The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-17
Tle Wlessemger.
REDUCING DEMOCRATS AND Ne
GROES IN WASHINGTON

nOTIn III dDDSd1S w
the papers Of that stripe) do not
any great love for the negroes now,
and they comment on their diSfran-
chisement in quite a mild way cons1d-
ering the past and h times. We learn
from other sources better informed
than we a be. that the politicians
and discuss North Carroll
mas acts with very moderate tones"
We saw opinions from a half dozen
papers and they were false and mis-
leading and bitter. The game they
would like to play is to cut down
house. 1t is said the attempt will be-
gin whe the congress meets. The
caucus will consider representation
both in the house and the electoral COL
lege. But it may not come to a head.
Failure may come to the plans however
we'll matured. The Washington CORE
spondent of the Baltimore Sun say all
is not happy among the republicans:
There is no want of evidence to
show strong division in the republican
party on this subject. One constantly
hears its leading representative men
admit: We would be very sure to do
the same thing under the same circum-
stances OF course hat is not said for
publication and these gentlemen would
be very quick to disclaim any such ex-
preSsionS if invested with their person.
al authority. They have no hesitation
n making such utterances the
protection of private conversation.
1t IA surprise the country at large
to be informed, what is so we'll known
in Washington, that there are no men
anywhere who have at heart such a
contempt for and a~ntipathy toward the
negro as the republican officials, high
n low"
The Washington Post some months
ago said there were $4,000 negroes in
that splendid city, and a great many
of them were an n a
nuisance. 1t scorched the loafers and
paraders and ~occupiers of the parks.
The Sun correspondent lives there and
knows whereof he writes. He says:
AN evening or two since while sit
ting in conversation with a group COM
posed, with the exception of myself, of
officials entirely, an army officer re
marked: I wish we could have some OF
the North Carolina methods here and
a grunt of assent went all around the
circle. This feeling toward the negro
in this community is not because of his
i~Eiteracy, for congress has provided
the most lavish means of
gong indeed t othe verge of a~bsurdity.
1t is because education and civil equal
ity have failed to produce the improve
ment which was anticipated. Ask any
observer who comes from the north to
WaShington: Who do you think are
the best classes of negroeS?' and the
instant reply will be: Those who come
down from slave times.
This city is the heaven of the negro.
He takes a liberty and a license which
the white man would not think of. The
great aim and ambition of many of
them seems to be to make things as
uncomfortable, disagreeable and an
noying to the whites as possible. In
the nights of summer their and
their language On the suburban cars is
at times so disgraceful and disgusting
as to be almost uncomfortable. In the
last week or two the newspapers of this
city have been filled with communica-
lions on this subject, appealing to the
authorizes and the railway officials for
relief"
Reading this brings no surprise.
With most negroes if you give them
an inch they will take an ell. We were
told recently by a gentleman of the
presumption and impudence of the
Washington sort. The whites are very
tired there of the great negro popula-
ton and III continued influx. A ne
gro preacher in Massachusetts, tells the
negroes to leave North Carolina and
come up there" We would like for
a half million or more to invad that
state and see what the natives would
say and do Lee 100000 go to Boston
and take charge. MY: My"
Recently in discussing another phase
of the disfranchising of Sambo, the
Messenger told of how the republicans
had disfranchised the negroes in the
District Of Columbia. They gave him
the ballot in the capital city and then
deprive him of it. Why? We gave
the reason, but quote mere from the let
ter in the Sun. and it is .mighty good
reading for these August days. as it
is cooling and refreshing:
who set the example of disfranchis-
ing the negro but the republican con-
hISSS. LII q NSA 49,"
ferring the suffrage the republican
party in congress at n blow wiped
the negro from the body polite of the
capital of IL country. Why was this
done? Because the negro had shown
himself to be unworthy of and untitled
for the exercise of the privilege. To
disfranchise h negro in the District
of Columbia, which was right, congress
also disfranchised the white man,
which was wrong. The white man In
WASHINGTON had from the foundation
of the city enjoyed, in common with
his fellow countrymen, n r1vlege OF
the elective franchise. He had exer-
cised that privilege intelligently and
honestly, and until the wards or the
nation were thrown in one mass into
c politics no scandal. no talnt OF
corruption had ever attached TO the
municipal governments OF Washington
anu Georgetown. AS it is, h white
man is content to be deprived of what
was his right and inheritance, rather
than return to the era Of vice, villainy,
depravity and dishonesty which char
acterized and which marked equal and
impartial suffrage"