The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-01-16
A CAUCUS.
Tee Democratic Member
a Talk.
A PLEA FOR THE COLORED MEN
Threatened Bread Riots In England
A Sad State of Affairs-Re-
duced Emigrant Fares.
A Plea for the colorea P eop1e.


New York, January 15..The New
York Freeman, the colored peoples
newspaper here, will publish tomorrow
an open letter to the Democratic party,
written by George T. Downey, the we'll
known colored man. Following is the
text:
To Hon. William Dotsheinser, Dudley D.
Field, Aigern0n S. iSaHiuaH, r. A.
Prior, and Joseph Pulitzer:
Gentlemea:-I take the liberty to ad- |
dress you this open letter, because you
are Democrats and have influence with
your party, and because believe your
devotion to pure Democratic principles |
will admit Of your advocating that the |
Democratic party shall henceforth |
favor the recognition of the colored |
element of the Ian i as it has not here |
tofore done. refer with some pride to
the fact that my better judgment
ing about such condition of |
public affairs as would war
rant division of the colored vote,
and that they have not been fruitless.
| regard the election of Hon. Grover
Cleveland to the Presidency as happy
event. 1t affords an opportunity for
the Democratic party to encourage a
consistent and just policy toward the
colored man, which / believe will be
taken advantage of. This belief arises
from the expressions already made by
the President-elect, from encouraging
declarations unexpectedly given by
/ Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks, from the
| significant stand taken in Congress by
such a number of Democrats on
O'Hara's amendment to the Reagan in
ter-state commerce bill, from the posi-
ton affecting the civil rights of the
colored man taken by Mr.. Cleveland as
Governor of the State of New York, and
of similar just stands taken by
a number of other Democratic
governors, because material interests
prompt to such a line of policy,
and because it is just A number of
circumstances are having the effect to
arouse the colored people from theirin-
toxieation as to the party that has been
upon them They will be enabled in
tde future to discriminate and use more
Judgment as to men, partisan policies
and acts, and encourage them. There
are Democrats who are as much dis
posed to deal fairly by the colored men
as any others, but who have been I'M
fortunately hampered and restrained
by the element within the party which
has caused the party to be distrusted
and passed by for at least twenty-four
long years by the majority of the peo-
pie. This element of the party cannot,
in good faith, expect more liberal di-
vision, to make further sacrifices or
: adhere to the poIicyof the past not suited
to the present state of affairs. 1t can
not be expected at such a cost:
, the policy that wars with tie
declarations of the party nationally
made in 1872. and emphatically
repeated in its national platform only a
; few months ago, in obedience to the
demand of public sentiment. This
advance is made to you, gentlemen, not
! to concede any right, but because you
: are representative portion of the
: Democratic party, which is a power l
feel warranted in appealing to. do so
because a crisis is upon the parties,
because the Democratic party. is in a
more mellow mood. touching the
e interest of the colored man than has
exhibited itself within my day; because
1 have never been slave to party. The
colored vote may be won, which is
: better than to intimidate 1t. That
: which is necessary thereto does not call
for change varying from what has be-
a come | may say, to some extent
\ erystallized into custom or law, beyond
f what has been conceded to be just. 1t
} involves no disregard of vested interests,
e proprietary claim, invasion OF
i. any private or doniciliary right.
/ What is necessary is respect for
= the common or public rights,
$ a regard for merit, intellectual attain
O ment, respect, irrespective of coler, for
r proper feelings, including natural and
s lust aspirations. 1t does not involve
/ domination, because of color, by white
t or colored / hope for fair play. Ger
a tafnly my white fellow citizen who has
: had the advantage of centuries of cul-
l. ture and domination, and who Is
l. wealthy. will not be restrained from
r acting justly through any thought o.
r the black man, in free and equitable
,r field. becoming master of the situation
n Distrust of the Democratic party ha!
e been felt by the colored man and not by
N him alone. 1t threw the party out o
\ power in 1860 on the issues involving thu
e colored mans rights. 1t is about to b.
m reinstated. May its new advent t.
te power be for the best.
J. In conclusion, he says: Therefore
k. may we not hope, among other things
m that few prominent colored person
may be appointed to some prominen
positions of honor and trust in tn
north. 1t would have a happy effect. l
III would have modifying influence upol
~ the whites of the south, tending &c
Il, ward fuller acceptance of the result
as of tie war 1t would elevate, attrac
q, and iced patriotism in the colored mar
I'll Gentlemen, believing that the incoir
On ing administration may relieve tn
and OF
o, citing question, and leave the .colore
I'll peope more free to consider materii
and Ike questions of public policy, ma
1 begof you to give Your enlightene
infiunce in that direction.
;es .
in p.t;.,o, ror Ev.rts
mt