The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-01-08
Equal RIGHTS.
The Democracy and. the COiOred
Men-What Hendricks Says.


INDIANAPOLIS, IND, December %
Colored World addressed letter to
the Vice President elect relative to the
probable policy of the incoming ad-
ministration toward the colOred peo-
pie. Mr.. Hendricks' reply was made
public today as follows:
EDWIN F. Horn, ESQ:
DEAR SIR Your favor of the 11th
ult. was duly received, but absence
from home and engagements which /
could not neglect caused the delay in
the answer until this time. You ask
me what will be the probable policy of
the incoming administration toward
the colored people? The inquiry seems
to be made that the answer may allay
the fears of many who think that "the
colOred man will be shorn of many
rights guaranteed to him in common
with all citizens, and that he will
gradually be subjected to species os
slavery"
The convention that nominated the
National Democratic ticket adopted
platform for the candidates to stald
upon that so clearly stated the princi
piles and purposes of the party that to
voter could be mistaken or mislad in
casting his ballot Ii has neVsr orrtIf-
red to iue to question that the she. e4s
of the party wnu.d h- followed ny The
adoption and nIaintenauce of the prin
ciPles aud purposes 50 declared The
following is II paragraph OF the plat
form:
Asserting the equality of all men
before the law, We hold that il is the
duty OF the government, in its dealings
with the people, to mete ont equal and
exact Justice TO all citizens, of whatev-
er nativity, race, color or persuasion
religious or political"
Can ! use language that will give
stronger assurance to the cOlOred peo
pie that their rights, legal and cOHsti
tutiOual, will be respected and upheld
by the incoming administration? This
pledge was made by the greatest con-
VentiOn ever held in this country
perhaps in the world. That cOnven-
ton represented more than half the
people. But stronger and frmer than
the pledge of any party are the cOnsti-
tutional provisions that prohibit slave
ry, confer citizenship and guarantee
equality of civil and political rights
These provisions have become a part
of the machinery of organized society,
and being in support of natural rights,
are practically irrevocable.
Whatever any of us may have
thought of the prOpriety of the adOp
ton of the latter constitutional amend
ment at the time and under the cir
cumstances of their adoption, they are
now to be regarded as part of the
fundamental law of the land. never to
be questioned or disturbed. The liber-
ty and citizenship of the colored man
are held by the same right and guar
antee as that of the white man, and
can no more be taken from him nor
impaired than they can be taken from
the white man. | would not concede
that a part or whole of the people
could by any action or any form of
law deprive me of my liberty, except
for crime committed, or strip me OF
citizenship, so regard the liberty and
citizenship of the cOlored man as in
violable.
1t was cruel thing in the late cleo
ton to play upon the creduiity of the
cOlored people and subject them to
grOundless fear of Il return to slavery
and thus control their action as voters
I had occasion some years since To ex
press my views upon the subject OF
NEGRO Suffrage" and in that discus
sion / said: :" am not able TO see
why the subject of negro suffrage
should be discussed. 1t must be known
to all that the late amendments will
not be, cannot be, repealed There is
put the duty upon all to make the po
litical power now held by the enfran
chised race, the cause of the least evil
and the greatest possible good to ths
country. The negro is now free, aud
is the equal of the white man in re
spect to his civil and political rights.
He must now make his own contest
for position and power. By his own
conduct and success he will be judged
It will be unfortunate for him if he
shall rely upon political sympathy for
position rather than upon duties well
and intelligently discharged. Every
where the white man should help him
but his reliance must plainly he up
on himself.
81 am very respectfully yours,
q. a. HkE2RlCks."