Year: 1875




OF her ablest citizens, and Ricbland
and other strongly Republican coun.
ties gave the Conservatives q place
on their tickets. Fortunately tho dc.
feat of Green did not foist upon us
bad Governor, for the Republican
party had become 80 divided and
weakened by corruption and by hav-
ing it's own way, that both wings felt
it necessary to nominate compare
lively fair mon, with the hope of
getting the white vote or of dividing
it. From tho defeat of Carpenter,
in 1870, to the present time, there
has been no Democratic organiza-
ton, i'll its proper sense, in this State.
In fact, the great idea of press, and
especially our course has been, to
lessen the heat and importance of
party spirit, and press upon the peo>
pie the Importance of weighing the
man, who is seeking office, as above
all party considerations. In fact, it
was generally held that nero party
improperly overshadowed every
other consideration, and that votes
were cast mechanically and without
reference to the public goCd. We
advocated that the first thing to be
learned by the negro was to appre-
ciato his individuality and his indit
vidual interest in, and his responsi
bility for good government. He
must break over party tics and vote
upon his judgment formed upon the
bcst informolion he could get from
tho press, from public speakers and
from his better informed friends.
How could this be done9 1t could
never be accomplished while the or,
ganization # the Democratic party
remained solid. 1st. Because in
1868 tho party was actually opposed
to according to to the negro civil
rights, and the negro would neither
hear Democratic advice nor attend
meetings Of the party. I'd. Because
tie interest Of the Republican lead
els prompted them to advise the
negro to avoid Democrats and op-
pose them as enemies to their race
and freedom, and 80 long as the
Democratic party remained organs
lied, they could point to its strength
and falsify it's purpose. The hope.
lessness OF success after 1870 led to
it's virtual dismemberment as all or.
ganization, and in all subsequent
me etings and conventions the Nom.
bers of the party assumed the name
of "Consorvative," and Topped off
all the actual features of the frat
party, 80 far as any opposition to the
civil rights of the colored race WAS
concerned. Its platform one year,
we believe, was bare line, "honesty
and economy in the administration
of the government" or something to
that effect. Has tho result Of this
course been wise or fruitful of good ?
viii any reasonable man assert that
if the Democratic party had kept up
its organization from 1868, that the
Republican party would not have
stood to day a solid, unbrokcn wall
in ts face, and that holding an undis
vidcd majority it would have made
party aililiation test for every posi-
tion. Shut up in our shell, We would
III vain have appealed for a better
government and better class Of
officers. The party seeing lis enemy
armed, organized and equipped
could and would have tolerated, in
fact, would have feared no divisions
or disscnsions in its ranks. With
the exception of few counties,
every State and county Office would
havo beon held by Republicans, and
tho Democratic organization would
have been poworloss, even as a bal,
ance of power; for thero could have
been no divisions and no place to
operate as balance of power. We
assert this az true, bccnu5e it is a