National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-17

civil mud political rights are better protected
than at present they san be a. tho south,
adopt the suggestion Of the NATIONAL RE-.
publican, ofthis city, that diffusion Is the true
policy for the colored people OF the south. Al,
Of course, cannot leave that section, aud ought
not; but some can, md the condition of those
who must femalnwill be better because ofthOse
who 60. Men, like trees may be too thickly
planted TO thrive. Ifthe labor market OF Mis-
sissippi were to-day not overloaded Gnd over
supplied the laborcrs would be more fully ap-
prcCiated; but this work Of diffusion and dis
tribulion cannot DO carried on by the omanoi-
pated GLASS alone; They need aud ought g
have the material aid Of both white and col.
ofed people OF the free states. A million Of
dollars devoted to this purpose would DO more
for the colored people Of the south than the
same amount expended In any other way.
There isno DEGRADATION, no loss of selfrespact,
In asking this aid, considering tho clreum.
stances of these people. The white people of
this nation owe them this help and great
deal more. The keynote of the ntnro should
not be concentration, but ditInsiOn -dlstfibu-
ton. This may not be q remedy for all evils
now uncured, but 1t certainly Will ha help IN
the right direction.
word now in respect OF ranothor emoly for
tho black mans Ills. II calls Itself independent
political action, This has, during the past few
yenre, been advocated with much zeal aud
spirit by several OF our leading colored men,
and also with much ability, though am happy
TO say not with much success. First, their
plan, IL / understand IT, is to separate the
colored people of the country from the Rephb.
llChn party. 1nls win t0e1n is tne pfltnufN
and essential condition OF making the colored
vote independent Hence all their artillery Is
objected TO making that party odiousin the
eyes Of the colored voters. Colorcd kaen who
slaves, ofliccseelsers, services, "knucklcctose''
Republicans. as tools OF white men, traitors to
their race, and much more OF the same sort.
Perhaps no one has been more prominent
target for such denunciatlon than your humble
speaker.
Now, the position to which these gentleman
invite us is one OF neutrality, between the two
great political partles--and to vote with either
or against either, according to the pfevaillng
motive when the time for action shall arrive
In the interval We are to have no stanting
with either party, ana have no active influence
I'm shaping the policy Of either-but we are to
stand alone, and hold ourselves ready to servo
one or to serve the other, or BOTH as we mas
incline ut the moment.
must say that their remedy is no remedy Mt
any moresslnn in religion, II there Is one
position in life more despcable in the eyes Of
another, II Is that of neutrality, Besides, "
there is one thing more impossible than an
other 1t Is a position of perfect neutrality In
politics. our friends Fortune, Downing, aud
others, fatter themselves that they have
reached this perfection, but they are utterly
mistaken. No man can read their ultordnces
without seeing their animus of hate to the II .
publican party, and their preference for the
Democratic party The fault Is not so much
in their intention, as In their position. They
can neither act with nor against the two par
ties impartially. Tney are compelled by their
position to either serve the one and oppose the
other, aud they cannot serve or oppose both
alike. Independence; like neutrality, is also
impossible. If the colored man does not de-
pend upon the Republican party. he will de-
pend upon the Democratic party, aud IL he
does neither, he becomes nonentity In Amer.
lean politics, But these gentlemen do, In
effect, ask us to break down the power the
Republican party, when to do II Is to put the
government In the hands of the Democratic
party COlored men are already in the Repub.
lican party, and TO come out of 1t is to de.
For one, must say that the Democratic
party has us yet given me no sufficient reasons
for doing 1t any such service, nor has the Re.
don II for its great rival. With all It's faults II
Is the best party now in existence. In 1t are
the best elements Of tho American people, and
Il any good Is to come TO us politically, it will
! must cease to remember n great many
things and must forget great things before
eau counsel any man, colored or white, to join
The Democratic party, or TO occupy position
Of neutrality between that party aud the Re-
publican party. Such position of the col
ored people ofthis country will prove about as
Those Of our number now posing
MS Independents are doing better service TO the
Democratic party under the Independent mask
lhan they could do If they came out honestly
am charged with commencing the inaugu.
raj address of President Cleveland. / am not
ashamed of that charge. ! said at the time
that no better words for the colored citizen
had dropped from the east portico of the clpI-
oil since the days of Lincoln and Grant, ami say
so still, old not say, asluy traducer lyinsy as.
serts, thnt Mr., Cleveland said better words than
Lincoln or Grant. BIT II would no. have suited
lhe man who left Washington with malice in
his heart and fnlsehood In his throat to be
more truthful IN Petersburg than IN Washing
the impression that those who thought aud
spoke well OF the inaugural address did so
or retain oilice ss "oat Of the heart the mouth
ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye
mete, the same shall be measured to you
again" lie ought to remember, however,
that serpent without fang, a scorpion with
than a lie which has lost It's ability to
deceive has to injure 1t SO happens chat we
had two Presidents and one Vice Presldenl
prior to President Cleveland, and challenge
my ambitious and envious accusor to find any
better word for the colored citizens OF this
country in the inaugural addresses of either
than Is found in the inaugural address of Pres
ident Cleveland also beg my aGcuser 10 re-
member that gave no pledge that Mr.. Cleve.
land would be able to live up TO the sentl.
nents of that address, but on the contrary. /
doing so. gave him credit, however, for an
honest purpose and expressed Il hope that he
might be able TO do as we'll and better than he
predicted that they would be too strong for
him. Did this look like seeking favorP lie
did brave thing In removing from office an
1bettor Of murder in Mississippi He has ex..
Lynch his reprobation Of the recent massacres
At Carrollton, and for this we thank him. But
be has done nothing in his position as com
a stop to such horrors. am quite sure that he
lbhors violence and bloodshed He has
shown this in his publicly spoken words In be;
hall. OF prosecuted and murdered Cinnamon
he should DO the same for the persecuted aud
murdered black citizens of Mississippi lie
could threaten the law.breakers and murder
ers of the west with the sword of the nation,
and defend the Chinese, why not the negrof II
IN the days of slavery the army could be used
Q hunt slaves, and suppress slave insured.
ions, why, in the days Of liberty, may It not
Alasl fellow citizens there Is
10 right so neglected as the negro's right.
There iS no flesh SO despised as the negro's
nos blood. have beenr saying these things
10 the American people for nearly flfty years.
In the order of nature l cannot say them
much longer; but, as was said by another,
though time himself should confront me,
md shake his hoary locks at my persistence,
shall not cease while lite Is left me aud our
wrongs are unredressed to thus cry aloud and
pare not"
ftllOh -ClllASllS, lHo w
,ession Of the Democratic party to power has
lot been followed by the results | expected.
When the tiger has quenched his thirst In
blood, and when the anaconda has swallowed
lis prey, they. cease to pursue their trembling
yame and sink to rest; so i thought when the
Democratic party came into power, whom the
old south gave law 10 the land, when there
,ould no longer be any pretense for the fear of
legTo ascendency in the councils OF the nation,
persecution, violence, and murder would cease
md the negro would be left in peace, but the
bloody scenes at Carrollton and the daily re.
lOrts OF lynch law in the south, have destroyed
his cherished hope and told me that the end
u our sutierings Is not yet.
But fellow-oitizens. I do not despair, and no
1ower that know of can make me despair OF
inc ultimate triumph ofjustlce and liberty In
his country. i have seen too many abuses
)ntgrown, TOO many evils removed too many
moral aud physical improvements made, to
ioubt that the wheels Of progress will still roll
IN. We have but TO toll and trust, throw away
Yhiskey and tobacco, improve tho opportuni.
les that we have, put away all extravaganoe,