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I ____WR FIJtSTCOLORED JVRi’MAS IS STARS.Massillon, 0., April '22, IB7S.Editor there ha* been several re-mark# made In public lately. In regard to my having been drawn an the “first colored juryman In Stark county /' I deem it nec* wary for my own benefit and for UiO benefit of uiy brother colored citizens, to have a Tew tinea published on the matter. In the first plnco, I am a citizen and tax payer of the county and cannot imagine why ray Republican frilt;md*(?j should find fault Just be. cause my namo should be drawn out and not thelra. As far ha It being dono as a Democratic trick to reward mo for exposing n few Ropubll can fraudulent trick# upon colored people during the campaign last fall, I know oath lug about; but do not think that had anything to do with the matter. There arc a great many colored oilmens of the county, and many of them pay more tax annually than some of the whilo Republican*, who were so thunderstruck at learning that my name was drawn as a juryman.* When they (Republicans) were In power, they woru profuse In their promises of what they were going to do for their “colored brethren. But what have (hoy don#? Nothing. On the other hand they appear to be ashamed even to converse with u» publicly, erttpi upon tto m o/ an tkdhm, when thoy arc all milk nud honey. I thluk that I can aay that the majority of the colored men are avenw to pusljlug thomwlves forward Into com* pauy where they are not wanted, hut iui citizens of the United fitntes .they merely claim, as they have a right to, Ute privilege* and benefits award od to other law abiding citizens. In regard to my being challenged, every pctron la liable lo that, and It In a very common circumstance and need excite no special comment. Bcaldoa It In the lawyer's privilege, uo matter what the motive. But, yo Gods! what a hullabaloo would have been raised had a Democruuo attorney challenged a colored man ? But for that I care nothing. 1 merely wish to state that It was the Ztaaocul* that got the first colored man a* a Juror In this Co. and that that party had used us cron better than the Republicans, as thoy have not deceived us.Colored peoplo are steadily learning something; Republicans cannot keep ui in ignorauoe as did the majority of the southern slaveholders. Wo aro learning to keep our eyes open and to take care that wo are not again bulldozed by fawning, corrupt politicians of any party. If any oI us Choate to voto '.with tho Democrats we ore merely exercising our rights as citizens, and will not ask them, Jurymen or no Jurymen. I trust that my colored brethren throughout tho county will hereafter give the matter of politics a more careful study and learn who are really their friends. I am not, nor never was. anxious to be on a Jury and would a great deal rather not be drawn. But If I, or any of ray colored brethren, happcu to be, I trust that there will bo lera abusive comments made in reference to It, on the public streets, than there was In my cane.Yours. GlLDWT N. 1‘ortrr.
Newspaper Details
Canton Stark County Democrat
Canton, Ohio, US
Thu, Apr 25, 1878
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Massillon P.
OH, USA 14 Feb 2023
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