Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-08-10
Character and Condition Of the COlOred
People Of Cincinnati.
From The North Star.

doing so until this time, with view 10 oO-
tanning oil the information which contact ana
observation could give the during my entire
visit. Happily the readers of the "Nortll
Star" on both sides of the Atlantic, are eager
TO know al about the condition of our des-
pissed people. For this, we are probably as
much indebted to our enemies as we ore TO
our friends. 1t has long been the habit and
apparently the delight of our ASSISTANTS TO
lnisgepresent the actions and to malign the
characters of our people. The free colored
man has never been allowed to pass unotlc-
ed; he is consigned TO the contemptuous
SCOTS of the multitude. The motive for this
treatment, is easily ascertaiuod. To strength
ON prejudice against the free, is to rivet the
fctter moro firmly on the slave population
Only show that The free colored man is low,
worthless, and degraded, and warrant for
enslaving him is readily acknowledged
This simple statement is complete dlspo-
siiion of the motive in question. The news
papers of the country, Il am happy TO say
with multiplying oxcepiions,l have omitted
no opportunity lor successful disparageinent;
aud although they have done us serious harm
in bringing upon us the evils which they
have described, or rather which they exog-
gerutcd, it must still be confessed that ior
the interest ia our condition, aud the desire
TO know all about us, we are indebted to the
infamous notoriety given us by our enemies.
The prO-savery papers, however, do not,
just now, enjoy the ilnpunity in their un-
worthy vocation which they did n few years
ago. Since the colored people have mani
tested an interest in sustaining newspapers
of their own, through the columns of which
ihlsehood can be exposed and truth yind-
Gated, our pro-slavery presses have evnccd
little caution in the qualification of their |
pussion for culumny.
Few people have fought against more in
Justice of this sort, than the colored people |
of Cincinnati. Located OH tho very borders
of slavery, constant offence TO the slave
holder, il has been for the interest of the |
latter TO maligu them, and create ill-feeling |
toward them, aud this las been dono with q
liberal hand.
They have, however, nobly refuted the
calumnes of their enemies, and, MS whole,
they present strong grounds for encourage
ment TO all who are laboring in the cause OF
our common advancement and elevation
! have sojourned eight days among them,
and observed them with much interest, with
! q view to get correct insight into their real
character and condition and am now pre-
pared to testify, that in no part of the United
States where il has been my lot to travel,
have met with more industrious, enter
DilSlilR anu DuDuC-cDHlttu VI
colored people, than it was my privilege
to meet in Cincinnati. Required to make
| bricks without straw, they are, nevertheless,
] cheerfully at work. Limited in the range oi
their industrial pursuits, they are wisely
availing themselves of all the means within
their reach. They are to be found on the
wlIarvos as laborers--in the streets with drays
and horses of their own, doing true mems
work, which requires bard hands and rug
ged francs and if labor is honorable, such
: men are to be honored. But beside being
laborers, in these as well as in other and
roughcr avocations, the colOrcd men in Gin
! cinnti are represented in other employments
!, trades and cnllings. They are to be found
D in mechanical pursuits, such as carpenters
1 cabinet-makers, chair manufacturers, sad
= dlers, sc. One of the finest chair manu-.
n factories in the city is that of Mr.. Boyd O
5 colored man. A view of his establishment
n and his admirable management of it, are
: stunning conintations of the SANDER of nat
: ural inieriority so frequently preferred
i against our struggling people; and such al
S establishment as that belonging to MIR. Boyd
d is an effective aud eloquent anti-slavery lee.
). tlIrer. 1t is the best answer which can bt
8 given to the charge of incapacity and dull
i ness, hurled at US by our oppressors. Bn
G we are not only able TO speak of successful
II mechanics. There are, in Cincinnati, enter
h prising and successful merchants, who's,
o honesty, manliness and business talents com
70 mand the respect of business men, not onl,
e of Cincinnati, but of New York, Boston, anI
Q, even of Baltimore, where they only have I,
ii send their orders, 10 have them unhesitating
is ly and faithfully attended TO. They are men
IS too, who, have risen by the force of thei
10 own genius, from small beginnings, hard la
"A
T. ness. An instance, such as l have lust de
10 scribcd, is furnished in the case of Mr.. S
W II. Wilcox, wholesale and retail family gro
tn cer This gentleman struggled agains
= odds in the commencement OF his business
er which few men could have conquered. Lii
0 means were small, and were first earned b
lc his own industry. lie created his own cap
IL tai, and now, although young man, and ev
" IDENTITY only in the commencement of hi
business career, his store is considered b
i 4; many good judges in such matters, to be III
he finest Of the kind in the city of Cincinnati
ry lie has several white clerks, us well as co
pt ored ones; and from the orderly and respec
s. ful hearing which saw among them tC
o, wards each other, it appeared TO me thu
ID white and colored persons are NOT necessar
g. ly the enemies of each other. Mr.. W. keeI
r. two fleet horses, with which he answer
re with dispatch the orders sent TO him from a
Ia parts of the city, and sometimes even thos
le from the country. lie attends TO his bus
d ness himself and oversees the whole estat
l. lisllnent But why am so particular t
point out MIR. Wilcox and his store?
10 answer, first, because they prove the charge
$, of our enemies TO be false and, second,
at because our oppressed people need the en-
u cOurageInent OF the example. While III
l. North Star cannOt eYDect 10 ne fhe advert
I. sing sheet for every colored man in th
b. country, it is quite proper that il should hol
f. up such striking examples, flor the reputa
N ton Of the oppressed as those presented il
Or the cases of Mr.. Wilcox and others.
le Among others in Cincinnati whose ex
OF ample reflects credit upon our people, is "
IL w. Watson, man who has labored har
n, and expended thousands in The purchase {
on bis iaIniLY out Of slaYerY Mr. Watson is