The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-18
The Colorcd Voters and the Republicans.

The Colorcd Voters and the Republicans.
After all these years Of Republican dom-
nation In politics, what colored man has been
appointed to an important Federal or State
Office in any of the Northern States?
Mr.. BRUCE has lately obtained an Office in
Washington, but he was appointed from a
Territory, and the Office assigned to him is
OF very secondary rank. Mr.. FREDERICK
DOUGLASS has been appointed Minister to
Hayti. He also was takon from a Terri
tory, and his appointment was n doubtful
honor. 1t does not appear to lis that Mr..
DOUGLASS can find Hayti a pleasant place OF
Oojourn, or the Haytians find in Mr.. DoUG-
LASS an agreeable addition to Haytian So
oiety. 1t Is no compliment to Mr.. DOUGLASS
to accredit him to nation of the colored
race, ignorant and some say inclined
TO cannibalism. 1t Is no compliment to
the Haytians to send To them a coored man
as Minister. There are sufficient number
OF colored persons on their island as it Is.
What they wanted was white man; what
DOUGLASS wanted was to be sent 10 a white
country. But Gen. HARRISON thought as
usual, that he know what both parties
wanted better than they knew themselves.
He has always acted upon that assumption.
When man wanted to be sent to England,
he sent him to France; to China, he sent
him to Germany; 10 Italy he sent him to
Russia; and so on.
A man named BOwSER, the proprietor of n
barber shop in Hartford. where senator
EAwLTY has been in the h16lt OF getting
h cain scrapci and his hair curlcd, has
been appointed t. Il consulate. But whore
Sierra Leone. He must bc oh .trrrcrOus
indeed to he sent so lar away and To So
deadly post. He must be- ambitious of
place t. accept onn under such sun, and
among such pGU"n.
f, Who can namn Il roored man who has been
appointed to an important Federal or State
Office In any of the Northorn Strtcs? Yot
tho colorcd vote In the Northern Stato5 is an
Important nay, CONTROLLING fncIOr in the
Republican party In these States, partcu-
larry in respect of the Presidency.
Take New York. for instance Gen. HAIR
RIsoN'S plurality over Mr. CLEvELAND in
this State was 1900. In 1850 the co!ored
vote numbered about 5000. In 1883 it
probably exceeded $4,000. If this vote had
been given to Mr.. CLEVELAND, or even a
small proportion OF 1t, he would have car
ried the State and would have been elected.
The same may DO said OF Ohio and Indiana.
In other words, Gen. HARRISON owes his
election in great part to the colored voters
North. What recognition have they had 2
How different in the South! President
HARRISON did not receive an electoral vote
from any Southern State. The Republican
National Committee was persuaded that
Louisiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi
South Carolina, could be carried by the Re-
publicans, but their attempt In that dircc-
ton was a dismal failure. A moments re-
Election should have satisfied them OF the
hopelessness Of any such effort. 1t is flying
In the face Of reason. as well as OF facts, TO
suppose that where there is numerical
superiority in the white population there
will not be white majority at the
polls. Mississippi and South Carolina
being tho only Statos in which there
Is not white majority, these are
the only two States which tho Republi-
cans could hope to carry, Had they suc-
ceeded the result would not have been
changed had Now York voted for CLFyE-
LAND rs, together, they only east eighteen
votes. On the other hand, the electoral
votes OF New York, Ohio. and Indiana, had
they been east Tor Mr.. CLEVELAND, would
have elected him, Tho vote OF New York
alone would have lccn sufficient to do 1t.
Tho votes OF Ohio and Indiana would have
done 1t even had New York voted for HAIR
BISON. IL was the co!orod citizens OF these
States which gave their electoral votes to
HARRISON, and thus elected him.
Now there Ia, theoretically at least. no po-
litical race prejudice in tho North against
the negro. Yet negroes are not appointed
TO ofice In the Northern States. while they
mo appointed 10 Once In tho South. III