The state journal. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1883-1885, 1884-05-31
The Chicago Convention.

On Tuesday the National Republi-
can Convention meets in Chicago to
nominate a Republican candidate for
President Of the United States. This
event is fraught with the greatest in.
terest TO every citize1, and the re-
sponsibility that rests with the body
which will nominate the candidate is
Of as great Importance and as far
reaching as at any time in the history
Of the country. There will be nu-
merous names before the convention,
every candidate possessing some spe-
cial merit upon which their support,
ers will urge their claims. We have
no confidence in the claim that the
Republican party can win with any
candidate. We believe 10 the con
trary that there are mems names
which will be presented to the con-
vention, if nominated, defeat of the
party is inevitable. We believe
further that the most trusted follow
ers of the Republican party will be
hopelessly divided should man be
nominated who does net enjoy their
confidence. Notwithstanding the fact
that for the last twenty years the
Democratic party has been downed
in their struggle for the Presidency,
they 60 forth this time to do battle
with all the hope, vigor and deter
mination as Of yore. There is reason
why the party should have a care in
the selection of man. There is not
one Of the prominent men mentioned
that the Democrats could fight as
hard as James G. Blaine. In the first
place bis own party has got to white
wash him to make him pass inspec
ton. His ambition to be President,
his peculiar craftsmanship, his book
writing, his laudations of men and
States, are all circumstances which
mitigate against him in his canvass
and the near approach of the conven
ton shows him to be looseing
strength as candidate. Speaking as
the representative organ Of the col
ored people Of Pennsylvania we
openly state that Blaine is not the
choice Of the colored people Of this
State, or do we believe him to be the
choice of the colored people of this
country, and while our vote is not
given all the consideration it is en-
titled to, we believe we voice tie SEN
timents of many colored voters when
we say we are not for Blaine because
Blaine is not for US. Every Presi-
dental election finds the colored
brother growing more and more in
dependent, and while you could not
find a black man twenty years ago
who could see anything but salvation
in Republican Presidential candi-
date, the woods are full of those to-
day who will tell you they have moth
ing to lose. No matter if the Re-
publican candidate is defeated, let
the responsibility Of this feeling rest
where it may, the fact exists all the
same. One thing we do hope that
the convention will do As it always
takes certain quantity of human
blood to consecrate Republican
President, we hope they will nomi
nate man that it will not require so
much of the blood of black men to
elect, and we hope further, for the
interest of the race, that no risk of
life to vote for any ungrateful candi-
date will be INDUCED in by the col
ored voters of the South. Let the
convention give the Republican party
a candidate who is for the people; a
man broad and liberal enough in his
views to recognize the whole party,
and whether the supporters of the
party be black or white let them be
recognized alike as Republicans.