The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1885-10-07
COMING TO THEIR SENSES.
IL Colored People OF Virginia Declare
Their Independence of the Radical PoIiti
cIana

The Colored People OF Virginia Declare
Their Independence of the Radical PoIiti-
clans.
The colored people Of Virginia held
a State Convention ut Lynchburg last
week. The following address was
adopted amid great enthusiasm:
"IO the Colored People Of T~irginiu:
Whereas we, the colorcd people of
Virginia, believing as we do that the
time has come for us to call Il halt in
the unqualified support we have given
the Republican, party, do here, in CON
vcntion assembled, solemnly declare
ourselves politically independent in all
matters which pertain to us rs citizens
of this Commonwealth. We have for
twenty-five years adhered to our form
CT political associates with unparalleled
fidelity, because in those dark days of
Reconstruction the Republican party
proved that it was the only party to
which the colorcd man of the South
could consistently ally himself. To
that end the colorcd voters. responded
aud raised to power and place men
who grew wealthy while administers
ing thcl laws of the United States Gov
crnment in the Southern States. We
iSSl CNSl SlalCll1 III Nllit Has DCCU
done, but now the time has come for
us to think, act, vote and speak for
ourselves, and especially so since the
Republicans have practically aban-
doned us in former campaigns and in
all matters where the negro ought to
have had recognition in proportion to
voting strength and Intelligence. We
know, too, that many Of our ace have
hnpn lnnllnlp1 II, tIn Sp,,tlor,, Ct,,nc
but the causes which led to these sad
occurrences which have spilled our
blood and created the bitter race an
tagonism which now rctards our pro-
grcss and makes it difficult to live in
the land Of our birth, are largely
traccablc to the acknowledgement of
Federal o~hiccholders in our sections.
"Thc foregoing reasons lead us t.
adopt such methods and to so dcmcan
ourselves as to make friends of those
whose interests arc identical with our
own. We therefore appeal to the
colorcd people of our native State to
look well to the altered condition of
affairs and in the future to make such
political alliances rs will most advance
our interests cdu%cationally, financially
and politically. We feel sure that
there is throughout broad limits of the
Commonwealth a general disposition
on the part of the white people to
accord us all our rights before the law
and to meet lis heartily in every adj
vance we make for the UNFOLDING of
our people. 1t bchoovcs lis then to
use our ballots in such manner that we
may drive cut all d%iscordant clements
in Virginia, whether they be headed
by natives or aliens to the State. We
also condemn the raising of the raising
of the race issue by any class of men
who essay 10 lead the masses, because
it can do nothing but prove dctri-
mental To onr cause and our interests.
We therefore ask the hearty co opera
ton of our people in Virginia to the
success of IL movement. We have
cause to be thankful for the libcraIity
of the present National Administration
to Il people in the South. We also
believe relations to the State debt
are such as to justify us in hoping that
Virginia will be relieved from her
present financial embarrassmcnts by
aid from the Fedora! Government,
which will enable her better to provide
for all the material interests of her
citizens and to bring about that uni
vcrsal good feeling which ought to
exist between the two races"