The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-07
tn. 'NlaGtk RALK-l" AND HE CO., Il
LINE.

negro vote. To show that these politi-
clans are trying to lull the people into
false security We give the following ex-
tract from letter in the Scotland Neck
Commonwealth. showing the negroizing
of n section of Halifax county:
"The white man who from the
present outlook does not see dangers
ahead in the near future mus: be
blind indeed. billiard talias
"SUuare'o Hewlin, colored chairman
of the Republican Executive COM
mittee Of Brinkleyville township. JUS
tce of the Peace. school committee
man and member OF the legislature
in carpet bag times. is postmaster Mt
Brink,eyvil'e. Norman Keane. an
other colored man. and recently elect
Justice of the Peace, is postmaster
at Essex. Alice Butt. colored. opens
the mailhags at TIA, while Charles
Jones. ex-roll-holder and registrar
ard a genuine white man hater. is
said to be trying to GUST Mr.. Williams
at Ringwood and will probably do
80 il he can get white man to
stand his bond. This about takes
up all in Brinkleyville with the ex-
ception Of Medoc. and Medoc would
probably he enjoying a col0red post
master now in the person Of Isaac
Nicholson hut for the fact that Isaac
was killed by lightning last spring
while blowing in the field"
II the present gang is continued in
uower this is only a sample Of what
will be seen wherever there are enough
negro voters to vote their color in or
ice The convention held in Raleigh last
week shows that is the purpose of the
negro voters to hold their proportion OF
the offices il their crowd wins. They
have already obtained them in some
parts of Halifax county. and they will
not he satisfied until they are ensconced
in the best Offices in the State. if their
party continues in power. The man
who thinks otherwise, knows nothing
of the negro.
The negro drew the color line in poll.
tics. In 1894 many of the country ne
groes were members of the Alliance and
loudly declared that they were going
into the Populist party with their white
neighbors to destroy the two corrupt old
parties" A fusion was arranged be-
tween the Republican and Populist par
ties, and of course the negroes voted
solidly for the candidates, though the
town negroes had sworn loudly that
they would never be traded off to put
Populists in office. The Populi>ts claim
ed that their party had won the victory
because they claimed the country negro
vote. Two years rolled around. The
Populists supported Mr.. Bryan for
President. What became of the negro
Populists of whom so much had been
said? They voted for Mckinley straight
and nowhere voted for POpulist except
where Popu,ists voted for Republicans
In Wake county they declined to fuse
with the Populsts until they agreed
again to put Mckinley negro on their
Legislative ticket. and in Raleigh hest
ta;ed to vote for Hal. w. Aver for State
Auditor until they ascertained that
Aver had voted for the negro, Jim
Young. for the Legislature. That cleo
ton caused even the most Republiean;zed
Populist to admit that their claim of
being able to control the country negro
vote had no foundation. hut that the
negroes We're more soldly the tools of
Republican politicians than at any time
since their freedom.
The negro as voter is sure to vote
as his bosses tell him. He will vote
the Republican ticket. no matter what
the consequences. The last election
proved it. The Republicans nominated
for Governor man who had called the
negroes "savages" and thieves" and
who had declared they could always he
found upholding the rasca.s. Fifty thou
sand negroes swore they would not vote
for man who had so grossly insulted
and slandere,l them and their mothers.
His Populist competitor was n man noted
for his Kindness to- the negro. and had
been Il leader in securing educational adj
vantages for them. His Democratic oI,-
pOnent had always been their friend. and
an member Of the Legislature had ST.
cured the passage OF stringent anti
lynching law. The Republican candidate
had never done anything for the Negro
except to swear At them and decide thar
rhey conld sit with the white folks In
the theatie. And yet. Governor Russell
received the negro vote more solidly
than il was ever before pollp.l for Re
publican in a campaign where the color
line was not raised by the white voters
of either the Democratic or Populist
party. What did it prove? Simply that
Governor Russell knew the sure way ro
get the negro vote. to wit: to kick and
cuff them and swear ut them. bur en-
courage them to believe they ought to