Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1889 — NEGROES WANT OFFICE. [ARTICLE]

NEGROES WANT OFFICE.

THEY HAVE GROWN TIRED OF VOTING WITHOUT REWARD. Colored Men in Various Sections of the Country Declaring that Their Claims Must Be Recognized or They Will Desert the “Grand Old Party.” [Washington special to Chicago Herald.] There is a robust negro in the Republican fence. The colored brother has reached the era of independence, and he is making his voice heard along the line. From all the doubtful States of the North come rumors of discontent among Republican negroes, as well as from Virginia and other States of the South. The possibilities of negro politics are neatly illustrated by a “homemade” cartoon which John Law, a prominent colored man of Richmond, is now passing from hand to hand in Washington. That part of the picture marked “1888” shows Cleveland and Harrison, Brice and Quay gathered about the figure of a big, good-looking

Irishman, into whose ears they are all pouring sweet words. Quay holds in his hand a stout string, which is fastened securely about the neck of a negro dog. Having the dog thus safely bound, Quay is able todevotehis entire attention to the doubtful voter from Erin; but in the scene labeled “1892” the poor bound negro dog of 1888 is transformed into a human giant. Around him are gathered Harrison and Cleveland, Brice and Quay, begging earnestly for one smile of favor, one fond glance from his eyes. The Celt is there, too, but little attention is paid to him. The negro is the hero of the occasion. Reports from Louisiana are to the effect that the spirit of independence is taking such root among the negroes there that the Republicans despair of carrying the Third Congressional District without the aid of Louisiana Lottery Herwig’s check book, and just at this moment Mr. Herwig is keeping his check book under lock and key. Without doubt Mahone will be worse beaten in Virginia than he ever was before, and in the Carolinas the negroes are openly organizing an independent party. A dispatch from Charlotte, N. C., says: “The convention of dissatisfied colored Republicans was held here last evening in a grove outside the town, and 600 negroes from this State and South Carolina were present. John Wilson, a politician of Charlotte, presided, and the meeting lasted three hours. Harrison was drawn over the coals several times, and a terrible onslaught was made on the methods of distributing Federal appointments. Archie Brady, Postmaster here; James J. Sims, Superintendent of the new public building, and John B. Eaves, Revenue Collector for Western North Carolina, were all burned in effigy to express the convention’s contempt for such officials. A new independent colored Republican party was organized, and John Wilson was elected Chairman. It was decided to hold another convention in September and colored Republicans from every Southern State will be invited to participate in the exercises. Resolutions were adopted to the effect that if Harrison does not change many of his appointments and deal fairly with the negroes they are forever done with the Republican party.” It is no Secret that the Republican managers are looking somewhat anxiously upon this colored independent movement. They fear that if the negro preachers, who are the political leaders as well as the spiritual advisers in many sections, once get a taste of power and a realization of tneir importance there will be no controlling them on any reasonable terms. The large number of Republicans who do not love the President and who think him one of the most impracticable and visionary of party leaders say the threatened trouble with the negroes is just what might have been expected to ensue from Harrison’s absurd endeavor to build up a white man’s Republican party in the South. i