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Valley Spirit: June 22, 1870 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

Preference for Negro Labor
(Column 04)

Summary: The paper takes issue with the Franklin Repository for attempting to "fasten opprobrium upon the Democrats for preferring the labor of negroes to that of white men." The charges stem from pre-war Democratic support for slavery and its extension. The editors charge that after the war, however, it is Republicans that favor African Americans at the expense of white men. "Negro labor, under a Radical Administration, is fast taking the place of white labor. Colored men fill offices in Washington City which white men would be glad to occupy. They act not as messengers and doorkeepers. They are above that. A negro Revels in the chair of a United States Senator."

Radical Colored Delegates
(Column 04)

Summary: Reports on Republican conventions in Philadelphia which allowed black delegates to take part. Challenges blacks in Franklin County to demand the same of the local Republican conventions, predicts they will encounter evasiveness and fear, especially from Cessna.
(Names in announcement: Isaac Hazlehurst, Ira D. Cliff, John Cessna)

Full Text of Article:

The Radicals of Philadelphia have recognized fully the right, and proclaimed publicly the justice, of negroes holding seats in their political conventions.

In the Convention which nominated a candidate for Sheriff at National Hall, in that city, on Wednesday last, there were six colored delegates.

In the Convention held at the County Court House, on the same day, which nominated a candidate for Judge of the District Court and two for Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, there were three colored delegates. Hon. Isaac Hazlehurst, who was a candidate for Governor in 1857, was a delegate in this Convention and was elected one of the Vice Presidents. The point was made that he was not regularly elected and that another man had the credentials. Rather than have a contest, Mr. Hazlehurst withdrew. This caused a vacancy in one of the Vice Presidential chairs, and Ira D. Cliff, a colored delegate, was immediately elected Vice President of this Judicial Convention.

In the Convention to nominate a candidate for Congress in the Second Congressional District, there were two colored delegates.

Will the colored men of Franklin County slumber any longer on their rights? They ought to demand the same privileges that have been accorded to their brethren in Philadelphia. They ought to go to the delegate elections and demand that their claims to representation be not ignored. We know that John Cessna's runners are buttonholing the leaders of the negroes and advising them not to go into the Conventions, but it would be folly for the colored men to listen to such counsel. Now is the time for the negroes to put the Radicals of Franklin County and the other Counties of this Congressional District to the test. Let them ascertain whether John Cessna is willing to take a nomination from Conventions in which they sit as the equals of whites. They are very foolish if they let such a chance to test his sincerity slip by. Let them try it and they will find him squirming, and wriggling and dodging, and finally, if they persist, praying them to desist from such an undertaking for fear of the consequences to his precious self. The colored men ought to be represented in the Convention.

Letter From White Man
(Column 05)

Summary: Prints an article from an anonymous writer denouncing the Radical scheme to force whites and blacks to intermingle in social and political circles. Claims they are violating natural laws by doing so, insists whites and blacks must be separate unless they willingly intermingle.

Full Text of Article:

ANTRIM TOWNSHIP, June 18, 1870.

Messrs. Editors:--Your Radical neighbor, whose weekly duty it is to dose out political dish water from the negro swill tub, for the comfort of his "mixed" readers, has doubtless in his own opinion triumphantly succeeded in establishing the superiority of the negroes over the whites in general and White Man in particular. So far as White Man is concerned, it being no doubt the sentiment of three-fourths of the white people of the country, the Radicals may "advance" the negroes to any imaginable elevations "above" them if they will only forever keep them from coming into social or political contact with them. We don't "fear" the "coming man" on account of the superior intelligence claimed, or the many great advantages in contemplation to be secured, for him. Our hand would be in them all, but for the unnatural and wicked scheme of bringing us into each other's society whether we desire it or not. This is such a tyranny as high heaven frowns on. The question is not whether the whites or the blacks are the more highly favored by nature's gifts, or which may win in the "race for supremacy," so prominently set forth by the Radicals for the trial of our respective merits, but on what method of reasoning can the unbiased mind be reconciled to the abominable idea that two races of people, so complete in all the characteristics which nature has so abundantly furnished to distinguish one from the other, shall be thrown into a political and social mass, on the miserable and unholy plea that "Christian benevolence" demands it? Cannot the negroes of our country be reached without mixing them in our politics and society? Visit them as the "heathen of Europe, Asia and Africa" are visited, from motives of "Christian benevolence" instead of foisting them on us as our social and political equals, and there will be more money presented for their melioration than true philanthropy will know what to do with. No matter how much the negroes may be our "equal" or "surpass" us, the "great God" who created "everything for its kind" never intended him for our associate, and the man who can see, and perhaps smell no "difference" between him and a man in a "white epidermis" is too much the slave of political fanaticism to speak for honest people of any color. The Radicals have controlled the political world until their ambition sees nothing more to achieve in it worthy of its lofty aspirations. They are now attacking the "irrevocable" laws of nature. A change in the physical world next claims their attention, and if they are as successful in "running" the latter as they have been in the former, one of the first and most important steps will be to confine what we now call the natural increase of the country, entirely to the white and negro Radicals. This would effectually choke off the White Man's party in a comparatively few years, and by "splitting" the difference, still seen by some folks, between the "trooly loyal" whites and the blacks, who are all supposed to be "trooly loyal," some of your neighbor's prophecies may be fulfilled soon enough.
WHITE MAN.

Installation Sermon
(Column 01)

Summary: The Rev. Agnew Crawford of Chambersburg gave the sermon at the installation of the Rev. A. K. Strong as pastor of a Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Agnew Crawford, Rev. A. K. Strong)

Chambersburg Academy
(Column 01)

Summary: Prof. Shumaker will direct an exhibition in Repository Hall for the benefit of his Chambersburg Academy.
(Names in announcement: Prof. Shumaker)

Daily Mail
(Column 02)

Summary: The citizens of Orrstown are raising money to pay for a mail route to and from their town. The Post-Office refuses to establish one.

Base Ball
(Column 02)

Summary: The Printers Nine of Chambersburg and the Antietam Club of Hagerstown played each other in a game of baseball. The Printers won 28-3.
(Names in announcement: McCleary, Hutton, Flack, Henninger, Haefner, Skinner, Britsch, Kreichbaum, Fantiman)

Dr. Schaff
(Column 02)

Summary: The paper prints praise of the Rev. Philip Schaff. He is singled out for his knowledge of church history and Biblical exegesis.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Philip Schaff)

Revival
(Column 03)

Summary: The United Brethren Church in Orrstown has been holding a religious revival for some time past. Last week, six people were Baptized in Conodoguinett Creek. Rev. Mr. Anthony is leading the ceremonies.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Anthony)

Died
(Column 05)

Summary: J. Milton Huart died in Chambersburg on June 15th. He was 53 years old.
(Names in announcement: J. Milton Huart)

Died
(Column 05)

Summary: Annie Leola Cassel, daughter of George W. and Annie E. Cassel, died on June 7th. She was 20 months old.
(Names in announcement: Annie Leola Cassel, George W. Cassel, Annie E. Cassel)

Died
(Column 05)

Summary: Mary Ann Mowry died in Mowersville on June 11th. She was 72 years old.
(Names in announcement: Mary Ann Mowry)

Died
(Column 06)

Summary: Edward H. McCartin died near Middleburg at the residence of his mother on May 8th. He was 36 years old.
(Names in announcement: Edward H. McCartin)