Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-09-28
0QlOrtester Daily spg,
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
EMIGRATION OF COLORED MEN


convention, he'd in Boston on the first of Au-
gust, 1859. The object of the conyention-to
take into consideration the best means of pro-
noting their moral, social, and political eeva-
tion-is one that should have the attention and
deep consideration of every man belonging to
the African race, and therefore, | desire
space in your paper in order that it may at
tract the attention of your numerous readers.
In his address, published in the Liberator,
Mr.. Downing says :-"We are the life of the
nations existence nation must have issues
to exhibit vitality. All the great principles of
the land are brought out and discussed in con-
nection with the negro. But for him there
would be sameness; the great principles the
great ethical school of the times, would be
closed, fQy. the want OF a subject. We are the
alphabet; upon us all are constructed. We,
the descendants, to a great extent, of those
most unjustly held in bondage, whose forefath-
ers in Africa lived through ages of ignorance
and superstition, against whom the world has
been in arms these were the most fit subjects
to beSelected to work out in perfection the re-
alization Of great principle, the tfate1ndt unity
Of man. This as Americd'S mission"
Can the colored people of America endorse
these sentiments Are they willing to re-
main in this country and suffer all the oppres-
sion that will be heaped upon them by every
new invasion of foreign emgrants Are they
willing to be the everlasting bone of contention
of every new party that may arise in this coun-
try? Are they willing to be the oppressed of
the oppressed in order that the life of the nation
may exist? Are they content to be reduced
to the level of the brute, in order that the great
principles of the land may be brought out and
discussed! And what are the great princi.
pies of the land The ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the
American nation, and the oppression of the ne
gro race are the great principles of this
landl
|, negro, have always believed that my
people are, by nature, equal to any people on
the earth but if l thought we were only capa.
BILE Of being made an alphabet by which the
Anglo-Saxon might learn the language of po-
litical government i'll could believe that we
were only fit for stones, with which the Anglo
Saxon might construct vast monument of
his national eminence, | would despise my
race, and would look with longing desire for
the day when there would be no more negroes,
but all would be Caucasians l think Mr.
Downing contradicts himself in the last SEN
tence of the above quotation, and l emphari-
cally deny his assertion. If we be the most tit
subjects to realize the fraternal unity of man,
and if our present condition has anything to do
with that fitness, then we are not unjustly held
in bondage. But deny that we are the most
fit subjects. The Americans, through their
Ianeys, deny our common brotherhood, and
refuse us traternal unity, and therefore we are
not fit subjects to work out the realization of a
principle, which principle they contravene by
holding us in our present condition. And
since we derive no benefit from their principles
they have no more right to use us to demon
strate them than Parrhasus had to place his
victim ON the rack in order that he might il
lustrate mans dying agony Again, Mr.
Downing says "Ihe African Stare trade wW be
opened. The effect will be the further intro
duction into the country Of the African ele-
ment-a needed element. Aside from this prov
idental idea linking us with this country,
which forbidS our leaving it, even to engage in
the Hercuean task of going to Africa to
take upon our shoulders hundred and fifty
millions of people, residents of another coun-
try of a strange, and to us, murderous land
to civilize and enlighten them, l think that we
have not yet developed, or even had chance
to develop, the character necessary for such an
undertaking."
Will the colored people endorse these senti-
ments A needed clement? And why need.
ed? In order that this government may be
extended and its institutions perpetuated In
order that the peculiar institution may he perpet-
uated That institution Of which, as Of death
it may be said that "where it strides, gloom
pervadeth space" A needed element Is it
necessary for the developement of this already
be robbed of her population Must our blood
still be poured out like water and our bones be
stepping stones in order that the pre-eminent
nation may mount yet higher the hill of fame
And what is this proyideatial idea that links us
to this country? Does he mean to say that
God intended us for the condition? Does he
believe that the Omnipotent i'll order to carry
out his benign ideas, was forced to do evil that
good might come =? Is not this the doctrine of
that they bring us to this country for our good,
and that slavery benefits both races ?
Mr., Downing opposes emigration to Africa,
because it is another country, a strange and to
us murderous land Are these good reasons
Were the fathers of this nation deferred by
such reasons Is not this nation made now of
emigrants If the Pilgrim Fathers had not
emigrated, would we now have a Garrison,
Phillips, a Clay or any other Of the noble ar
my of martyrs who have suffered and lost so
much for our sa1es Should we not be asham-
ed to declare our unwillingness to risk any
thing to establish a national existence for our
selves, when they who might be pre.eminent
in this land have given up all forms Do we
not degrade ourselves in the estimation of the
whole world, by thus clinging to the skirts Of a
nation that is anxious to shake us off? Do
not our oppressors say that we are an inferior
race, because we willingly submit to oppression.
In his late speech, published in the New York
Tribune, Senator Davis says of the colored
people; Gin the northern states where the
greatest efforts have been made by enthus-
asts 70 raise the negro to social equality, he is
still subjected to such odious determinations
as persons fit to be free would not for day
voluntarily endure For far less causes the
Purtans embarked for the inhospitable shores
of New England, and the Huguenots penetrat-
ed the swamps of California, with no sustain.
ing hand to aid and guide them. The world
bears witness to the triumphs which both have
achieved How stands the case of the negro,
in the non-slaveholding states Free to go in
advance OF settlement, into the wilderness of
the west, and there to found colony of their
own, except from the interiority they must
ever experience while in contact with the
white man, they have continued to hang about
the towns and cities, and generally to gain
their subsistence by mental service to the
white man."
Will the colored people continue to justify
such assertions concerning them May the
innate spirit of freedom forbid! If, indeed,
God has made of one flesh all the nations that
dwell upon the earth, then surely we have too
much Of the common feeling of human race,
to endure such degradation longer. This is
no longer question of right believe we
have as good right to remain in this country as
any people more than most of those who now
enjoy all its privileges. But is it for our inter-
est to remain Can we as colored people
ever attain to social and political equality If
we ever obtain those rights will it be as Chite,
and not as colored people. / for one long for
the elevation of the African race, and l would
rather suffer all the hardships of immigration
than waitforAmerican philanthropy and Chris
tianity to give me my rights in this country,