Thos. PETTIFORD, the colored candidate for Register of Deeds of this county seems to be sure of his election, but he may get left, he has the Democrats on one side the Alliance on the other side and worst of all his white Republicans will put out a man and though every negro in the county may want PETTIFORD, we will see them on the side with the white man.  It’s  hard but it’s true, you know the old adage, “white man seldom sartin and the nigger never shore.”  

Your white brethren don’t propose to tote fair Tommie, as long as you kept quiet it was all right, but now you want office you will find that the white Republican swears you shan’t have it just as loud as the Democrats.

Source: Roanoke Beacon, 12 September 1890. Available online at DigitalNC.org.