The bee., 1883-04-14
AN ISSUE.

1t is idle business to entertain the
thought, that there is any State in the
South. except Virginia, in which the
colored Republican vote will be count
ed in 1884, against Democratic inter-
ests. The country understands just
as well as it does anything that ninety
nine one-hundredths of the Colored
voters in the South are really Republi-
cans. Since 1862, the Colored people
Of the South have given so many living
evidences of dutiful devotion, first as
a contraband, soldier, freedman, then
us citizen, always to his cost of toll,
suffering and hardship, that to enumer-
ate here now would be only waste of
words. 1t is true, and has been made
to kelrts Of oak, through a sea of
blood.
The Republican party deserted, dis
owned and frowned upon the Colored
people of the South in 1876, after the
Presidential election, since then the
managers have steadily ignored the
cardinal principles of the platform, and
have almost if not quite squarely
ignored every promise made, and as
race, We have been treated 10y these
managers as though they wished we
had never been born. We unhesita-
tingly charge that the present managed
Republican party is little, if anything
better than the hide-bound bunker
bourbon, slaye-holding Democratic
party, that is, SO far as our interest
goes.)
We seem to be but their cats paws,
pulling chestnuts from the hot fire
from day to day, but never getting any
of the kernel, we get all the halls.
Assuming, that the Democrats will
carry the South except Virginia, solid
in 1884, we do not propose to make
any argument about the numerical
voting Republican strength in any of
those States. We, however, put Vir-
ginia in the list of possible Admins
tration States for 1884.
What we desire to get at, is this, the
coiored Republican as well as all other
votes will be counted in Illinois, Indi-
ana, Michigan, Minnesota. Kansas,
Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania and
New York, the Republican party can
not hope to succeed without the almost
solid colored vote in these States.
The present managed Republican
organization has completely ignored
the colored Republican as class, went
back on its promises, and has in no
conceivable manner since kept it's faith
or the word of honor of its pretentions.
We suggest, that before the Nationa]
Convention of 1884, yes, good bit
before then, that it will be in order
for the large and controlling colored
vote in the States mentioned, to take
such steps as will secure to them and
the race at large, something more
binding than promises, something that
cannot be set aside at will or pleasure
something that will not be made to the
hope and broke to the heart.
The material that will make up g
National Colored Mems Convention in
1888. will show the country that twenty
years has done wonderful things fol
the slave-bound down-troden race
When the Convention assemblies in thi:
city, in September next, the young
men to the front, our brain, capacity
neuclus, and high social morals ant
intellectual standing. will be shown t.
such an extent, that general amaze
ment will fog the eyes of those
especially those who have been think
ing for the past ten or fifteen years
"alas, the poor colored man, what viii
become of him when left alone?"