National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-13
Iblican and democratic, as follows:
Making in all..........:.;.".... 2Gl 1879
An average per state of about. l6 Sc


This exhibit, while probably inaccurate in
some instances is substantially correct. 1t
is sufficiently suggestive to create feeling of
anxiety in the minds Of thoughtful men. If
we omit from this list of states the first four,
which may be properly regarded as border
states, the result will DO yet more startling,
for the average number Of papers in the re-
naming states will be reduced to about seven
republican and ninety democratic. In Vir-
ginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee the
latter outnumber the former about six to one
in Kentucky, ten to one; in Arkansas and
Louisiana, twelve to one; in Florida and
Texas, fifteen to one; in Georgia, twenty
seven to one; in South Carolina, thirty to one;
in Alabama forty-four to one and in Mssis.
sippi. ninety to one.
These figures, which can easily be verified
are of portentous significance and deserve to
be seriously pondered by every sincere friend
Of republican institutions, which, we are
taught as fundamental doctrine, can only
rest with safety upon the will Of the people
intelligently and freely expressed. If the
views Of one party alone arc presented to
them, the opposite being suppressed by want
of proper channels through which to make
them known, it should cause no surprise if
those views are adopted without question
oven by honest, well-mesning people who
would otherwise reject them. No issue being
Joined the case simply goes by default The
people should become acquainted with the
views of both parties upon every political
question Of importance, aud this can only be
done when they carefully read and consider
for themselves what is said by the advocates
of each
Because large number of men clothed
with the elective franchise are poor, par
TALLY educated, or quite illiterate, is no good
reason why they should be kept in ignorance,
and so made to vote according to the will of
others rather than their own any more than
that they should cast their votes under the
persuasive influence Of the shotgun"
The colored people are here by no fault of
their own and they are not to be blamed for
being made free. Nor is it their own fault
that they are not moro intelligent, since,
until within about twenty years, it was a
criminal offense in the southern states to
instruct them to read. But all this is now
changed, SO that to-day, even in Richmond
;tsolf tho maud cantar of fha 1ata coutbarp
onfederacy, there are three we'll conducted
papers published by colored men. Since the
world began we doubt if another instance can
be found where race held in servile
bondage for hundred years ever made such
progress in SO short time. Some profound
scientists, who, in their own wisdom, pre-.
sumably suppose they have forgotten more
than the inspired historian Of the creation
ever knew, confidently assert that the human
race has reachedits present high plano of cul.
ture by development from something in.
finitesimally small but they fail to give in tho
least idea how long it has taken to reach this
plano even from the monkey state. That the
COlOiOi tuSo hao q thSuieJ iot uoNoAoPih6 VOL
rapidly from state Of entire ignorance
to one Of decided intelligence is very
evident, and this is no less true than graft
flying 1t should DO the pleasure, a
it is the duty, of every patriot to aid il
this grand upward movement and especially
to see that every voter be properly instructe,
as to his personal rights and obligations
This can best be done by the judicious use o
reliable papers. of which every one shoul
have the benefit of weekly copy that h
may read and think for himself SO as to b
able to do his own voting upon election day
If unable to take paper alone, let two o
moro unite in securing copy; and if unabl
to read, let some true friend read it to then
!, Every proper means should be used to en-
courage them in this work as we'll as to sup
ply them with papers in case of need.