Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-11-26
Wednesday, Nov. 20, 1884.
Blaine's Farewell Address.

bitterness sucn 40 uis"PP'i"tN" al"
defeated politician would be apt to
feel, who came so near to realizing
the object his ambition. The Demo-
cracy. however, cares but little about
Mr.. Blaine and his disappointments,
and his abuses. His address was
principally devoted to abuse Of the
southern States, because he did not
get majority in some of the States
of that section of the u. S. He is
also bitter because the white men in
the southern States will not submit to
be governed by negroes and carpet
baggers, and he thinks it sis a great
national misfortune" He charges
that the white men in the southern
States will not permit to the negro
the free use of the ballot, and his
Judgment is founded on the fact that
all the negroes did not vote for him.
IF this state of affairs is true, Mr..
Blaine confesses that his party, after
being in power during the last twenty
tours, has failed to see that the negro
enjoys his full rights of citizenship,
and the Republican administration is
openly proclaimed by Mr. Blaine to
be a failure. What it has failed to
do in the last twenty-four years, it
would probably fail to do in the next
twenty-four years if it remained in
power. AS regards the south, the
Republicans have proved a misera-
BILE failure, according to Mr.. Blaine,
and it is about time that another par
ty administered the affairs Of this re-
public.
If the object of the Republican
party was to make the white Ameri-
cans submit to be ruled by negroes,
we do not wonder that it proved a
failure. We give it as our opinion
that the American will never consent
to be ruled, taxed, and domineered
over by negroes. The white Ameri-
can is born to govern, and not to be
governed. Grants bayonet rule
proved failure. The carpet bag
rule proved a failure, and every other
legislation that tries to enslave the
white American race will prove a
failure. They are the superior race,
and their superiority is bound to as
sert itself.
Mr.. Blaine's lurid word picture is
not true. The white Americans are
not the inhuman wretchos he tries
hard to make them out to be. His
picture is colored by his mortified am
bition. and the south is not the scene
of lawlessness he tries to picture out.
On this subject there are better wit
nesses. Henry G. Atwood, the color
ed Republican leader of Louisiana,
and United States consul to San Do
mingo, has the following to say in re-
gard to Mr.. Blaine's speech
The colored people in the South, he
says, have been deserted by the party since
1876, and they are not depressed by Blaine's
defeat They do not like him because no
opposed the Force bill. His speech is all
bosh. The statement that the colored peo-
pie in the South were not allowed to vote
is not true. There is some intimidation in
the country districts in the South but very
little in the cities. Certainly Mr. Blaine
has no cause TO complain. In the Third
Louisiana district he got 5000 majority,
while kellogg was defeated.
The colored people vote as they. please.
Look at Bisbee's district In Florida, for in
stance. Bisbee was defeated by Republican
votes. We form fusions in the South and
make trades. The colored people are not
generally coerced. In some of the country
districts where the white people are as ig-
norant as the colored---you have no idea
how ignorant they are in some places
there are conflicts; but they grow out of
the ignorance on both sides.
No, sir, the South was not made solid by
the Democrats this time. Blaine lost every
Southern State because the colored people
are Stalwarts and supporters of Conkling,
Grant and Arthur We are nearly all
Conklings men, and the slaughter of Folger
hurt Blaine as much in the South as 1t did
in New York. The colored people in the
South are going to try to have Arthur and
Lincoln nominated in 1888. Then some
of the Southern States will go Republican.
But supposing it is true, and negroes
were prevented by intimidation from
voting for Mr.. Blaine, why does he
confne his remarks to the southern
Statesi How about St. John, the
Prohibitionists, and the Independents?
Are they, Mr.. Blaine, allowed the
privilege of exercising their rights
of American citizenship and voting
for whom they please' Surely you
would allow citizens in the northern
States to vote as they desired, as you
seem to aspire to be The great cham
pion of free voting
The records of the late presidential
election show that many thousands
Of Republicans, in the free exercise
of their rights and privileges as
American citizens, left the Republic
can party, declined to vote for you,
Mr.. Blaine, and cast their ballots
either for ST. John or for Cleveland
Did they not have that right, Mr.
Blaine? You must admit that they
are certainly as good as negroes, and
we believe far superior. Then why
are those Prohibitionists and Indepen-
dents prosecuted by the Republicans,
Ill -I.,Jo.o1 Lovootta1 aud hmm