The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-02
THE NEGRO IN THE CAMPAIGN.
Frederick Douglas Advises Him ~ to
His Duty.
The A. N. E. Church Review.

Frederick Douglas Advises Him - to
His Duty.
The A NJ z Church Review
The negro is now 10 tas fierce blast Of another
presieentiA. campaign He il In IL both a.
agent and 81 object 20 &c injured or benefited By
is result His intelligence and lis integrity
will. in this election, % put 70 saverer test
than any heretofore applied 70 him II viii Dc
Wen II he shsl. come out OF IL, a. believe he
Will, like pure gold IL was TO lis honor az the
iats national Republican convention that lis
Character and conduct gave the lie 10 is ira
ducerA He wss neither bought, sod. Eor
seduced. so may il % with him il shis car,-
psigl-
AL presidential elections are important Their
influence is broad and iar-reacalrg. They may
not result in the enactment Of single law, or
change . single word in the statute book,
and re: may essentially affect the great
law of pubic sensineu, and change
i. FOR good evil Precisely IN this
respect Is the Importance OF the present election
TIE need OF the hour. for The negro. is not so
much s written Law Though Iais Is IN portaR,l as
the Uuwrissen Law Of public sentiment 10 him
this election has q solemn significance and ID
matter OF life and death. L other tines have
been critical, the present Is more SO than any OF
the past This Is e pecially true Of the southern
states. He Ia there ac4ed 10 isvless. venge-
ful reign of terror, more v.ntoa and cruel AID
relentless, II possible, than any in the days Of
bondsge- The freedom and citizenship which
ne gsiEei By his yaio- and good behavior dur
Ing the war for the { MON and during tae recon-
ssruction period. and which were secured 70
him py the Justice and wisdom OF TIE Rspub-
liean party, are todsy openly in question Tie
problem WITH which be Is confronted Is " neither
he snail De an len II tie land Of mis- birth or
shall he continue 20 hold unimpsired and undi-
minshed the rights guaranteed 20 hin by the
constitution.
In view Of the great issues involved and o:
the dangers impending, tt Is al 20 think that in
this campaign any negro nay 50 act 20 en-
CANCER the lives and liberties OF his brothers IN
Tie south and TO also iniGre in the North the
good name OF bis race. such would certainly
be the casa shoald any support be given by him
70 the Democratic party-ihs party which has
always sought ID degrade bis -sce-and should
fail TO support the Republican party--tas party
which has always works2 20 improve the eondi-
tons OF bis existence. No such danger could
have been spprshended during the earlier years
OF our freedom The path Of duty was then
ulumired and made plaiE by the fresh glow Of
freedom and By the grasitu 10 OF warn hearts 70
those who had secured our dsliveranee from
slavery.
II can no longer Be doubted that . few negroes
At the North have gone wrong. and are trying 10
induce Others TO follow them. They have gone
shout this work very crafty. They have first
endeayored 70 make out case against the Re-
publican party. representing that 1t has done
nothing for The negro from principle. and even
II II has we owe IL nothing; that II ever there
existed A obligation, either of honor graft
tude, ir was cancelled long ago They have
satanically taken advantage CT one Of ths most
despfcabie vices to which human nature IL sus-
cepdoie. Knowing how easy i: - to turn The
hearts OF debtors against creditors, and tha.
lenders often lose their friends we'll as their
money. they have preached deliverancs 70 the
one and poured bitter contempt upon the other
They have dem srdec absolute perfection in the
Republican party, but have piled sophistries
mountain high 10 hide the crimes OF the Demo
cratic party. Thew have strained a. Repuo-
lcsn gnsi and swallowed whole professions Of
Democratic caEosia
These men have argued mainly In favor OF the
following propositions:
First-It 10 the duty Of the negro 70 divide his
vote between the two great political parties.
Secoad-The negro should form Al indie.
pendent race and color party.
Third-The negro should support the esndi-
dates OF the Democratic party.
These propositions have been advocated q.
different times, according to circumstances
Though three modes OF action are proposed
they are one in purpose and effect, and taas pur.
pose 10 70 draw the negro vote away from the
Republican party. To this end, various aryu-
ments and appeals have been r1sda; and sous
OF these VIII doubtless prove hurttui IN certain
sections. unless they are vel and conciusvely
reiuted. In several states OF the North the
negro vote is potential, and may IN a eioss con.
ties, between The s~o great parties turn the scala
Tais Is especially tia case In New YORK,
Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio. Know
ing this. several Afro-Ameriean papers
have OF late sprung up in these
quarters, seeking and gaining Demo-
cratic support Fnis 10 strange and Ineonp,e-
hensiole; but the strangeness Is 10. al on one
side. The black man ss q Dernoers. Is not q
rrn> aas- o,%s v-E~.
who Is hrazenly seeking TO win negro votes AZ
the north, while his Democratic brethren are
shooting and hanging negroes at the south
where negro votes not wanted fsv wears
ago nothing would have shocked white Demo-
Graf more than 20 meet q negro pretending 20
be Democrat such q pretender would hays
been secuted a. IN arrsns hypoc.tte or q con-
founded fool Bat at iass there has been found
q negro calling himself . Denocra. and sorna
white Democrats have BEEN found 70 recognize
him At least such is his boast In bis Blind
ness he does not see that i. Is his treason ana
nos In bis manhood that attracts the Democratic
smiles. Seeing the use 70 which he can for tie
time Dc put. he is Familiarity patsed OF the back
with the glovsd hand OF the party which. TN ia
heart. call, him black devil
1t Is srgusd that because We belong a. q clas.
70 the republican psr1y se are hated snd psr.s-
cuted BY the Democrats; aad hence the eouelu
sion that by dividing our vote with tina Darno~
70 live In pesea Well, what is this pssee7 I.
is, 70 use familiar illustration. the pese. h.
tween the lamb and the lion whs,isis but The
peace between the white man as the rnsstsy .nd
the negro as the slsvsy Is IL reasonable 70 .un-
pose that the Democratic party VIII change u.
attitude toward Us when It shall hsve Us CON.
e'ely IN its posers Can We safely debsss ct,.
manhood ny ioinins party that hates us. ana
yer nope 70 aaTe 'ns rssase! OF that partyf Are
We indeea SO mean - TO kiss The hand
that smites Us? We are eaIIsd u,o,
70 sell our friends IN order 70 INV
our enemissl II anything could .sxo,
n r. OF iol!y and villsiny than does this, I
have yet to see i stated Honor Is here xskei
to bow and bend 10 baseaess and truth 10 .ne-
euno to islsehood. When a man h., Los, 81.
aoaof ne hss lost his soul. and there is nothing
TO ne valued by anybody or any party.
fiainiy enough the triumph OF the Demo-
crate party In shs coming election would b
as1ieo a. national approval OF the whols
brood OF Internal crimes by which the ,opth
has been kept so.idiy Democratic during ths
las. dozen years: and Jet /. eolorec man. and