Morning journal and courier., 1885-01-19
Monday, January I9, 1885.
HOPEFUL CoLORED PEOPLE.


 l Fourteen of the ablest leaders and think | CTS of the colored race have recently made l public their views concerning the politica | prospects of the negroes under Democratic rule, and it is interesting to see how they look at the situation.
 The Hon. Frederick Douglass writes: t'The world moves and the Democratic party moves with it., The Democratic party may not be 8 good party, but it may be a wise party, and wisdom in statesmanship is sometimes safer than simple goodness" Pinchback, of New Orleans says: ''In country like OUTS changes in the administration of the government are likely to occur at each recurring election, and sad indeed would be the condition of the col ored people if their freedom and citizenship depended on such condition. The change will soon be upon us, and I, unlike many of our people, expect from it political invigor- ation of the race, and a steady increase in the value of their franchise" T. Thomas Fortune, editor of the New York Freeman, says:
 There can be no backward step. We must go forward. It is the decree of the Omnipo- tent. The Democratic party of to-day is not what it was twenty-four years ago. It is wiser; moro polite. We have votes to-day; we had none twenty-four years ago. The Democratic party wants votes; wants all it can get. It will appeal to us for votes; it did not appeal to us at it's last national con- yention. We have the ballot. In the last cleo tion the entire presidential question turned upon 2,000 votes in tbe State of New York. We have 20, GOO votes in that State alone. We have enough votes in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut tc decide the election either way. These are the pivotal States. The Democrats know this; we know it. I shall be disappointed ii tbe Democratic party does not seek to conciliate us. Let watch events and shape our course in accordance with them.
 The Rev. c. s. Smith, secretary of the Sunday school union of the A. M E. church, says of the Democratic party:
 I may not trust it, but am willing to try it. ! regard its coming into power with some degree of satisfaction. And why? For two reasons. First, because I am anxious that the colored people of this country shall speed fly understand the true basis of their citizen ship, and, second, that I may know if it is truly the purpose or disposition of any party in this country to strip me of my rights. It is fact fully cognizant to all who are in any degree conversant with the politi- cal views of the colored people of this ceun- try that countless numbers of them have been instructed to believe that the continua- ton of their citizenship depended on the continuance of the Republican party in power. A most grievous error, indeed. Every colored man in this country who is | citizen is so for the very same reason that every white man is citizen-because the Constitution makes him such
 MT. Francis E. Harper, George T. Down ing, the Hon. Peter H. Clark of Cincinnati, William Still, author of 'tThe Underground Railroad" John D. Lewis, Philadelphia lawyer, Bishop H. M. Turner and Professor T. H. Jackson, of Wesleyan university, all write in 8 similar strain. These representa- tiyes of the colored people are decidedly cheerful over the outlook. It is to be hoped that they will not be disappointed.