Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-01-17
The Negro Vote.

| To the Editor of the Alexandria Gazette:
In your issue of January I'd, you speak of
1.-The republican ideas on the subject OF negro
equality" and say that their vote is always
solidy for the republicans.
l. The l4th constitutional amendment in
vests the negro with the civil rights of a
citizen, and the 18th with political equality,
or the right to vote. The democratic party
in its national and State platforms has rati
| fed and adopted these amendments as their
creed and the laws made to enforce them.
Judge'Trumbull, who has for II years been
q leading democrat, is the author of the first
civil rights bill which was vetoed by Andrew
Johnson. In speech made in the late
Presidential canvass, Judge Thurman claim
ed for the democratic party the credit for
enfrabchising the negro, contrary 10 the
popular impression that 1t was Abraham
Lincoln and the republican party who did
! it. General Hampton somo years ago said
in speech that the southern men who OPP
posed negro suffrage were fools, because it
gave them increased representation in Con-
gress and the electoral college. On the
same ground the Attorney General Watts
ofthe late Southern Confederacy has recent
~ declared against any restriction Of negro
suffrage. President Cleveland imported q
negro TO Washington and gave him the most
lucrative office in the District, and to en-
phasize his faith in negro equality gave to
the widow of distinguished Virginia aristo-
crat cerkship under him. At diplomatic
entertainment at the White House last win
Ter the charming hostess went to dinner
leaning on the arm ofthe Minister for Hayti.
The United States had no diplomatic rela
Iations with Hayt when Buchanan was
President, and If minister from the black
republic had presented himself at the White
House then he would have been kicked
out or sent 10 the kitchen. o, qudntum
mutatuS ab alon Will you inform an
inquring friend and constant reader of your
paper, who has been absent from your Stale
many years, what is the difference now be-
tween Republican idees on the subject OF
negro equality" and democratic ideas !
am not critic, and only ask for informa-
ton. | would also like to know whether
Grover Cleveland, Judge Thurman, Wade
Hsmpton and Attorney General Watts are
still recognized as democrats OF good stand
ing 10 their party ?
II. The face of the returns from the late
election in the South do not seem to bear
out your statement that the negro
vote "is always cast solid for
the republicans" and I would like
for you to explain the contradiction. l
do not in the least mean to impugn the cor
rectnesss OF your statement, but being
pretty fair mathematician, have exhausted
the powers of the differential calculus In
trying to solve the problem how it can be
that although there are nearly twice as
many negro as white votes in South Carroll
ne, and the negroes all vote solid the repub
lican ticket, yet, Cleveland carried the State
by about $4,000 majority. The same condi.
ton of things Is shown by the political sta
tistics of the other Southern States. Now,
1 do not wish to be understood az even in.
sinuating that the votes of the negroes
are suppre ssed in the South, for take your
word for it that they are not. am simply
puzzled to find out how it is that the party
which, according to the GAZETTE, has
majority OF votes when the polls open 10 al
ways in the minority when they close. Nj.
San Francisco, Jan. 9th.