National Republican., 1886-09-01
"a pemoeratlo Nerro a Mxth.n g


"a Democratic Negro a Myth"
A few days ago our evening contem-
porary, the Washington Critic incidentally
remarked that If President Cleveland in
tended by appointing the colored man
Matthews TO a high position TO show the
friendlness Of the Democratic party to the
negro race, he should also have appointed
two or three Democratic darSes to office
in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama,
The New Orleans States, an able and
earnest exponent and defender OF the
Democratic faith, quotes the critics re-
mark, and makes this comment thereon:
Ifthe C,lLc will be so good as o find any
Democratic durkies In the states mentioned
MIR. Cleveland will no doubt celebrate the
discovery by appointing them to otIire under
the government. A Democratic negro Is II
myth ana the Republican ncg.O will, in the
course nf time, be n rare curiosity. The fact
of the matter Is the negroes or the south arc
giving politics wide BERTH and are satisfied
with being well and fairly treated AMI given
their rights under the law. po itlcs made
them the tools Of carpetbagger5 aud brought
them disaster, while industry AMI a close At
tention to "a pair of plow handles and mnl,
have brought them prosperity aud oomtOrta-
Dle homes. The southern negro s M fJbt,
and he is not slow IN fin ling out which
side Of his bread is buttcrcd,
There is breezy and refreshing fraukness
In this utterance that is as unexpected rs
It is unusual. For years past the country
has been hearing great deal about Demo
cratic negroes all through and all over the
south. Whenever the Republicans Of the
north have asserted that tue colore1 voters
Of the south were Republicans ami would,
II permitted to do so, vote the Republican,
ticket with substantial unanlmity, the
assertion has been met with a dat denial
and the allegation that great change hal
been going on, formidable movement OF
colored men into the communion and
fellowship OF the Democratic party. The
object OF the President In naming a cOlore1
man in New York for a purely local Office
I'm this District was to strengthen this move
ment. What must be the surprise Of the
President to be informed by so good an
authority as the New Orleans States that "a
Democratic negro is a myth" in that part
Of the country
That 1.-THE Republican negro will, in the
course OF time, be rare curiosity" IN many
OF the southern states is an anuouncem 3ut
that ought not to create astonishment In the
presidential mind, for the President knows
something Of the process that was employed
to eliminate the negro from politics and the
methods still in vogue by which the coIored
voters are kept out of politics.
1t is cheering to be assured that, although
the negroes OF the south, crushed by whole
| IL. 4 4
familiar in Louisiana, Mississippi, and other
states, "are giving politics q wide berth, +"
they still Shave their rights under the law"
Although robbed Of the right pres5rvltiye
Of rights, the right without which they are
helpless and at the mercy Of the whites,
they are still happy because they have the
right to obey laws in the framing Of which
they have no voice!
All this talk about happiness and pros
perlty OF the negroes in the southwest IS
wild fction-known to be such by the
writer of these lines, who has devoted Il
good deal of time to careful Investigation
Of the condition Of the blacks in that sec.
ton. As "A rule, they are not contented and
not prosperous. As rule, they are op.
pressed in their wages and robbed by their
employers. AS a rule, the condition of the
blacks in most OF the old slave states Is de-
plorable, and all the talk abOut their cheer
full acquiescence in existing conditions /,
falsehOod.
But even II they were willing to give NJ
their dearest and most important rights, II
they were consentingto their present degra
dation, and willing to have it continue, tht
arrangement would be impo ssible.
The north will not consent to be ruled By
representatives in Congress Gud in the elec
toral college based on disfranchised race
If the people of the free states were clpi
BILE Of peacefully submitting to this outrag,
they would be lower down In the scale thar
r the most ignorant plantation negroes.
r By such robbery the present Democratic
l administration came In. We warn the rob
bers not to repeat the crime. If this i.
, "bloody shirt" then set up your customar!
howl.