The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-11-23
The Negro in Politics.

A letter from Easton, Nd, to the Baltimore
Sun, under date of November Is, gives the
following true picture of the way the Negro
is treated by those he serves politically day
and night. Read it:
Joseph Fl. Gray, negro politician and
stump speaker of Easton, was buried yester-
day. His career, coupled with that of his
sometime political colleague, the late Mace
Hopkins, of Trappe, illustrates the fateful
disappointments and failures of the smart
country negro Republican politician.
The commencement ofthe Civil War found
Joe Gray trusted young slave on one of DIR.
|. l.. Adkins plantations in Talbot county.
He carried the keys, and not bushel of corn
ever disappeared from the granaries Dor even
chicken from the poultry house. Gray en-
listed in the Union army. Nothing definite
is known of his military career, but he re-
turned to his native county a freeman, of
course. He was quick-witted, glib-tongued
and ready of speech. He was afable in man
ners, generous to his own people and never
lost that politeness which one of the best of
masters had carefully instilled into him.
When enfranchisement of the negroes came
Gray went into politics as leader of his race;
| he also became pension agent and had the
ear of the Pension Bureau respecting war
pensions to negroes in Talbot. This gave
him great power among them. He took in
charge for the white Republican leaders their
campaigns for the colored voters. He was
the best negro political stump speaker in
Maryland; and but few of the white stump
| speakers in Talbot, if any, could equal him.
| Time and again he solidifed the negroes
against the Democrats and won victories for
the white Republican leaders. In whatever
way the Democrats thought they had caught
some of the negro vote Joe Gray and Mace
Hopkins would get up an emancipation cele.
bration every November l, and on election
day there would be solid negro Republican
| phalanx at the polls.
Two years ago Mace Hopkins died pau.
per. Last Friday Joe Gray died i'll poverty
and obscurity. The white Republicans whose
chestnuts these two smart negroes pulled from
the fire are enjoying such affluence and honor;
as successful politics make. When Mace
! Hopkins little farm in Trappe, the pride o
his heart, got in the hands of the Sheriff mons
Of those for whom he had neglected his legiti
mate business to help in politics raised fin
ger nor jingled dollar to save him. Joe
Gray was arrested by special agent of the
| Pension Bureau on charge of fraud. L
turned out there was nothing in the case
| One of his own race, Jealous of him, trumpet
up charge, and when he could be heard he
was promptly acquitted; but not one of the
white Republicans for whom he had WORKED
without reward would go bail for him for q
hours, and Joe Gray had to spend a night IL
| Easton Jail, This broke the old man g heart
Some debts he had incurred in his campaign
ing for his white Republican brethren tia
they might, and did, get offices became liens
on his comfortable home in Easton, and i
went to the Sheriff When this occurred ther'
were white Talbot Republicans in office get
ting aggregate salaries of at least $4,000 {
year, largely and mostly through the work o
| Insenh 81. GRAY and Mace Hopkins