The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-08-28
THE sun REPLIES TO Us.

The New York Sun has replied 10 our
recent article pointing out that 1t was me
agency of the Republican party OF me
North in holding the negroes OF the oouth
in a solid mass that causes the sesresa-
ton of the Southern States in body apart
10 themselves that it so much deprecates'
The Sun asked, wherein consists lhls III
reference by the Republican party Oh 'iie
North? 1t seems from the article IN me
Richmond paper that it is due TO the NJ
teenth amendment of the Constitution
which certainly cannot be called parti-
sans instrument. All then there
is of interference by fine Republican party
IS that it does not so in for the repeai OF
that amendment and tho Acknowledgement
~ millions of its negro followers.
The Sun totally misapprehends our point.
We DO not complain OF the hfieeh'h
amendment as the active cause OF the
negroes remaining banded together. We
comnlain of the fifteenth amendment most
seriously, but not for that reason. we
complain of the fifteenth amendment be-
cause it is based upon an utterly wrong
theory of suffrage. Suffrage should be I'M
der local control, that is, each OF the
states of this Union should be clothed with
authority to regulate suffrage within Itself
Virginia is not sufficiently acquainted W''h
conditions in New York to justify hef III
sayin. to New York, who OF New YORK
population should vote; nor Is New AolA
sufficiently acquainted with conditions III
Virginia to justify her in saying VINO
should vote in Virginia Virginia Shouiu
ha left 10 determine who should vote III
Virginia and New York should be lett 10
determine who should vote III ne" hoiA'
and if this was the rule, Virginia Woaio
disfranchise the great mass OF negro voters
which now threaten the peace and order
of the whole Union, but would prescribe
conditions for the voting of negroes, when
would admit the individuals OF them to
the suffrage they qualified themselves
to exercise it intelligently- That is Our
complaint against the fifteenth amendment
and not that it causes the negroes to re-
main in a solid mass in the South.
But The Times repeats that it complains
of the Republican party of the North for
keeping the negroes bound together III
solid mass, and this is absolutely true
The Republican party Of the North says
TO the negro that it freed him, While the
whites of the South endeavored to retain
him in slavery, which are undeniable facts
1t goes on then to say to him that 1t
will preserve his freedom and personal
rights while the whites would deprive him
L, I,
this is not true, but ignorant as many
negroes are. it knows that it can make
them believe that it is true and thereby
hold them as a solid adjunct to itself
That is our complaint. II the Republican
party would as is should do, tell the negro
to shift for himself and not look to it as
his guardian and protector, the negroes
would at once dissolve the bands that nov
hold them together and come to live III
a state Of lomogenity with their white
neighbors and friends. That is our COM
plant, and it states the facts as they are,
md the Sun should join us in trying tt
have this condition brought to an end.
when We would have peace and order in
the Gouth, and it would become the most
conservative part Of the Union. The
Southern whites long to dissolve and to
divide upon the questions of the day, but
they cannot do this while the negroes re-
main banded together, and the negroes
will always remain banded While the Re-
publican party Of the North fosters their
union.
The Sun felictates itself upon the fact
that the negroes will vote against Bryan
ism and free silver. and would end the
Southern States support of those things
if they We're given chance but the Sun
should recollect that the negro is just as
ready to vote for Organism and free silver.
If they were commended to him by the
Republican leaders, as he now Is to vote
against them. 1t should remember that
in 1879 when the white people of Virginia
made one of the most sterling and gallant
fights to maintain the financial honor Of
Virginia that any people ever made, the
negroes under Republican leadership voted
TO A man, with Gen. Malone, for the re-
p,iiation of Nirginia's public debt. In
: other words. the Sun should learn from
this fact that the average negro voter has
no conception whatever of public duty and
party principle. The negro votes as his
Republican leaders tell him to vote ana
without the slightest appreciation of the
reason why his vote is given or refused.
=---------=
NOT A PARALLEL CASE.
The New York Evening Post says that