Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-26
He Formally seVers His Connection
With the Democratic Party.
THE EXPERIMENT HAS BEEN A FAILURE
The Republican Ranks the Only
Place for the Negro.
REASONS FOR HIS CHANGE

DEEDS Z. n. j. Iaylor, as president OF the
Negro National Democratic League re-
| ceived this afternoon the following commu-
nication from Mr.. Astwood, addressed to
the President and members of the Negro
National Democratic League
After mature elaboration, I have deter
mined to make my resignation as chairman
| Of your executive committee final The
| reasons set forth in my former communica-
tons, together with the following, cover all
| Of the ground necessary in the premises.
II have further determined from this date
| to sever my connections with the demo-
cratic party and take my place again in the
| ranks of the party of justice, of human
| rights, of protection to American industries,
of material and individual prosperity and
| progress. l mean the party Of Garrison, Of
Phillips, Of Lincoln, Of Grant, of Fred. Doug
lass, Of Sumner, of Conkling, of Blaine and
| Of those who are yet alive and are still bat
| Ting to foster the condition of our common
country up to a grander and higher plane
| Of civilization and national prosperity; and
| to preserve the sacred rights of American
citizenship guaranteed to US by the Consti-
| tuition.
Political experiments, like all others,
should not be pushed to the extreme when
| the experiment itself has proven to be a
| failure. This will entail bankruptcy and
possibly personal and political destruction.
Il had hoped. judging from the past pro-
| form and equality of citizenship, that a di-
vision of the colored vote in favor of his
second election, and the return of the demo-
| cratic party to power, would bring about a
| condition of affairs that would add to ma
tional prosperity, secure a better recogni-
| ton and official representation for our peo-
| pie. and that some expression would have
been heard from him in regard to the con-
dftfon of our race in the SOUTH affecting our
| civil and political rights. But after one
year and half of his administration, we
| find that all of these expectations have sig
nally failed. Although 1t has been and is
] still claimed that MIR. Cleveland is better
and greater than his party, We have failed
| to see this from the actual state of affairs.
His position upon the tariff Is so at yari-
ance with his celebrated tariff reform mes
sage of 1877 that We can really find no
stability of purpose in the attitude he has
taken and without attempting to discuss
or criticise it in this letter, 1t is sufficient
to say that his failure to approve or disap-
prove the recent tariff law enacted by a
democratic Congress. lacks that nerve,
courage and correct judgment that has been
accorded to him by the American people.
zone year and "A half of his adminstra-
ton has passed and gone and we find the
country in a more deplorable and uncertain
| condition than at any time since its politi-
cal existence.
THE race whose votes brought him twice
to the presidential chair has been practi-
cally ignored, and Notwithstanding that
brutal outrages have continued undated
In the south, for causes other than the out
raging of women. yet not a word of counsel
has emanated from the President, who was
said to be the negrois friend, other than a
two-llned paragraph in his inaugural mes
sage relative to American fairness and
manliness. This seems to have meant the
dispossessing of the negro of the represen-
tation in federal positions heretofore given
TO him by the republican party.
Been Weighed and Found Wanting.
MIR Cleveland and his administration have
been weighed in the balance and found
wanting. 1t is, therefore, the sacred duty
of every negro voter in the country to work
| with might and main in the face of every
difficulty that may arise to assist in eIecting
an absolute majority in the coming con-
gressional election, not only as a rebuke to
the party of bad faith and shortcomings
but to secure the enactment of just and
proper laws for the protection of the Amer
lean people, regardless of race, color or
condition, thereby paving the way to ma
tional success in 90.
MIR. Cleveland has voluntarily done but
one act, for which we should feel grateful
TN his zeal to impress his individuality upon
the country. and that is by setting the just
precedent that the chief magistrate of the
nation has the right to impose the strong
arm of the government, even against state
rights heresy, when the Constitution is be-
ing violated and the rights of the citizens
outraged. No right can be more sacred
than the maintenance of the national Suf-
frage, securing to every citizen one vote
and to have that vote honestly counted
Not even the right of interstate commerce
and the national postal service is greater
than this.
THE democratic party, after Iurloining
our votes in the south ever since 1876, and
even before, to maintain fictitious repre-
sentatfon in the legislative branches of the
government, the electoral college and the
individual states; in view of this, when We
demand better representation for that pur-
Joining and even the voluntary support
friends that We are democrats for revenue
only.
No one will attempt to deny that but for
the votes of at least six southern states.
actually taken by force and cast for the
democratic party in every state and presi-
Dental election, there could be no solid
south, no democratic Congress and no DEM
Ocratic President. Therefore, in the face of
these facts, to thus ruthlessly deprive US
of every right, without adequate recogni-
ton in some way. is an effrontery possessed
only by the democratic party. 1t Is the old
doctrine ttat the negro has no rights
which the democratic party Is bound to re-
Spect."
while have differed in policy and meth
DDS with the Hon. Frederick Douglass for
the past fifteen years, / am forced at last
to admit the righteousness and truthful
ness Of his prophecy, that the republican
party Is the ship, all else the sea, as far as
the negro's political future is concerned.
Mr.. Douglass can rest his laurels upon this,
and fall asleep with the assurance that the
bards Of posterity will sing sweetly to his
memory, and raise up for him an imperish-
able monument as the greatest and most
patriotic defender OF his race.
Admits His Error.
'In taking this step. I do SO in the face of
the harshest criticism; yet I am Of the
opinion that the most daring act of a cour-
ageous man is to face a wrong and right 1t.
be the consequences what they may. have
erred in judgment, and frankly acknowl-
edge 1t, and without a moments further
hesitation step back into the ranks Of the
party that has done for the race all that
has been done, ard which, to me- seems the
only possibility Of what may be done in the
future. r.
I'm vindcation Of my course, in addition to
what have said in the letters already writ
ten to you, shall have ample time to dis
cuss during the present campaign and up to
'96 when we will dethfone the oligarchy Of
negro hatred and national calamity.
THE pronuLciamento Of Governors Till
man Of South Carolina and Foster of Louis
lana is the democratic sentiment of the
south against the negro; consequently. We
can find no hope in a party based upon such
sectional and racial despotism. The south
is In the saddle.
Il am glad that in taking this step at this
time 1t cannot be truthfuIvAnor consistent
ly said that l am politician for office or