The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-24
HENRY GRADY'S POSITION.
SEATTLE, Oct. %, 1891,

TO THE EDITOR: Yesterday mornings Posi-
INTELLIGENCER contains editorial on Henry
Grady's Eloquent Insincerity," in which we
are told first that Grady was insincerc, that his
service to his country was unpatriotic, and de-
void OF beneficial results; that be merely
cajoied audiences so that they might applaud
him, caring nothing what ultimate effect his
speeches produced. We are asked, in fact, to
prefer the bitterness and bluntness OF Early and
Watterson to the eloquent falsehoods OF Grady.
From my knowledge of the fairness OF the
observation-disclosures, and for the sake of that
enviable reputation, beg of you to allow me
space to take issue with your views OF Mr..
Grady. Really, am inclined to be charitable;
prefer to believe that you never gave thought
to the motives that prompted Grady to assume a
position apparently hypocritical, but in fact
diplomatic. Certainly the means sometimes
used by diplomat to save his country from
hostile invasion, or derive from his countrys
enemies the best bargain possible, are not always
bitter and blunt and straightforward, but !
never yet heard a successful diplomat blamed
Tor using ways and means best suited to the
conditions
Grady was born in 1850. Let US look at the
South in 1878, when Grady was but % years old,
the proper age, according to Schiller, for Il man
to be man, and behold the two hostile factions
facing each other with all the hatred ever
known to mankind, both doing their utmost 10
prevent the wound from healing. On the one
side Early, JEFF Davis and hosts OF Others of the
same class Claiming that they were right, are
right and will continue to be right, refusing to
give an inch from the position taken years ago.
On the other side the recently enfranchised and
totally Ignorant negro melted, leased and urged
on Dy q few adventurous Northern carpet-bag-
gers, not men that went to the South with the
purpose of tilling and harvesting the de-
vastated famous agricultural regions OF
the South, but men who were sent
there from the North to take charge
OF the political fields of the South, to jealousy
watch that every negro in the South votes, and
that he votes the Republican ticket; to be sure
and make every state in the South Republican.
Such were the conditions of the south when
Henry Grady became of an age to realize that at
the present stage his beloved South was fast
going from bad to worse, and he quickly realized
that these two sets OF obstinate fools who were
continually quarreling over the political SUI
premacy OF the country were in very fair way
OF settling their dispute by utterly destroying it
so that there would be nothing left worth
having.
Now, what was Grady to do? He looked at
the situation and reasoned thus: If join the
negroes and boldly help them to avail them
selves of the very questionable privilege granted
TO them by the constitution, namely,
to "yote, what Will be the RESULT
First, the chances are strongly against
me, no matter what l do. Early and his like
ture or the ordinances OF city council that is
composed of ignorant negroes. / might invoke
the power of the United States and kill every
white Southerner. but can never compel them
to yield. They prefer death TO being kicked
about by an ignorant negro: and, second, If |
succeed in imprisoning and killing out the
most educated, the most refined, ana help the
least cultured, the least educated, to vote and
control the country, what then? VIII it help
my country? win ii rise from its present Ian.
guor and devastation? Will capital and intelli.
gence establish themselves here and submit to
ignorance and superstition? No; il will not
By so doing Will be injuring all concerned.
Let me look at the other side. Shall ] join
them and agree with them that they were right
and are right, help them to resist the laws OF
the country and otherwise encourage them to
harbor their bitter feeling and refuse to be rec
onciled? What good will that do?
Shall / argue with them, show them the use-
lessness of continuous resistance, baseech them
10 bury the Ratchet? OF what use will that BET
They won't listen TO me. The leaders OF that
party are so embittered, they have lost so
much and they are of an age 30 advanced that
they will not listen TO me. They viii think me
impudeut for daring TO difer with them, to sd-
wise them. We shall only quarrel and no good
will result from It Therefore, l shall adopt
medium course. shall take position between
tbs two extremes. l shall stand guard and do
negro will say: "True, you are legally en-
titled 10 vote, but ii is also true that you
are mentally incapable of doing SO.
Will take the ballot from you, but l Will give
you something better for it. will teach YOU
and your children how TO use the ballot. and as
soon as you have learned that much viii give
II back TO you" To the white people will say,
81 do not blame you for not allowing the negro
to vote. He IS really not fit for il, but you must
not forget tina; his present ignorance is not his
fault He could not educate himself as long as
he was slave: he Certainly can't be educated
as long as You keep the south in a state OF siege
He Is here not of his own choice, but OF your
importation. Let Us forget bygones, and only
think how faithful, how loyal the negro was 10
us. Let US do him justice: educate him and
teach him his right and his duties as a citizen.
and then let him vote. There is no danger to
Us from the Intelligent negro's vote"
such was the platform that Henry Grady
mapped out for himself, and no one will deny
that he faithfully adhered 10 his wise conelu-
sions, and rightiullv so, did ne not aid in
developing New south? Does not the United
States census prove that the New south Is ex-
ceptionally faithful 10 the negro in educating
hlmy Does she not otherwise aid him? Is she
not, under GTadys new doctrine, developing
her splendid resOurces2 Is she not today for
mldaole rival 20 the North In iron and steel in
dustEIes4 But you will say, that is all very
true, but she does not allow him 10 vote
! admit that; but we can't blame her-she must
protect herself. We may differ with her a. 10
the methods employed by her 70 prevent him
from voting; but, not being Oh the ground, not