The age-herald., 1898-01-30

in his hostility toward the south.
 read a little book the other day writ ten by Guy c. Sibley, of Mobile. the title of which is "Pay For the Slaves" MT. Sibley seems to be impressed with the be- lief that he is the pioneer upon this great issue. It is evident to my mind that MT. Sibley has not kept in touch with the his- tory-maixng power of this country for the past ten years. For his information, as well as for thousands of others. he ought to know that in 1888 there was form ed in the city Of Washington a political party with but e@.e issue at stake, and that was for the payment of the negroes. This party was known as the P. F. 0. N. party, and is still in fiourishing condi- ton. In 1888 the late Constantine Buckley Kilgore, of Texas, was the party's candi- date for president and Richard Gunther, of Wisconsin, the candidate for vlce-presi- dent. Both of these distinguished gentle men were at the time members of the house of representatives. Some of the leading minds of the country at that time were favorably inclined upon the propo- sition. Such brilliant men as Frank H. Hosford, of Michigan; William R. Bell, of
 
 of Georgia Frank A. Deputy, of New York; Vincent B. Kelley. of Illinois; William l.. Crounse, of Wisconsin,; Maj. F. A. G. Handy, of Virginia brother of the late Moses P. Handy; Clifford Rose of Ohio; George E. Gilleland, of Ohio; Cornelius Gardiner of Illinois; Maj. Alfrsd Jennings Stofer, of Virginia; Henry Longstreet Merrick, of Ohio Archibald W. Butt, of Georgia; A. J. Dodge of Wisconsin; How ard Napoleon Thompson, of Ohio; William J. Hampton, of Kentucky; Maj. Thomas i B. Kirby of New York; Charles F. Towle, of Massachusetts: E. w Lightner, or Pennsylvania; Franklin P. Morgan, of the District of Columbia; Evan Justice, of Texas; F. N Nesbitt, of Pennsylvania; Charles H. Mann. of Maryland; Hobart Brooks of Connecticutt R. B. Matthews, of Louisiana, together with hundreds or others then declared in favor of prompt payment for the slaves. Few of these gentlemen had owned slaves. but were strong in the conviction that it was the duty of this government to adopt the prin- cples of the P. F. o. N. party. While the party might have believed that pup lie office was more in the nature or pfi- yate snap than public trust, the prihci- ples of the organization met with iaVor even among those who had in the ear-ler days been favorable to the idea of aboi- tion.
 On the 9th of September, 1892 at the Fifth Avenue hotel, in the city of New
 York there was a convention held which n1aced in nomination for the presidency unon that ticket the late Juhal A. Early | of Virginia. and J. B. Foraker, of Ohio, 1 for vice-president had the distinguished | honor of presiding at that convention, and
 a more enthusiastic political organization
 never assembled. There were at that con-
 vention Senator Thomas H. Carter of
 Montana then the chairman of the na- | tional republican committee. Sitting close
 to Senator Carter was Col. Cyrus P. Sher- 1 rim. of Indiana, secretary of the demo-
 cratic national committee. Both of these
 gentlemen made speeches declaring their
 allegiance to the principles of the grand
 new party, although at the time they were
 executive officers in the management or
 hoth of the two old parties. There was no ticket placed in the field in the last cam
 naign. because there seemed to be a ques-
 ton as to whether the coin of the realm
 was or was not to be depreciated, the 1 FoN-N-0-
 that if they were to have pay for their ! njpgers it must be in coin worth one hun-
 dred cents on the dollar. So long as there
 was a doubt about the quality and value
 of money it was thought wise not to agi- tate the question until that matter hao
 approached possible settlement.
 | During the coming month. in the city of l xxrill hn On- yention held to prepare for the campaign 1 of the present year, and to lay deeper
 plans for the presidential campaign of | 1900, when ticket will be placed in the
 field. The idea is to have members of con- l gress elected who will be favorable to pay
 ment for the slaves I am surprised that l Mr. Sibley, apparently gentleman of fine
 information, should so have overlooked l current history as not to be familiar with | so important an event as the formation of the grand P. F. o. N. party. At many
 of the meetings held in Washington in | 1888, there were such distinguished gentle
 men present as Thomas B. Reed, of Maine; | Joseph G. Cannon, of Illinois; Justin R.
 Whiting, of Michigan; George E. Adams.
 of Illinois; the late Benjamin Butterworth,
 of Ohio, and many other members of con- | l party is in fine condition. It proposes to
 have pay for every colored person living at the time of the emancipation proclama-
 tion, and for those that have been born | and died since, as well as those yet to be
 born. It is bound to be a popular party. | Another feature of the organization is | that every member of the party gets an ! office. It differs in many respects from
 other political organizations, as it is a
 party with but one principle, and that
 emphasized by the name Pay For Our
 Niggers. If MT. Sibley is serious in de-
 manding pay for the slaves, it would stand
 him well in hand to become member of
 the grand new party and keep in touch | with the cause.
 MT. Sibley will, in addition to famlians- | ing himself with political history be ap- | pointed to office, and it may be that of | Minister to Ireland, or member of the