The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-06
CAN'T FOOL THE PEOPLE.

CAN'T FOOL THE PEOPLE.
Whenever white Republican has
climbed up on the shoulders OF the
negro voter to life time job, he often
forgets the pit from which he was Dig
ged. \ few months ago Hiram -.
Grant, of Goldsboro, was appointed
clerk of the Federal court. and is now
enjoying a neat salary. lie has held
office most of the time since he car
t-bagged" to this State after the
war. During all these years he has
posed as the advocate of negro equal
ity i'm office-holding, and has been re-
garded by the negroes as real ne
gro Radical" He has gone into negro
night meetings and spoken words to
his sable hearers which no respectable
Southern white man wound have spok-
en-. and has so conducted himself poll
tically as to gain the contempt of the
white people of his county. Writing
of his record to the Goldsboro Argus.
Rev. c. billiard, col, says:
During his first term in the Legis-
lature of this State, as Senator, he had
five of the most ignorant negroes in
this county appointed magistrates
j. G., judges-to pass upon the guilt or
innocence of whites as well as blacks
Four years ago, he went from this
county to the Congressional conven-
ton, which met in the town of Wei
don, and championed the cause OF
Congressman White, and after long
and bitter struggle he succeeded in
having Mr.. White nominated for Con
gress over Mr.. j. j. Martin, a white
Republican, of Edgecombe county,
who was candidate at that time.
More than that, when he was in the
State Senate he caused negro to be
made one of the principal clerks OF
that body and otherwise put negro
rule upon the white people Of this
State. And yet in the face of his re-
cord. this man Grant, in n speech OF
denunciation of the negro Congress-
man White, closed his speech by say
ing:
Il am opposed to negroes holding
office, have always opposed it.
Grant has been sent out now as he
was sent in 1894 to arrange fusion
with the Populists, to sound the key
note of the Fusion programme this
year. His indignation against negro
office-holding is hollow sham. He
would ram negro rule forever down
the threats of the people provided the
negroes would keep him in n fat Of
flee. He is indignant in public with
the negro office holder because he
knows that Republicans have no
chance to succeed this year unless the
negro can be kept in the background.
Grant goes into a Republican conven-
ton, gives the wink to his shrewdest
allies, denounces negro oftice-holding,
denounces the amendment, and re-
turns to Raleigh to confer with his
associate negro office-holders as how
best to win the victory for Republican
rule and to keep enough negroes in
office to himself keep job. In pub
lie he declares: Il am opposed to
negro office holding" but he accom-
panies that declaration by fighting the
amendment and the negro sees that
he is also fighting his battle. In pri-
vate--well nobody who knows Grant
doubts that at the proper time he will
appear at the negro night meeting rs
heretofore and that he will be able
with the astute negro leaders. to secure
solid negro vote against the amend
ment and for Republicans who are
pledged in private to restore negro
rule in Eastern North Carolina.
Grant has been selected as the white
man to denounce negro office holding,
and jim Young to keep negroes in the
background. They are playing their
little game very well, but they are
not fooling anybody. The voters have
learned by bitter experience what gov
eminent by Jim Young, Hiram Grant
and Marion Butler means. and though
these worthless protest ever so much
that they twill never do so any more,
the people will have none of their
government and heed none of their
promises of reformation.