that the writers
were close observers of current events
and advised the negroes to quit rowing,
to try to become owners of their homes,
to learn trades and better fit themselve-
for the avocations of life; but with all
this good advice they took particular
pains to indicate that the negroes OF
Texas were solid for the Republican,
party.
But the St. Louis convention goes
still further, and, being composed of
politicians, endeavored to impress the
country with the Importance of the
negro race iii political affairs. In the
course of the resolutions adopted they
advised the negroes to do something for
themselves in political matters, and
cease being controlled in a mass by any
particular party, which was humiliat-
ing to their manhood. They pledged
the Colored Press Association to ''hence-
forward influence, under all circum-
stances, the colored voters of the coun-
try to exercise their right of suffrage,
untrammeled by party claims, to sup
port measures and principles as they
conceive them to be for the best inter-
ests of the country and the race, to de-
mand recognition commensurate with
the strength of the colored voters of the
country from that party to which they
may see fit to become allies"
Now this is all very well, and the
colored people could not take more
decided step in advance than by becom-
ing independent voters. They have been
bullied and cajoled by the Republican
party, their rights have been disre-
garded and they have been made the
tool of scheming politicians for the pur-
poses of private greed. Notwithstand-
ing this fact the resolutions go on to
state that the convention is in sympathy
with the Republican party, thus show
ing dependence upon that party. 1t
seems that it is an impossibility for the
negroes to pass any resolution or make
any declaration of an independent char
acter without neutralizing it with an
avowed determination to remain solid
with the Republicans. This is a pre-
rogative, however, which the white peo-
pie of tho South are perfectly willing
for them to exercise. We are sorry to
see them do this, as they Can lily afford
to come in direct conflict with all their
best interest, and in becoming the op-
ponents of the Democratic party they
alone iniure themselves and their race.
It is gratifying to know that in this
State there is a very great tendency
among the negroes to vote with the
men whom they have at last learned are
their friends. Georgia is q Democratic
State, and will be governed and con.
, trolled by the white voters in it. So fal
,, as the results of elections are concerned
it is a matter of Indifference how the
: negroes vote, but the interest they fee
in the negro race impels them to desire
I that they do not come into antagonisn
i, with their own interest. The mass O
negroes will be wise to give no heed tt
the negro politicians who would lurt
them into paths which are dangerou'
and detrimental to the colored race
Columbus (Ga.) Enquirer.