Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-01-23

House accounts are purely speculative.
Still, even large speculative returns may
be taken as an indication Of returning
business confidence and commercial nc
tivity; and, together with the favorable
conditions of trade which we have already
they seem to Us to point to II
'eyival of business prosperity in the i'm
mediate future.
Eject of Democratic Ascendcncy on the
Coiorcd Race.
The fears expressed in many quarters
that the return Of the old ally Of slavery
to power IN the Nation, would he follow
ed by disastrous consequences to the col
orcd citizens Of our country, have not
seemed to us to have sufficient founda-
ton to require much attention. That
slavery would or could be restored, is of
course impossible. As to the political CON
ditiUn Of the colored voters in the South
crn States, it is about as bad now AZ it can
oe. They are allowed to vote, where their
,OurS are of no consequence, and elsewhere
simply to an extent which stops short Of
any practical influence on the result We
have yet to hear of II single elcctor, con
gresham, or state official, elected south of
Mason and DiXon's line in the last cleo
ton, who owed his election to the votes Of
colored men. Important elections in the
South, have no particular relation TO the
votes cast. Even where the two parties
are pretty evenly divided or where the
colored Republicans are decidedly in the
majority, the results were as well known
and the Democratic maiOrtieS might as
well have been officially announced, be
fore the election as after. A change,
therefore, if any happens, in the political
condition Of the colored people, must he
for the better. The main ques-
ton, therefore, in regard to the subject,
has been, as to how the colOred people
would take the change. Will there be IA
general exodus of them from the South
ern States Or, remaining, will they
change, to any considerable extent, with
the change of administration Will they
turn Democrats, and SO secure shadow of
the franchise, in default Of the substance 2
for it is evident that the franchise is but
ii shadow, when a man must vote one way.
in order to have his vote counted
1t is interesting to know what the col
ored men themselves think on these and
kindred question. and the -IGicdu
McthDiiHt EpiScppW tuurch Rcrie,C, Of
Philadelphia, the organ Of the African
Methodist Episcopal church, has done Il
public service in obtaining the views Of Il
number Of prominent c)lored men, in W.
riouS states, a. to the probable effects OF
Democratic ascendrncy on their race.
Fourteen statements from as many color
ed leaders, are thus printed by the Rcricr.
From these We select some noticeable par
agraphs:
Opinion of Frederick Douglass.
There is little to be said of the agency of
the solid South in bringing about this re
suit 1t is made solid, not by discussion
and deliberate choice, but by bullet and
bludgeOn, by midnight assault and asSas-
sinatlOn. There has been no election there
since the inauguration of President Hayes.
In the case before us, the result there was
known before there was Il vote cast, or Il
poll opened ; before there was even a bal
lot printed, Il speech made, or an editorial
written. Here one hundred aud liity-thret
electoral votes were ready to be counted
for Cleveland at any time after the day he
was nOminted.
1t would be irrational to deny that the
accession of the Democratic party To pow
er is a temporary calamity, both to the
country and the colored people, 1t will
be claimed as n victory for the solid South
and of the methods by which the South il
made solid. 1t exposes the cOlOred man It
greater insOlcnCe, insults, oppression and
violence. The bascr sort of white men III
the SOuth are not above striking a man
when he is down, and because he is down
Ia the noisy eXultatlUn that comes to liz
from the south, hear only JOY over the
prostrate negro joy over the fact that, as
a political factor, he is now not only under
the heel of the individual Southern state,
but under the heel Of the Nation. Cleve
land reform means to the baser sort, i'm
punity for violence and oppression.
|, however, think that this period OF
suffering will not last lOug. There will be
safety here, as elsewhere Even the TASTE
for blood may fail Besides, | am NOT
without hope even of the Democratic par
ty. Though it is by its history and ante
cedents, bitterly opposed toevery measure
of justice and equality urged in our favor
it Is still composed of men-men with
heads and hearts like other men. They
may do rs badly and worse in future than
they have done in the past, and yet they
may do incomparably better than oul
fears. It would be UnWise 10 assume theiI
miicXble and Interchangeable hostility I,
Our rights. The world moves and til,
Democratic party moves with il. Tn,
/ Democratic party may not be Il good party
but il may be a wise party, and wisdom
in craftsmanship, is sometimes safer than
simple goodness
The Hon. l.. IL. y. PinChback, Collector u
Customs at New Orleans.
The freedom and advertisements IN,
Culurrd people are guaranteed 10y the Con
stijuuiou and laws of the United States
;al il is not wI,uiu the power Of the Dcm
ocrtt e, or any other party, to deprive then
/ of either : and an attempt to do 50 by any
party would be SUmmarIly and sternlY re
bukcd 10y the American people, lrrcsFect
| i've of party.
! In a country like ours changes in the adj
/ miniStrltiOn OF the government are likely
| to occur at each recurring election, an,
sad indeed would he the condition of tn,
colorrd people if their freedom and Citi-
! Zeuship depended upon such a Cuutngen
h cy But aside from the legal aspect O
the question, which | consider settled
there are other considerations which vii
/ induce the white people of the South to
/ accept in good faith the citiZeushipoi theil
cOlufcd brethren. 1t increases the politi
cal power of the South and the race fur
nishe- an army of laburerS, producers,
and consumers worth hundreds OF mil