Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-07-17
To the ooIoraa PeopIe q MIssIa-

VIcKsBURG, MISS, July 10, 1855.
The time seems to have come when
some one should point out to the col
ored people the fact that under Demo-
cratic rule their lives, liberty and
property are as safe as they were un-
der a Republican President, and l hope
/ may-with becoming modesty-claim
to have long ago predicted exactly this
state Of things.
Our guides, philosophers and friends
Of the Republican faith insisted that
no rights of a colored man would be
regarded in case the National Govern
ment should change hands, and that
ever our personal liberty would be en-
dangered. Under this party lash for
years we marched to the polls voting
steadily, as we were bid to do, often
for men whom we despised; often for
men Of whose moral corruption we .
had personal knowledge, and against
men whose integrity and intelligence
were beyond question, and whose kind
ness, advice and judgment we implic-
lily relied on in all private matters.
Let US hope that this less on, at least,
has been thoroughly learned by the
colored man. Party hacks can and will
lie if it be apparently to
their advantage to do so.
Vote for men and not for creeds;
choose the honest, capable and sound
idead man, trusting that he will bring
to bear on public questions those same
qualities he displayed in the manage
ment Of his W affairs and you will
not be deceived. Granting that we
owed the Republican party a debt Of
gratitude, we have paid it, paid it ty
keeping its minions in power twenty
years. We have paid it by aiding in
the retention of a scheme OF federal
taxation that has robbed the a~gricultu-
raj South to enrich the manufacturing
East. We have thus robbed ourselves
to enrich Northern Republicans to
whom our fate, except to subs ervea
their interests, is a matter of utter and
profound indifference.
Now let us change! Stand up and
act for ourselves. The ballot is in it
self a powerful educator, nothing So
bers a man like responsibility-this
we have long had and now let us use
our faculties like men and not obey
like sheep. when l was a child I
spoke as a child, l understood as a
child and thought as a child, but now
1 am a man l have put away childish
things"
, A generation Of freemen are around
us who were never slaves, and whose
| characters have been formed under
3 freedom. Change is wholesome and
necessary in this world. The pebble
lies forever small and mute while all
living expanding things change and
r grow and throw off one shape and COW
S ering for another.
From Africa to America was a
f blessed change; from slavery to free
| dom another; from wardship to man
/; hood will be, let me say, is another.
|. Moses led the children Of Israel out Of
bondage, but Joshua led them into til
= promised land. x
d We have been led step by step from
heathenism and naked savagery to
@ Christianity freedom, education and
civilization, and now here is another
e step just above us, intelligent self
e government.
J, Why do you hesitate? let US take it.
=" "Friend come up higher"
1t OF one thing be well assured-that
s. upon the improvement and perpetual
ton of the public school system, the
real advancement of our race depends.
. Shall we antagonize our white Dem
ocratlc friends and finally betray or
jeopardize the cause of education which
n cannot prosper without their cheerful
s. aid. An unpreiudiced and philosphi-
cal view of the situation in our
s. country %persuades me that Democrats
are Democrats from interest and 1 am
ID satisfied that party desires only to
perpetuate constitutional liberty, and
sr an economic administration.
le Let us try the experiment of aiding
e them, at least for the present. If in
le the long run it appaers that justice il
t. withheld from us we can then take "a
a. track Of III incllnations or intereR
If my views startle any Of you or
70 words CRATE harshly on your earst
ID member the wisest of political pr
Is osophers in America has said, "wheFe
le ever there is freedom of thought, there
E. is bound to be difference Of opinion
e. Yours truly,