Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-19
The Republican Party and the
Colored People.


accusing the Southern Democrats OF
having disfranchised the colored voters
by fraud and intimidation, they do not
seem to have much success in firing the
Northern heart. The Northern people are
fast losing the old prejudices and fears,
and are more than ever before disposed
to take a Just and fair view of the atti-
tude Of the South.
In recent editorial tho New York
Evenlag Post, which has long been one
Of the ablest and most independent OF
the Republican journals, and which Is
now classed as "Mugwump" on account
of it's conductors refusing to partake OF
Blaine crow, says:
1.-THE service rendered by the Republi-
can party to the oolored men since the
war is not to be found in its external and
aggressive acts, but in the moral
pressure it has exerted upon the
South. Its carpetbag governments led
to bankruptcy and kukluxism, and then
disappeared in chaos. After they were
gone society built itself anew on the prin-
ciples which lie at the bottom of all civil
lied governments. The educated and re-
sponsble classes took the places from
which they had been forcibly expelled and
established the present system of South
ern governments, which may be briefly
described as universal suffrage oond
toned upon the supremacy of the edu-
Gated and the suDGrdinaton OF the igno-
rant. In the administration of this sys-
TEN they have been under the moral
supervision, perhaps we may say ter
rorism, Of public sentiment in the
North, which has insisted that the
colored men shall be fairly dealt with,
their freedom shall not be encroached
upon, and that they shall have all the
privileges that are consistent with good
order in the communities in which they live
So long as the Republican party was in
power this was the maximum of their de-
mands upon the South, after the carpet
bag governments had been helped out of
the way. Has this moral pressure been
lessened since the election of President
Cleveland Has the public sentiment Ofthe
North taken lower tone since that event
than it held before2 Can any cOnse-
quences be pointed out showing that the
rights of the colored men are less respect
ed now than they were one year ago? Is
it not true, on the contrary, that there has
been substituted in the place OF moral
compulsion feeling of duty and respon-
sibility more elevating to both races and
more promising to civilization than any
thing ever known in Southern politics
since slavery became rock of Ofense in
the uatiOn's history"
The Post lays too much stress on the
moral pressure exerted by the Republican
party on the South. The influence of that
party has been injurious alike to the white
and cOlOred people of the South. The
methods to which its leaders resorted In
the Southern States to plumber the people
and to maintain themselves in power
were such as to prevent any moral press
ure or beneficial terrorism the philanthro-
pists Of the party North may have wished
to exert. The negroes being among us
and being citizens, the Southern people
naturally desired to do all in their power
to elevate to- race. This is proved by
the fact that the cOlOred people OF
the South have made wonderful
progress, from an educational and mate.
rial point Of view, since the Democrats
have been in power in the Southern
States. During the carpetbag era the
time and talents of the negroes were de.
voted, under corrupt leaders, to the beat
ing OF drums, the holding OF incendiaTy
political meetings, and voting early and
often to keep virtue and intelligence from
having any influence in public az
fairs. Had the carpetbag and soallawae
governments not been overthrow wher
they were there is little room to doubt thai
the Republicans in the South Of the basel
sort would have precipltated race war
which would have been terrible in its re
suits.
Since the Southern Republican govern
ments have been "helped out OF the way
to use the language of the Post, the
dangerously hostile feeling between tbs
races has been oblitersted, and the South
ern States have been able to devote great
sums OF money to the education of chill
dren irrespective Of color. Funds thai
should have been devoted to the cause o.
education were almost invariably stolen
or wasted under Republican rule.
Nothing could be more hurtful to the
colored people, as well as tAe whites, thar
the return OF the Southern States to Re
publican rule. Fortunately, however, there
is no probability OF such disaster befall
ing any OF them.