New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-02-12
wo,b,ns,on,, g,timate of a Negro.

wears respecting the Social Dsabitie of the People
of Color and some individuals and presses have
gone so far 10 declare that it Is positively degra
ding for White person, under any circumstances TO
hold intercourse on equal terms with one of the pro
scrbed class whatever may be lis intellectual and moral
standing The treatment: awarded 20 Frederick Doug
lass in Great Britain where the color ofhe skin presents
no bar TO socia! intercourse has excited itte atten
ton here and ofour pseudo patriots have affected
10 see in the reception which has beer giTen him, iae
evdence Of an honest appreciation Of his moral and
Intellectual qualities but OF seed hostility TO the United
States and her institutions This in point OF nationality,
on par with tie wisdom Of the Doctor who resolved
all diseases into the worms and who when called TO
child which had broken its leg By stumbling over log,
insisted that the accident entirely owing 10 WORMS
in the wood Fugitive Stare from the United States
If he happens 10 be of genius capable telling his
story and eniightenug the people respecting the
condition OF his class, viii Of De received with
in England tt any time just as man who had ex-
perienced all the evils Of the English Factory system or
the cruedes endured b7 the miners Of that country and
possessing similar Qualifications, would be welcomed
here. Surely there is nothing in all this very remark
able very alarming; eas; of all, any thing al which
sensible men either eide should take offence
The proposition TO restore 10 the Blacks The Right OF
Suffrage OF which they unjustly deprived By the
se!fstyed Democracy in 1891 hes created not little
excitement in certain quarters and several Locotoco
presses doing their to fan into tame a the
sumberrg preudces engendered by Slavery against this
unfortunate class In the hope of defeating measure
obviously founded in justice and demanded OF those
principles OF Equality Of which they claim be the
elusive disciples they constantly ringing the changes
on those vulgar phrases by which the rde tenants OF
,La;-
temp, for class whom they suppose occupy social
position beneath their own The intellectual nferiorty
OF the Negro and his ncapacy for improvement and ele
va,ion standing themes with the and the presses
now referred TO- who that to adi, the Black
to vote treat him in any other respect as "a man
and brother must Of necessity be degrading 10 the
Whites.
Now although we think the question of Social Inter-
course between the Whites and Blacks has in fact, no
necessary connection vi their exercise of the Right Of
Suffrage yet see in the prevailing prejudice against
the latter much that is both unreasonable and absurd
The Colorphobia which prevails 80 extensively in the
ranks of modern Democracy and causes such fearful
spasms in those afflicted By it, whenever man with a
skin not colored like their passes between the
wind and their nobility, contrasts singuarly enough
with the polteness Negroes often exhibited by the
Fathers of the Revolution striking example OF this
poiteness has fallen under notice while reading
Sparks Life Of Washington. Phiis Wheatey was IA
tive African with tnge Of white blood. She was on
~ eight years old when che was kidnapped In
l76l and brought away from her native land in Slave
ship owned by Col Fitch, Of Boston. She was soon az
terwnris sold to Mr.. John Wheatley, from whom she
received her She proved TO be girl of uncom
mon talents and finally became noted for her high moral
and intellectual endowments. She visited England
where a volume Of her Poems was published in l773-
Before the Revolutionary War she returned 10 Boston,
and while Washington was encamped with the Amer-
can Army Cambridge she and transmitted TO him
a Poem n which she alluded in complimentary terms TO
his character aud services. Mark the manner in
which Washington received this compliment from Ne
CAMBRIDGE 2sth February 1776.
MISS PrIILL1s: Your favor of the Goth October did
not reich ny hands I'LL the middle of December. Time
enough you will say to have given answer ere this
Granted But variety OF important occurrences, CON
tinually nterposing distract the mind and withdraw
the attention hope will apologize for the delay, and
plead my for the seeming but not real neglect.
thank you sincerely for your polite notice OF me- IN
the elegant lines you enclosed and however undeserv
Ing may of sucn encomium and panesyrc. the style
and exhibit striking proof OF your poetical tai
euts: in honor OF which. and as tribute Justly due
10 YOU would have published the poem. Ind not been
apprehcnsivc that while only meant to give the world
this ne W instance of your genius might have incurred
the iupuation OF vanity This and nothing else deter
mined me not give it place in the public prints
If you should ever TO Cambridge, or near head
quarters shall be happy person so favored by
The Muses. and to whom nature has been go liberal and
benchccnt in her dispensations. am, with great re-
spect your obedient humble servant
GEORGE WASHINGTON
Several things in this letter noteworthy. In the
first place. every observe how full and unre
served is the testimony which Washington bore TO the
talents and genius of the African Poet He at least could
not have believed the notion, prevalent at this day
among class of White people some of whom are not by
any means remarkably endowed in the upper story that
the Negro incapable OF improvement and elevation he
would not send her Poem the press lest he should
thereby incur the mputaon vanity on account OF the
panecyric bestowed upon himself The compliment i'm.
Piled in This is than that conveyed by his
direct auson her poecs talents and genius His IN
vitaton to her visit him at head quarters must be pc
cuarly shocking in the eyes of Slamm and his cosdju-
tors who tolerate the presence Of coored per-
except Slave. Let it be remembered that Wash
ington did feel il beneath his standing As the Com
mander in Chief OF the American Army 10 solicit per-
sona acquaintance with Ncgroi o the Federal Ans
tocrat