Year: 1879

The colored people of the South are Of ne
cessity on trial as citizens, for the degree OF
confidence placed in them will inevitably de-
pend upon the use which they make OF the
franchise. Thus far, 1t is but right to say.
they have done much better than their enc
mics predicted in many respects, but in other
respects much worse than their friends hoped.
They have elected a great many worthless
men to Office, and thus have burdened them
selves and the taxpayers generally with load
of debt and taxation which has formed the
chief excuse for powerful reactionary move
ment The sympathy and moral support of
the people of the North have been in part
Withdrawn from the cOlorcd voters of the
South, only because their votes have been so
often used unwisely and unworthily. 1t is
hoped by the enemies of the colored race that
a crowning proof Of their unfitness for self
government will be given, especially In Nir-
ginia by colored votes in favor OF repudia-
ton. He is the only true friend OF the col
ored people who tells them the truth, frankly,
squarely, and without disguise. The truth is
that the colored voter of Virginia who votes
against the debt-paying party there, will do
incalculable harm, not merely to the interests
of the State in which he lives, but to the In
terests of the cOlored voters in all the South
ern States.


1t is true that he will do no worse than
many of the Democratic whites. That is no
excuse for him. A deep conviction that many
of them could not safely be trusted with any
political power, and were really unfit for any
share in the Government was the main reason
for colored enfraDchisement at the time 1t was
decreed The people of the North knew that
they could not trust many of the Southern
whites, but hoped that the cOlored people
could be trusted to vote for loyal, free and
upright State Governments. If the cOlored
voters now propose to grovel in the lowest
ditch of reputation which Democratic
rebels have yet reached, it will not appear
that there was great good sense in trusting
them. We are not prepared to believe that
they WILL But every colored voter who votes
with the regulators of Virginia does what he
can to destroy the confidence of the people of
the North in the race to which he belongs.


1t is said by way of excuse that many col
ored voters are ignorant, and do not under
stand the bearing of their votes upon their


interests as citizens nor upon the interests of
their State. For ignorance they can be ex-
cused; but for dishonesty there is excuse.
ANY voter, white or black, who votes for dis
honest measures, proves that he is not fit to
vote. Refusal to pay an honest debt Is q dishon
est and dishOnorable thing, which brands cit
izen as either rebel or knave. Malignant
and vindictive rebeism is the actual cause
of hostility to debt paying among the whites
of the South, but the colored men cannot
plead that excuse. They have no business to
dishonor their State, to rob Its creditors, and
10 bring shame upon the whole United States,
and they cannot plead that disloyal passion
blinds their Judgment.


II has been said with great truth by lead
ing colored citizens that the future of colored
voters at the South depended upon the moral
support and sympathy of loyal people of the
North and they have passiOnately blamed the
loyal people because that sympathy and that
support have not been accorded IN larger
measure Whatever the facts as to the past.
one thing is certain, and the cOlored people
ought TO know it: the loyal people of the
North will never give moral support or SYM
pathy to repudiators. If the coorcd voters of
Virginia. or a large proportion of them, should
rank themselves with repudators by their
votes, they may rest assured that Northern
sympathy and moral support will not be gwen
to them 50 freely hereafter, nor will they de-
serve either. They are on t ia aud all
their history, their experience, their prejudces
aud passions, ought to incline them TO the
side of justice and honor They have known
what 1t was TO be robbed of the just wages
of their Labor, year after year, by white
masters. They have known the Joy OF en-
reimbursement by the power of the United
States. If they vote to dishonor the country
which has upliited and trusted them, who
will trust them again Ii they vote TO plunder
Northern creditors, for the supposed benefit
of dishonest and disloyal whites at the South.