As the Montgomery Council declared, the Union League was "the right arm of the Union-Republican party in the United States." Every Negro was ex colore a member or under the control of the League.
In the opinion of the League, white Democrats were bad enough, but black Democrats were not to be tolerated.

It was almost necessary, as a measure of personal safety, for each black to support the radical program.

It was possible in some cases for a Negro to refrain from taking an active part in political affairs.

He might even fail to vote.
But it was actually dangerous for a black to be a Democrat; that is, to try to follow his old master in politics.

The whites in many cases were forced to advise their few faithful black friends to vote the radical ticket in order to escape mistreatment.