Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-09-17

some room for fear from these localities that in
viewing the gross intemperance, filth and wretch
edness Astounding so largely, in which hundreds
are topelessly degraded, the innocent should have
to suffer, Il Is, perhaps, no more than might be ex-
pected, yet II is an undeniable fact, that the chief
source Of degradation comes from rum. The rum
comes from the licensed or unlicensed grogseliers,
who hold out their ulluring cup for the sake OF
ready change, which they are sure to get, after
which they turn their customers on the street, to
appear hideous TO oil beholders. l need not say
that these groggeries, low and degrading as they
may be, are not licensed by colored men, nor in
one case in twenty are they kept by colored men.
Hence, common charity would seem TO dictate
that some other class should be charged with a
portion Of this loathsome state OF things. so much
dreaded. IA hint to the wise is sufficiently
Now, having frankly admitted the degradation
of Seveo,h and St. Mary streets, &c., which has
bteu a Thousand times held up to the world by the
press, not only of Philadelphia, but almost Of the
entire country, to the disgrace Of every colored
man in the country. l beg, Mr.. Editor, to res
~pectful!y add, that the inhabitants Of this Inflated
region are by n, means a fair sample Of the TWEEN
ty thousand colored people of Philadelphia. The
gulf between this degraded class and the great
mass of industrious colored people, is well nigh as
marked as was the gulf between Dives and Laza-
rus in the parable as l shall attempt to demon
strate here, besides volunteering further to prove,
by peculiar testimony, if any of your readers choose
to copdescend to accom- pany me to parts and pla-
ces where the decent portions of oolored people
reside; 10 the eighteen or twenty colored churches
with their Sabbath schools; to at least tw sniy
day schools, of a public and private characters; to
the dozens of beneficial societies, united for the
mutual support of their sick and disabled members:
TO the neat and genteelly furnished three story
brick houses, owned, occupied and paid taxes for,
almost entirely by colored reople-on Rodman
street, Ronaldson street and Washington streets;
to observe the extent of valuable property owned
on South and Lombard streets lin the most res
pectable part of those ~streets;) to examine some
Of the stores, (they may not he large) kept BY
colored men, (of which more will be said present
ly) TO pass those living in respectable houses, ele-
gantly furnished, houses alone worth from five to
ten thousand dollars; likewise leaving out the
many in various other parts of the city, where in
dustrious, sober and decent people live, and own
considerable real estate. l think abundant evil
dence may be found in the directions alluded to, to
convince the most pre;udiced against the colored
man, that he is by no means so sadly degraded
and miserably poor as the public have generally
been led to suppose, from oil that has been said of
Tim in connection with the degraded localities allu-
ded to before.
Previously I alluded to stores, &C., and will now
yefer more particularly to q few in my own imme-
diate neighborhood, which is on South street, be-
t~weepsEighth and Ninth streets. Just in ,he..square,
there are six or seven FIVE Of furniture,
stoves, &C., one confectionery, and one small TRIM
ming store. am sure these places are neatly and
we'll kept, ore we'll stocked generally, and their
owners are active, intelligent and sober business
men. Indeed, I might with ~propriety add in this
connection, also on South street. below Eighth
street. the colored tailor, shoe maker, furniture
store keeper. and the dealer in c~rockery ware and
fancy articles, may be found now where they have
been for years, creditably following these pursuits
also, above Ninth street, in South, carr enters, tai
Tors and shoemakers are actually doing credit &c
their extraordinarily supporting their families
educating their children, and leading lives of res
pectabiGty.
But what avails all this? Why fu. Their add in
this directionf l fear you will say, Mr.. Editor
Suppose Stephen Smith, who is reputed to bt
worth a quarter CT million Of dollars, with his tent
of thousands of dollars invested in bank stocks
railroad stocks, &C.. &C., having for so many year
been well known among business men as an extern
sive lumber and coal merchant, dealer in real es
tate, &c., with taxes amounting to nearly two thou
sand dollars per annum to pay, should enter q cal
still, being colored, he would justly be assigne
the "front PLATFORM" to stand up by the driver
Again, suppose Miss Greenfield (the Black Swan
wished to enjoy a ride to Paramount, never MIND
she must stand on the "front platform, by th
driver" TOO. The fact that her extraordinary az
qui.ements as a vocalist have won for her the yer
highest distinction both in this country and Europ
does actually weigh nothing when entering a Cit
Passenger Railroad car-the front platform is tn
place for all that the Creator chose to make with
dark skin.
But l will now relieve your patience, trusting
ere long, decent colored men and women will fin
the same privileges in The City Passenger Railroa
cars Of Philadelphia that are extended to oOlore
men and women in other cities.
W. S.
Philadelphia, Aug. 80, 1859.