Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-10-26
HE MARTTNsBURG HERALD, SATURDAY OCT 20, 1889
A cRUMB OF COLD COMFORT.

1 When o lot OF dIS0rderly negroes
down south breaks the peace and
are compelled by the officers to de-
sist from their la wless riotous work,
the Republican papers howl about
:. southern outrages.n But when
as happened few days ago in Law.
rencevllle, Illinois-a lot of negroes
filed with cussedness and whiskey.
undertake. to terrorize northern
town. and the officers go at shem
with clubs and pistols, arrest them
and put them to Jail, the Republican
papers never hear anything about
it, Geneua Gazette.
Such crumbs of cold comfort as
the above are picked up by every
Democratic paper, showing that
thei: minds are all shaped one way,
crooked to straight facts their
appetites are voracious for a stray
morsel of nourishlng food on the
negro question, and their passions
and prejudices as much alike as the
scrubby trees in the Pine Hills.
The Republicans are not defend
ing the negroes, for they need no de-
Tense. The enforcement of the law
against all violators is all that is de-
manded,-a law embodied in the
Constitution and the code,-not by
negroes,-but by white representa-
ton in the Courts of the land, in a
government of the people; settled
by the sword and sealed by surren-
der!
Enforcement of the law against all
offenders,-that and nothing more !;
and If not that, then repeal your
laws and surrender the repre-.
sentation Of the minority, SO long
enjoyed,-so long abused.
Be fair enough even to your ene-
mics to point out where and when
colored men burned churches, ter
rorized communities, entered homes
by force and arms, whipped limo.
cent people, killed old fathers and
young daughters!
Nay, these crimes lay at the door
of your own human race and political
brethren, and lay there anpunished,
that you dare not deny.
They lay there and why? AS a
part Of the revenge OF the fate OF
the war,-as political revenge, be-
cause of representation based on
votes never cast, if cast never count
ed because the negroes are Re
publican!
Ale you proud of these facts OF
every day history9
Are they consistent with your
prayers and professions of faith, o.
education, of culture ?-Southerr
Chivalry! Hospitality! Progression
Superiority!
We are sorry that politics should
thus prolong blight on an other
wise encouraging age, and leave a
blemish on the records of country
the favored of the earth.
If this government is to exist, il
must be under the law; if it is te
fail, save the nations from a com
mon disgrace, that a government oil
the people should perish, stabbed tt
death by race hatred and politica
prejudice,-by party that boasts
of its history in the statesman
ship of Presidents, under the
principles of democracy and progress
sion by people,--claimed the
flower of the land, the equal of the
nobility, the perfection of mind and
manners.
But the excited political apologist
can not see over the stumbling block
before, nor look beyond the ditch
behind him; neither has he feeling
except for his own selfish interests
and desires. God save the country
from the grasp Of the Canadian
Colonels of the North, and the poll
tical sharp shooters OF the South.
In the true Democracy of the
North and the New Democracy oil
the South, there is hope,-eyen hope
for the poor white trash and the
hated colored voter.
Education means something OIL
nothing.
Wealth and prosperity bring new
life and hurry old death.
THE CURSE OF POLITICS.
But for a few extreme political hot
heads the emancipation question
could have been settled without the
fearful cost of blood and pillage.
The race question, too, would settle
itself peaceably were it not for this
old-time fighting element for polite
al selfinterest. The masses of the
people of the country are satisfied to
let the races work out their destina-
ton under one law and one govern
ment, but the political malcontents
raise the false Cry of negro domin-
alton to gain their own ends, because
they have all to gain and nothing to
lose, taking care to keep ont of
harms way themselves.
The colored people show no desire
to dominate, and where elected or
appointed to Office discharge their
duties under the law, which they are