THE PARTY OF FREEDOM AND

CANDIDATES.

ITS

The Duty

of the Colored Voter.

Published by the Union Eepublican Congressional Committee, Washington, D/C.

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THE EMANCIPATOR,
Assassinated April
14. 1365.

HIS SUCCESSOR.
Will be elected President

November

3,

ISdS.

his Rad- ical as applied to political parties and noliand demon- ticians? * strates clearly with which party all like him A It means one who is in favor n going anoula act. It would be well for colored to tne root of things; who is tnorou&Ty in voters generally to seek out some tried Radi- earnest: who desired that .slavery should be cal and question him upon all subjects about, abolished that every disability connected which they hare any doubt therewith
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a dialogue between a A. Yes and they are in favor of newly-made citizen and a Radical Republifreedom and universal justice. can. The new voter is seeking light upon Q^ What is the meaning of the word Radthe subject .of his political duties
is
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The following

ical friend gives

him

plain facts,

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should be obliterated, not only from pationa laws but from those of every btate m the Union. Question. With which party should 'the Q. To which party do the friehde of olored man vote? the colored men in Congress belong 9 Answer. The Union Republican party. A. To the Republican Pcirty. q. Why should the

THE DIALOGUE.

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colored

man

A. member of that party winch before A. Because that party made him free and trie rebellion sustained every legislative act has given him the right to vote. demanded by the slave-holders, such as the Q. Was Mr. Lincoln a Republican ? t ugitive Slave Law, and the attempt made to as a ReP ubl ican President. force sjajery upon the WestejB A Arc T, a Territories. y. Republicans in favor of universal M. Who said that " a negro had no rights treedom ?
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that party ?

vote with

Q. "What

is

Democrat

A. They are. Q- Are the Radicals and Republicans one and the same party ?

Democracy ?

a lte man wa bound to respect f" a A- Chief Justice Taney, a Democrat. Was this sentiment approved by (he y.

It was and by them only. a two-thirds vote over the veto of Andrew Why did the Southern States rebel ? Johnson, the leader of the Democratic or A. Because the Republican party in 1801 Conservative party. elected Abraham Lincoln President, who Q. Who gave us the Civil Rights bill? was opposed to the extension of slavery. A. The same Republican Congress. Q. What did they propose to do by re-t Q. What party gave us the right to vote ? A. The Republican party, through its bellion ? majority in CongressA. Establish a government of their own the corner-stone of which should be human es. What has the Democratic, Conservative, or Copperhead party ever done for the slavery. Q. Did any leading rebel make such a colored people ? declaration ? A. It has tried to keep them in slavery f Alexander H. Stephens, of and opposed giving them the benefit of the A. Yes Georgia, in a speech in May, 18G1, at Mont- Freedmen's Bureau and Civil Rights bills. gomery, Alabama. and the right to vote. Q. "What position did Mr. Stephens hold in Q. Why cannot colored men support the the rebel Confederacy ? Democratic party ? A. Because that party would disfranchise A. He was their Vice President. Q. What was the position of the Demo- them, and, if possible, return them to slacratic party during the war ? very, and certainly keep them in an inferior A. 1 1 opposed the war declared Mr. position before the law. * Lincoln's management of it a failure reQ. With whom do the disloyal white men sisted every measure in Congress looking to of the South desire the colored men to vote? emancipation, and denounced the GovernA. With the Democratic party. ment for employing colored men as soldiers. Q. Why do the Democrats pretend to be Q. What has that party done since the the best friends of colored men ? surrender of the rebels? A. Because they contend they are of a A. It has sustained Mr. Johnson in his lower race and are, therefore, happier in an efforts to restore your old masters to power inferior position, or in slavery. in the country, and opposed every act for Q. How would it suit them to be served in your benefit which the Republican Congress the same manner? has adopted. A. They would not endure it. They call Q. Would the Democrats make slaves of themselves a superior race of beings, and the colored people again if they could-? claim they are born your rulers. A. It is fair to presume that they would, for Q. Why do they not do unto others as they they have opposed their freedom by every would be done by ? means, have always labored to extend slaA. Because they are devoid- of principle, very, and would now try to deprive them of and destitute of all sense of justice where the right to 'vote, whieli they have always the colored man is concerned. opposed in Congress and in the various State Q. Do ail white persons belong to a party

AQ.

which would treat ks in that way ? A. They do not. There are many who of Columbia? have stood up nobly for your rights, and who A. A Republican Congress and Abraham will aid you to the end; indeed, all true ReLincoln*, a Republican President. publicans are such. Q. Who freed the slaves in the South ? Q. Arj3 there any white persons who haveA. Abraham Lincoln, the Republican always contended for our liberty? President, by proclamation. A. Yes there are many such. Q. Who made colored men soldiers ? Q. To which party do these tried friends A. The Republican party. of ours now belong ? A. The Republican party. Q. "VI ho opposed this ? A. The Democrats. Q. To what party do the white people of Q. Who refused to recognize colored sol- the South belong? diers as prisoners of war? A. The larger portion belong to the DemA. The rebels. ocratic party. Q. Are the former slave-holders an<# Q. By whom were they murdered or used
Legislatures.

Q.

Who

abolished slavery in the District

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as slaves

when captured? leaders of the rebellion members of that A. By the rebel Government. party ? A. Most of them are they would not reQ. What party sympathized with the rebel Government? gard 3*ou as having any rights if. they were A. The Democracy. in power. Q. Who passed the Freedmen's Bureau Q. Colored men should then vote with the bill"? Republican or Radical party? A. A Republican Congress by more than A. They should, and shun the Democratic
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party as they would the overseer' s lash and the auction block. Q. Has the Republican party deceived the colored people? A. It has not. While the Democratic party has always been opposed to their freedom, their education, and their right to vote, the Republican party has maintained these
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Q. The white people South say that northern Republicans do not care for the colored men only so far as they can use them to continue in political power. Is that true ?

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A. It is not. Q. What is the reason that several of the northern States do not giye us the right .to
vote ?
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A. Chiefl3 because they have in the past Q. By whose exertion are we now being been c mtrolled by the Democratic party. educated ? In the Western States where what are called A. By the efforts of loyal teachers and the " Black Laws" have existed, which did through the benevolence of Republican not allow colored people to live in them, friends. there are large bodies of whites who moved Q. By whom have scl ool-houses been or'ginally from the slave States, and carried burned, and our teachers persecuted ? the hatred and prejudices of slavery with A. By rebel friends of the Democratic them. party. Q. What has the Republican party done in Q. Who passed the military Reconstruc- those States about such laws ? tion acts ? A. Abolished them as fast as it obtained A. The Republican majority in Congress. power ? Q. To what is the Republican party now Q. By whom have the reconstructed States been admitted to Congress, under the new committed? free constitutions? A. To equal rights for all men to the adA. By the Republican party. vancement of labor and its elevation by just Q. "\Vhat would the people think if the laws; to common schools, open to all; opcolored men voted with the Demociatic position to slavery in every form protecparty ? tion to free speech and a free press the A. The people of the North would think maintenance of the rights of all men to that they did not fully understand their own vote and share in the Government under the perpetual preservation rights nor the duties devolving on them and which they live of the Federal Union, and of the national the people of the South would proudly say "We have always told you that the negro did honor by faithfully discharging all obligations incurred. in suppressing the late rebelnot wish to be free." Q. What use has been made of the money lion, and thereby enfranchising four million which the colored people of the Southern slaves. States have paid as taxes? Q. How does it propose to do these A. It has been used to establish schools for things? A. By electing loyal men to office by det7iiie children to pay the expenses of making and executing laws in which the colored fending loyal State governments formed unmen have had no voice, and in endeavoring der and by authority of the Reconstruction to have set aside the laws which gives you laws, and above all by placing the Executive power of the General Government in the the right to vote. Q. We have been discharged from work hands of those who favor the purposes of because we voted with the Republicans. the Union Republican party. Who did it? Q. How is the latter to be accomplished? A- By the election on Tuesday, the 3d A. Your former masters, who are all Southern Democrats. day of November next, of General U. S. Q. How are we to live if they continue Grant and Honorable Scheyi.ee Colfax, this course? the nominees of the Republican parly for A. You must remember that this is a rule those high offices, as Prcs'dent and Vice Presthat works both ways. Your labor is as val- ident of the United States. By their elecuable to the employer as the wages paid are tion, as well as the election of Republican to you. That game cannot be continued. Representatives to the Forty-first Congress,' In any event, you mn t defend your vote as the Government will be placed in the hands of its friends, and, consequently, of your you would your freedom. Q Then you advise us to vote with the defenders and emancipators, for the PresiRepublicans, and disregard the threats of dential term beginning the 4th day of March, our employers? I860, and ending on the same date, 1873. A. Most certainly I would. There is nothQ. What claim has General Grant on the ing dearer in life than liberty. colored man To allow yourselves to be driven into voting against A. He is the successful leader of the Union your convictions, is to accept degradation armies who fought for freedom against the worse than slavery. rebel armies, that sought to maintain slarights.
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admin iste-ed' finally received iha surren- ana that the corruptions fostered der of the rebel army audits General-in-Chief, by ^ lUllLU Johnson should be stern! v re.p,W-dAndrei xioberl E. Lee. Early in the war, General 8* Deplores the untimebdeath of Grajtt pronounced against slavery declared dent ; Lincoln, and declares Andrew llhl that it must be. destroyed in order to defeat the son abetter of the trust reposed in him. rebellion. He encouraged the enlistment of and a usurper of unlawful power, for which colored troops, and directed all officers to aid in the work. lie always recognized their gailty by the votes of tb.ily.five Senators. courage and gave them honorable mention 9. Declares that all American citizen. Sittce" the rebellion closed, he has been in { e]gn born chief command of the army, and has be p: rtf}f " been **"&* ia *>"% charged with the protection of the loval peocountrie? ple of the South. Under his direction re0gI S tne gaI1 n soldiers construction has succeeded to its present *&> d f>nd;/n f ! ex- icnaed the ?? tent He has always been in sympathy with widow* and Cmon, and declares that the children of those who were the loyal majority of Cong-ess. in opposition slau! defense of freedom are the wards of the to the c'Torts of Andrew Johnson and the nation. leaders of the Democratic party to restore 11. Declares admiration for those former the rebels to power, and thus virtually to rebels who the Southern State- have aided re- enslave '.n.MVeed people of the South. S i0n, d the earl ^st re0. Vfhc is SefiuYLER Colfax? mov?l S!?r? moval of disqualifications imposed upon them A. Hei Speaker of the House of Reprein the same measure as their spirit of loval tv e&t&tivis and has been a Republican mem*..,, and a may be con ^stent with ber of Congress since 1855, having been the 1 first nlSfrth sa.eiv of the loyal people.' elected opposition to the attempt then beThe 12th reads as follows ing made by the Democratic party to force looked, That we recognize the ^reat slavery on Kansas, against the will of the people. hr. Colfax is an able man, upright Iudc-Pendence as the true foundaand honorable in private character, an elo- Hni c mocratIC government, and we hail quent speaker, and a faithful and sagacious w?th ll 7 w.th gladness every effort toward Vafcin? statesman, whose voice and vote has always the.e principles a living realitv on r-ery inc oeen cast for equal rights for all men. * of American soil. Q. Upon what platform, and where were h n b * f re &* principles they nominated? ?. !ll? f ?7
exposed him, and
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He defeated all the rebel Genesis who ment

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A. They were nominated at Ciiic.' by the Republics: vention, which contained del. tne btatcs. among them being ror.nv
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men, representatives elected" by vjursc"] ,Vs Ihe platform embraces the following poiut*

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1. Congratulates the country on* the suecess of reconstruction, and declares it to be the duty of the Government to sustain the free institutions established under them. 2. Declares the guarantv bv Congress in those laws of equal suffrage tebe demanded alike by justice and the public safety. 3. Denounces the Democratic doctrine .-,f repudiation of the public debt as a crime. 4. 5, and 0. Declares that taxation should be equalized and reduced that the payment of the national debt should be extended over a fair time, the rate of interest be reduced as far. as possible, and that the best way to do this is to preserve the public credit, so tnat capitalists will readily loan money on
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you do your part well, the permanence g0VG1 nm ts ^' ou ha to !oLi;j ? 11 resen $* liberties vmf h iT 3 on know so well how to prize. Elect them ana j ,.,k wglt , arc ensur0(|. T.h.-v n re your tnenas. j heir party, und.n the lead of thp martyred Lincoln, proclaimed von fiW.\nd amie.s, mider Gn\v?T maintained the lead of Geneml 1 ^ye and defended that f^edoin. See to it that your ballots po aWays the same direction as their bulled Organize for victory and the rebel Democ" racy will be defeated at the ballet-box on r
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SU of tJ caiu Paign for the "Vl .t; r -/ eV<"' e'ectron of G-rant and -Colfax will ensure.

er rf e fetat es on the ^ v education and libertv. ^ aaI f' ?< pe.as&ed to continue in the good Vp

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tow rates. 7. Declares that

the

General Govern-

House, Virginia, April

a. Generaifji Gbakt defeated Iff. S Robert E Lee and he rebel army at Appo mat to v o our .
9,

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N emUr ^

as completely

18C5

PRIXTED AT THE OFFICE: OP TH* GREAT

REPUBr^v7s IrlNr/r0X)

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