The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1884-10-03
THE POSITION OF THE DEMoCRA.
CY OF THE SOUTH.

OF OF THE SOUTH.
The Democrats in Florida are MAX
ing desperate efforts to prevent an in
road upon the "solid South" in the
present campaign, so far as that state
is concerned; but their methods are
likely to result in their utter discomfit-
ure, unless others who are delegated
to speak for them are more judicious
in their speechmaking than Richard G..
Long, who is on the Democratic ticket
for presidential elector. Every voter
should read his speech, made only a
few days ago, at Madison, Florida; and
with view of giving them an oppor-
tunity to do so, to the extent of THE
FREE Press circulation, We print it in
full below. Amy man, no matter what
his complexion, would do well to pom
der the probable results of casting q
ballot for the success of a party, repre-
sentatives of which openly declare
themselves the enemies of free schools
and free ballot. Here is Longs
speech:
81 was sent out by the executive
committee 10 hunt votes. These are
articles what we want and want bad
and Pm going to have them. Although
| am one of the Democratic electoral
candidates, shall not attempt to dis
cuss the tariff question, because don't
know anything about it; and have
yet to meet man who does. With us
there are internal questions of more
vital importance than all the national
questions. In this state We have null
tiplicity of political parties; but out OF
all the isms and theories which are be-
ing advanced and advocated, there can
be but two words spelled; one of these
is white man., and the other, 'nigger;
and this practically is the only question
which the white men of this state are
called upon to solve ut the coming cleo
ton.
81 desire to say to you black men
that the white people of this state have
tolerated your foolishness just about
long enough. You have opposed us i'm
everything we have undertaken since
your emancipation. In every step we
have taken forward your hands have
been at our Threats TO retard us; you
have not aided or assisted us in any
manner, and we want you to under
stand that we don't owe you anything.
Whatever rights or privileges you now
enjoy is Il grltulty from our hands, eX-
tended to you not because of any obli-
CATION that rests upon us.
"One thing you might as well under
stand first us last, and that is, that you
are not going to rule this government
and we are getting tired of having oul
minds diverted from questions which
affect the prosperity and material ad.
yancenIent of the state by your preten'
siOns ut each recurring election in this
direction. We do not intend to turn
| this government over TO Pope, or tC
anybody else who has promised YOU
| half the offices. We won't tolerate it
| You may think the alliance you have
made with the so-called independent!
renders You more formidable, anC
brightens your chances of success; but
let me tell you that no combination o
circumstances can render this possible
| | mean what say; and | can tell you
that the Democratic majority in thi
state is getting to be bad thing t.
tread upon, especially when the horn
are sticking up; and another thing
can tell you is, that the Democratic
majority in this state is no longer a butt
headed institutions; il now has horn
and YOU had better not fool with it.
There has never been but one sc
rious conflict in this state between TN
white man and the niger. That occur
ed in this county, and then we ha'
barbecued Niger. don't want to Sc
a recurrence of this but don't you fol
get that We are not going to see thi
government go into the hands of any
body who promises you half of the ol
fees. There is not Il man among yO
who, if he was worth ten thousand do
lars, would select one of his own rae
} rs an executor of his will.
"When our ancestors We're plannin
an expedition to traverse unknow
seas, which led to the discovery of thi
continent, yonr ancestor was crawlin
= out of Il cave with club in his hand
f look Tor lizard for his breakfast.
required centuries for us to reach OF
present advanced position. We ha
first to learn what liberty was, an
: then we had to fight for it; and don
this government over to you or to All
demago9ue whom you may follow.
: but love the nigger-he is n col
5 venient fellow to have around, and
would not live in country that di
, not have them; and | want more I
them to come-(voice from the aud
= ence, "No We don'tn') Mr.. Long: VI
r we do; don't care if they stand {
. thick as the palmetto on the coast, the
will not be in the way so far as the go'
eminent is cQNcerned. We are goil
to have a Constitutional Convention
. less than eight months; that CONVEX
ton will be controlled by white mel
no one but white men will be Above
to vote there; the angel Gabriel hin
self will not be allowed vote, an
don't you forget that the status of tn
Niger as factor in the politics of tn
state will then be fixed. Then we wal
them to come. There are Thousand
of niggers in Georgia and Alabama VIII
are working for from % to 80 cents pc
day, while in South Florida especial,
We are being compelled to pay frol
81 % to s. per day"