The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-11-06
Communicated.
TIE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE
SOUTH.
Views of Voter sovereign" on It's Past
and Future.
[ Communicated.
To The Free Lance.

To The Free Lance
But for the enfranohisement Of the
negroes there would be in the South
Republican party respectable In person
mel and in numbers The party in each
and all the States would be changing
factors as much 30 be figured on In
Presidential land other) elections, as Is
the party in the other States. After
the war and he turning 20 ways OF
peace, all conditions. industrial, polit-
ical and prejudicisi favored the growth
of the Republican party in the South
Many Of the old Whig leaders survived
the war, backed by the rark and file OF
the Party Of Bell and Everett and the
children of these men bred 10 Whig'
faith The ieiults Of the war-predicted
by Wing leaders. so long as prophesy
was not tfeason-naturally deepened
their prejudlces against the Democratic
party Slavery gone and no local is'
sues 30 distract. all Of these men looked
to she Republican psvty for their bread.
For the Republics1 party was the
northern wing of the Wing party. ane-
slavery gone-union was in sight.
They opposed war till opposition be-
came treason. And. after war, looking
on desolated homes and ruined fortunes
they could not but feel that all this
ain and SORROW was wrought by the
policies Of the party that they and their
fathers had always opposed. These
considerations disinclined many OF the
best people Of Virginia land the South
to seek political association with the
Democratic party. In fact there was
no possibility of united action under
the name Of either {, the old pe-ties.
So "OonseI Vasive" was the name
agreed on for the party opposing Re-
construction" from the white mans
view Of it Reconstruction, with negro
suffrage, was accomplished ; and there
upon, a white mans party seemed a
necessity for the supremacy OF the
white race. After experience Of few
years assured the safety Of the white
race, again the men opposed to Demo
cratic politics, leaders acknowledging
no superiors in the ordinary relations
of life, men Of state and national re-
pute. that had filed with credit high
positions in the Srmy and in State and
Federal government. INDUCED the hope
OF a dominant Republican party In
Virginia (and the SOUTH They,
as leaders controlling aud direct
ing the great mass Of thoughtless, ig'
noraut oolored voters along lines Of
safety and good government. would OF
the 80 ne time have the confidence Of
their intelligent white fellow citizens.
Organization was effected A victory
was won in Virginia. with the best OF
prospects for the future Of the State.
Bot Democratic leaders. trembling for
their party, aud their places Of honor
and profit, united in one great shrek
of "negto rule. " negro supremacy.
',negro domination, " 1.-THE white Re-
publican no better than the negro,
"su enemy to the white race, sud NOS
to be recognized as a gentleman. A
thousand tongues screamed all over the
State alI the changes on these ISLANDERS
II was not without effect on the un-
thinking, timid white voters. But the
fatal blow to Republicanism was not
from this quarter The Republican Or
ganization confidently relied on she
negro vote. He was the issue. Every
mutiye that can move men ought to
make his vote sure for his party. But
Democratic ,ssders relied on money,
and at small cost bought all the negro
votes they needed. Now. to shorten this
10 nping narrative The leaders OF the
Republican party know that they can
not control the negro vote unless they
can pay them more than the Democratic
party. They know, too, that they can
not do this unless. perhaps, in Presi'
Dental elections, when money is sent
from the outside ipij the State. Tne
negro assumes that there is no
politios in any election for him, except
the Presidential election. In his own
words muffin in dis lection for me
but monney what l gwyne gime" he
has teen taught this by class OF meo,
| not of his party, bat who regularly look
TO him for continuance In Office. But
mis- education is fast qualifying him TO
count profits in Presidential elections
too. It ia all pretence and bosh about
negroes being cheated out OF their votes.
1000 Of them sell their votes (for lOc
and up) 30 1 that Is defrauded out OF
their votes. This defrauding as is some
time pretended by defeated moneylesi
Republican candidates (or opposition
oaudidates) has no foundation. and Is
not believed by informed people. For
such there must be conspiracy OF
such a nr nber officials as is almost
morally impossible in Virginia. No tns
negro sells his vote for all he can get
inst as be sells his pig To suoh an ex.
tent has this traffic come that In many o.
the counties Of Virginia, If not 10 all
fwhere negroes reside) there Is noteven
the pretenoe Of secrecy 10 the buying
and selling Of votes Money is openly
displayed in shot bags and otherwise
and many of these suffragists with
some white fellow. .Citizens) tarry most
Of the day OF the poles, hawking their
votes from candidate TO oondidate; and