National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-12-04

The Richmond Plant, All organ Of tho
Virginia colored republicans, in speaking
of the part taken by certain colored men
10 the democratic parade at Richmond in
in honor Of Clevelands election, said
,/The part taken by those negroes in that dem.
'ocratic procession of last Tuesday night was
humiliating TO themselves in the extreme.
The indignation Of the coored people was
plainly visible, and had they not been so wcll
guarded by their white captors they would
have "lived hard"
This has aroused the ire of tho New
York Herald, and II gives FREQ expression
to its detestation of the intimidation of
colored democrats by colored republicans.
In this THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN
cordially concurs. We do not think that
1t is exactly the correct thing for col
ored man to be democrat, but neverthe-
loss we concede his perfect right to act
with that party II he freely chooses to do
so, and have nothing but words of con-
domination for any attempt to interfere
with the free exercise Of his right as n
citizen to vote with the party OF his
choice. Political intolerance is the curse
of the south, and IL is no wonder that the
black republicans have become inoculated
with something Of the bitter spirit of
their white democratic neighbors, but
there Is no justification for its exhibition
by either.
In this city there is now q gentleman
who has resided In the south for many
years past. He was a captain in the
| federal army during the war and good
soldier. He bought property in the loca-
ton of his choice and sought to become
identified with his community as good
and useful citizen. But he was ropub
lican aud, having been raised where DEM
ocrats and republicans alike freely ex-
pressed and maintained their opinions
and still remained good friends and
neighbors, could not see any good reason
why ho should not remain republican.
| The habit of freedom OF opinion was in
grained In the man and ho stubbornly
persisted in remaining republican.
| In the late election he acted as chair
man Of the republican congressional COM
mittee for the district in which he had
tried to mako home. The republican
candidate was elected by an overwhelm-
ing majority, but was counted out by one
as large.
This man had suffered from social pro-
scription at the hands of his white neigh
bOrs-nay. ho had been, on more than
one occasion, compelled to fight for his
life because of his political opinions
solely, but had still thought that after
a while he would bo able to establish
friendly relations with those among whom
ho had cast his lot. However, after
Cleveland's election such incontestible
evidence was given him that his white
neighbors had determined to take his
life at any cost that he gave up tho
struggle, fled, and Is now in this city try
ing to sell his property at half its value
rather than venture back to the home of
his choice.
This is not an isolated case. There are
communities in the south whero freedom
OF political opinion is tolerated, but they
are few and far between. In many sec
tions IL Is at the risk of his lifo that a
northern man ventures to settle and re-
main a republican. Too many have
sadly verified this statement, and the
case of the man whose name we refrain
from giving for his own sake is simply
typical of the experience OF others who
have sought to make their homes In the
sunny south and remain republicans. If
! the Herald will turn ita nowerful indio.
nation in the direction of the field af.
forded by the experience of white repub-
licans in the south it will find matter
enough to fill its editorial columns for
many days to come and not begin to ex-
haust the subject. In the meantime free
expression of its views in regard to the
case referred to might prove interesting.