The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-17
Mr.. rheIa,l's speech.

grati6ed to the Democracy of Fayette for
their support before and since his NOM
ination, and recogniz d under what, al
N ost insurmount table difficulties thoy bore
the banner of their party. Before discussing
the leading issues Of the canvass, he W shed
to address a few words, in all candor and
friendship, TO the more intelligent colOred
men in the audience. For twenty-five years,
said Mr. Phelan, you have been repeatedly
told that the Republicans were your only
friends-that they set you free. This is the
claim they make in their secret meetings; IN
public, and across the border line to North
ern audiences. they dare not venture such q
fraudulent claim. On a recent occasion MIR.
Blaine, addressing his whito partiSans in
Maine, called their attention to the fact that
Northern white laborers found in the South
ern blacks their most serious competition
competition which he declared to
Phelan evidently impressed his colored
auditors ns he continued to urge that the
late war was not waget for their
emancipation; that they were, freNd as a
military necessity t. maintain the integrity
of the Union; that the most prominent and
successful Northern generals and sol iiers
were Democrats throughout. He quoted
President Lincoln's letter to Horace Greely,
in which he declared: III | can preserve
the Union by freeing al ne h,;d slaves viii DO
some of them | II do so. II ! can better
preserve the Union by not freeing q single
Slave, then not one single slave
shall be emqpSipStSd" Tidgo,S c,db He 'hSMSd SSST
man, Hancock, Halleck, the sole object of
the war was the preservation of the Union.
In Fayette county, said Mr.. Phelan, you
furnish nineteen -twentieths of the votes and
are fairly entitled TO that pro rate of the
offices; but yon get but one OF the oihees
while your white allies walk of with the
nineteen. Laughter and applause There
is Cassels, of Memphis, a most worthy ard
iutsllinent representative OF your race.
Why was he not nominated for Con
gressP In the Forty'sixth Congre :, when
the Republicans were in the minority. they
bestowed upon the Hon, Joseph Rainey, Of
South Carolina Ga leading colored Republi-
can) tho empty honor OF the nomination for
the clerkship, an office worth SoOOO year.
In the Forty seventh Congress, when that
n, rty was in the msj7ri;y and had the power
TO Gle ct the clerk. they elevated their noses
entirely over Rainey and gave the
cierhship of the House to the Hon. Nd
ward McPherson, Of Pennsylvania. Ian
dsts so.''l Yes, that's so, continued Mr..
Pheian. So it has been, so it is now, and SO SO
II will be forever. With your 1900 or 1900
majority in Fayette, you have two Republic IN
officials. Were any ofyOu colored men 8 lilo,
tied to accept the honors and emoumepts?
are simply asked to do the voting,
Gov. Bates first message urged upon
the Legislature to provide an
tion, who was to have been a .eOlored man,
his labors confined to elevating and edu.
eating the colored children Of Tennessee.
And against the bill providing this colored
superintendent tho Republican leader in the
House, Roderick Random Butler, yotsd and
led his partisan cohorts. Gov. Bate. In
sympathy with the other Southern men who
understood the needs Of the. cJlored people
and sincerely seeking their advancement
and happiness, at subsequent session
again asked the Legislature for authority to
appoint colored superintendent, and once
again ROderick Random Butler was there to
meet and defeat the proposition, and Butler
was today the Republican n0minee for Con
gress in the First District; ne ca sandldiIy
paid eff the debt OF gratitude by a
quarter of century of political bond
age, an enslavement Of mind more de,
basiAg than aoy physical Slavery could
be. On the other hand. Mr; Uisveo
be Register of the District Of Columbia, and
a Republican Senate refused to confirm the
appointment. Did ever Radical ingratitude
present meaner front? Why, these RepHb-
licans will neither slye you an ONCE them 5t N
Laughter and applause. Mr.. Phelan
urged upon his colored hearers
to throw off the R publican
shackles which blinded their eyes sand
bunted their senses. He wanted to, sec, a
place of secret malice, prejudice and dis
trust. They should exero SO their own
judgment consult their own best interests
in a reasonable, Independent way. He did
not plePd for their votes, he would cas- y
be electei without them, since nine-tentht
Of the colored men Of intelligence and
property in Memphis had assured him oi
their warm and earnest support.
DEMOCRATIC ECONOMY.
The policies and principles of Dsmoc.
rAcy as at present organized were best for
them as for the whites; best for the State, the
nation and for every class and condition OF
our people. They owed it to themselves tC
be NO longer slaves, but free. indepen dent
men. The speaker discussed Democratic
pledges of retrenchment and reform. lie an
ticpated his opponents charge land 1t wai
the only one he would maBel that Mr.
Cleveland's administration had not educed
public O. penitures, but he showed by thC
record that S6.00O,000 had been saved as the
difference in appropriations for one year
The Republicans. he said, had controlled
the country for quarter of a century; The
Democrats had not At any one session duriD(
all these years had full control of the law
making power. fthey have not carried out al
the reforms promised, they have done the
best they could, with the Republican partJ
bitterly opposing every measure OF reform
quoted from Senator Hoar, who said that tol
twenty-five years America stood pre-emi
nent over all the countries of Europe 10
fraud and corruption of the public service. i
of their own mouths they stood condemned
Mr.. Phelan read from reports made By
Solicitors of the Treasury for twenty year
past-Republicsn Solicitors-and showed
Republican defalcatiOns in detail averaging
nearly 81, ,0O0,0C0 year. These reports, how
dih mt tha WhigkV ring franhq
the postoffice defalcatiOns, the star routt
rascalities, the signal Service and Othe
stupendous villainies. He knew three o.
four Democratic rascals, but he charged
aSt a aS5 'nqsPSy aspSS % tsS tSSd.ncs yism
evil instincts, which the Republican
system encourages. He took up the vast ex
peuditures in the navy, SlOO,000,O00 from
1868 to 1876, $40 600 900 till 1873 and since ther
"Nothing," said Admiral Porter, that WI
could rely on for Offense or detense." Their
had been SO ,OOO,0OO expended, and only 81,
100000 to show for 1t, while $40 900 900 haC
ROns-evapOrated like mist in the morning
sunshine.
FINANCES, GOLD AND SILVER.
Mr.. Phelan's discussion of gold ant
silver coinage was especially able anC
CANVASS By charging that the Dem
Ocrats had opposed the free cOinag,
Of silver, but had been driven, completely
routed, from his position. The under
lying idea of all circulation was enough
currency to meet the needs of thu
people, the demands of commerce
and keep it beyond control Of tb,
money centers and spectators Of New Yorl
and Chicago. Mr.. Arthur recommended tn,
suspension of 81 yer coinage, and so had Mr.
Cleveland. But while at one point Repub
lieans and Democrats touched on this issue
the divergence was IN nifest and undenia
BILE. Arthur, Mccullough, Sherman, al
took pronounced stand against the coinage
of silver, advising that IL be suspended
and likewise the issuance Of silvel
certificates; demanding that on tn,
5th of December, 1881, the practice Of ex
changing silver for certificates should cease
The latter was Mr.. Arthur's order, 1t wa
true that President Cleveland aud Mr.. Man
ming followed the Republicans with lik,
recommendation at this point thel
held common ground, but no further. 1ht
democratic position had not been mod fed
Republicans favor mOnOmetallsm; Demo
crats bimetallism. 1he former wish /,