Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-09
Mr.. Astw1.Od's Explanation.

troubles, made great Roadway.
Mr.. Astwt DDS Explanation.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
WASHINGTON, D. c.. September IA, 1904
Whilst have been given a great deal Of
cheap notoriety Of late through the papers,
yet, with your permission, cannot but take
issue with the unjust criticism in your
editorial today regarding my letter to Mr..
Taylor. SO kindly published in your COL
umns of yesterday.
Your Interpretation Of my letter to Mr..
Taylor demanding a better official repre-
sentation for our race at the hands of the
administration. Is not necessarily the vulgar
speculation that you seem to imply in your
editorial.
As far as I am individually concerned, 1
deny emphatically that left the republican
party for lack Of official recognition. No
individual had better official treatment at
the hands Of the republican party than 1
mad. 1t Is true that was defeated for the
San Domingo consulate by the influence of
Mr.. Douglass. the then minister to Hayti,
and the Clyde Steamship Company of New
York, after l had been renominated by Mr.
6iaine, out whatever may be said of Mr..
Harrison regarding the matter he was
frank and truthful to me.
When L called upon him after my defeat,
ne told me that he refused to sign my COM
mission upon the represen ia ton of one of
my best friends, and that my explanation
came too late, as the appointment had al
ready been made.
l asked Kim If that meant a complete de-
MAJ OF ofhcial recognition at the hands of
MS administration. He replied, Not neces-
sarlly SO; that whilst man might not be
acceptable at one place, he might make a
very desirable officer at another" and inn
pied that If the State Department present.
ed my name for another place he would
take 1t under Amusement
was then leaving for San Dop,inpo 70
attend TO important private affairs and had
assurances that If / returned in a reason
aoie time l might get the consulship at
Iamative. Madagascar. 1 did not return and
the place went to Mr.. Waller Of Kansas.
simply state this to show that my grley-
ance with the republican party was not
once, because II 1t was, would never have
left 1t. as until now it is the only negro
omce-holding party, and We are trying to
convert the democratic party to adopt the
same principle, that is. IL it wants negro
support
Before the meeting of the MINNEAPOLIS
convention in 1892 l gave it out over nv
signature that II Mr.. Blaine was defeated.
py once holders and machine methods,
would burn my bridges behind ME and SUD-
port MI Cleveland and tariff reform, who
l was certain would be nominated by the
democratic party. All Of this happened and
l pronered my services all the way from
San Domingo to the democratic COMMITTEES
10 come on and stump for Mr.. Cleveland.
wnen II was an almost foregone conclusion
tildt MT harrison would be elected
1 arrived In New York September 1892
A prominent republican protectionist who
knew me In Louisiana, having large inter-
ests IN San Domingo. offered to give me
si,oOO II would return by the same steam
er ana straighten out some affairs for him
and not take the stump for Cleveland. as
Harrison would be elected sure
told him l could not do it. but would
aIter the election, for one-third the money
which did. Against the urgent protest Of
my friends in New York, 1 took the stump
Tor Mr.. Cleveland. and 1t was understood
al through the canvass that II the colored
people would support the ticket they would
be given fair representation If Mr.. Cleve-
land was elected. We carried out our part
of the contract and because we ask the
party to comply with its you call US demo-
Gratis for revenue.
l stumped in New York and New Jersey
Tor the party with great satisfaction and
heId out these inducements to our people
Iarin reform was our campaign cry with
free raw material so as TO cheaper the
commodities and better the condition of the
wage Garner and consumer
AFTER weary months of useless speedily
Ing In the Senate the tariff has not been
reformed to any considerable extent and
after listening to the debates upon the ques-
ton 1t Will take pretty smart man to de-
lection; and as the President did not sign
the bill, I'VE are between the devil and the
deep blue sea- as far as the tariff is con-
cerned the offices all parceled out and we
i
What are we here for?"
The Star indicates that had Mr.. Cleveland
given Mr.. Astwood an office, he would not
now be denouncing the party, &C. That
goes without saying. / would have been
like Mr.. McVeagh. of drawing my salary,
and this part Of the job would have been
left to my sanctified lawyer friend, +. Nc
Cant Stewart who don't want job in one
breath. denounces the league for indorsing
Mr.. Cleveland in the next, and then pats
him on the back. gets down on his knees
and prays for the district attorneyship, and
II not that, the assistant would do. Mr..
Editor. these hypocritical non-office seeking
politicians are the worst office-seeking
cattle in the lot.
the President would detest it would be
these eowardly, sneaking and hypocritical
partisans.
AS far as I am concerned the party knows
where 1 stand. My bridges that were burned
behind me are being rapidly constructed for
me by the Louisiana sugar planters, who
have been democrats all of their lives and
IL they build them strong enough for them
to pass over ! may be allowed to follow in
the wake. They say give us our bounty or
we will become republicans. and as we have
no bounty to get you condemn US, because
we say give us the promised recognition or
We will not serve the party. A paper as
liberal as Tie Star ought not to take such
4 POSITION.
1t is not fair to always impugn our mo-
tives when We demand our rights. When
You people demand home rule I believe you
ought to have 1t, because 1t was promised
to you in the party's platform, therefore
why can't you be just as liberal as we are
Give Mr.. Taylor a good Office in Kansas and
take for the District the recorders office
would be all right but are afraid IL you
put Taylor out of the one you would not
give him the other, and We want Mr. Taylor
to have an Office.
We believe in the doctrine Of the demo-
cratic party just as you white men do-no
pay, no work-you are educating US fast
all along these lines. We have studied the
situation fully and understand 1t in all of
it's details. To assume the position you
would have us, then let 1t be general, abolish
the Constitution, establish an absolute mon