The Afro-American., 1895-11-30
sDAY NOVEMBER 30 1895.
(. MASON, THE SHERIFF., AND
AFR O-AMERICANS.

F@They viii get no office in my de-
partment" were the words Of Mr.. Mas
on, the newly elected sheriff for this
-, a few days ago. If we mistake
upon the eve Of the election there
culated, campaign tracts, pre-
10y the democrats persuad-
men to scratch" the Re
ticket and vote for Mr..
fhe democratic nominee upon
the ground that while Mr.. Locke was
Democrat he was kindly disposed
towards colored people and gave EN-
ployment to large numbers Of them,
while on the other hand, Mr.. Mason
the Republican candidate was not on
~ unfriendly to them but was a regu
lar NEGRO hater," an exarch Of 81 lily
white" Republicanism. AS leopard
cannot change his spots, so it seems,
Mr.. Mason has been IN
able, in the face Of the united support
of black republicans, through fire and
blood, in his behalf, to change his at
titude with respect to them. Singu-
larly strange he has deliberately chos-
On TO literally verify the predictions
of the campaign circular issued by his
adversaries. The utterances of Mr..
Mason with regard to Afro American
citizens holding Office in his depart
ment are the most audacious and in
sulting we have read for many day.
Mr.. Mason, practically, denies the
manhood Of cOlOred men, and yet he
was content to recognize such black
men ''the equal of white man when
the counting Of the votes was had in
order that he might secure the place
from the eminence Of which he might
insult anld w0tlfd the feelings Of his
colored fellow-ci3Age gems who went thro
fire and blood" In the nth and other
wards to assist in rendering his cleo
ton possible. Ingratitude is a crime
against God and man; and the treach-
}ery which has its source in treason is
Indeed wicked in the extreme A de-
nial of the manhood of cOlOred men is
nothing short of treason to the funda-
mental principles Of RepubIcanism;
for the one great moral idea as repre-
sented in the contention of Lincoln.
Stevens, Sumner and host Of Republi-
can patriots was the equal manhood
and dignity Of every man Of whatever
race he might be. The republican
party achieved its greatest victories
and intrenched itself into the yery
hearts Of the people because it boldly
chalnpi0ned the cause OF the cOlored
man, and pledged itself to the destruc
ton of that spirit of caste which would
make the Afro-American moral s'out
cast" But Mr.. Stephen r. Mason's
case is a hopeless one. His idea Of re-
publicanism is that government is not
of the people but of the white" peo-
pie. Mr.. Mason seems to think that
with the advantages Of education, cuI-
Cure md refinement and contact with
ne business world by which we are
Surrounded that we are the same PEG
pie housed to know when he was a
little boy, and that, 81 Herent from
all the people upC habitable
globe who have bral.. "a arc su-
premely satisfied" to Edrive draws,
work as porters" and walters, and
even such exalted positions as ianitor,
messenger, or spittoon cleaner. in his
offices are of too greater dignity and
exac' g responsibilities for the de-
spis I'd oppressed negro. But Mr..
Mason lids insult to injury in tell
ing co46Fata tifrat wf1I ii he will not
give them Office, no matter h ow DUAL
fled he may be, simply because they
we're eolored, yet he will give them
Agir rights. If Mr. Mason who OBJ
2 at the top Of his ballot the
Mr. Lincoln, the symbol q
Z knowing the fl Ill mean.
Has the cou rage to
ae gracious. work