The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-05-01
THE PRESIDENT AND THE COLORED
PEOPLE.

DuflnS tue past week or ten days
the President has been waited on
by several parties of colored men,
desirous of complimenting him and
expressing their confidence in him.
Most of them have explained that
they were not office-seekers, and
had no one to recommend, and not
particularly care whether there
were any colored men in office or
not; they desired simply to express
their confidence in Democratic
President, and convey back to
their people the assurance that
they could safely trust him as Pres
ident of the whole people, without
regard to race or color.
In his reply to these formal adj
dresses Mr.. Cleveland spoke at
length and LAID down the policy of
his administration in dealing with
the negroes. He took occasion to
advise one of the delegations,
which was led by a negro editor of
Washington, not to pay any atten-
tion to very radical aud incendiary
remarks of the colored journalists,
and warned them of the danger of
appealing to race prejudices and
endeavorlng to foment troubles
between themselves and the whites.
To the other colored delegations,
who came in a better spirit, he ex-
pressed himself more cordially.
Hisconception of Democratic prin-
ciples, he declared, was that they
meant equal rights and privileges
to all citizens, without regard to
color..which principles he would
always undertake to enforce. At
the same time he called on them to
perform their duties as citizens,
and predicted if they did not al
low themselves to be blindly led or
cunEingly deceived the time would
soon come when something better
than race or color would decide the
political action of citizens of the
United States.
When we remember the attitude
that the Republican party has al
ways occupied on the negro ques-
ton, and the predictions it has
freely made in reference to their
treatment under Democratic rule,
these late interviews and exchang-
es of sentiments seem strange in
deed. Even when the last CAM
paign was over, and defeat had met
them, the Republicans soughtsome
little revenge by circulating the
story that slavery would follow
Democracy. For a few weeks
there was more or less excitement
among the more ignorant negroes
in out-of-the-way corners of the
country, but that excitement and
that feeling are altogether gone,
as these frequent interviews be-
tween the President and delega-
tions of colored men show.
The South, containing, as 1t
does. the greater portion of the
colored population of the Union,
Is to be congratulated on the good
feeling thus created. Its effect
will be beneficial, not only in a
political point of view, in winning
the negroes away from the Repub-
lican party, but in restoring conf
dence, raising, enlightening and
improving them. The prosperity
Of the colored race has improved
wonderfully under Democratic
rule. There is no race prejudice,
Or unfriendly feeling, no disturb
ances, but, instead, more work,
better schools and great industrial
growth and development. New
industries have been opened to the
negro, and he finds himself impro-
wing, rising, growing better off
every day. Four years of Demo-
cratic rule will dissipate forever in
his mind the assertion which the
have ever been making
TO him that he thriyes best under
their rulc.-T-D.
Mrs. E. II. Hatfield, who died
recently at Brambleton, near Nor