The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-05-09
Wednesday Morning, May 8, 1860.
What Shall we do with the Negro
To the Editor OF the y. Y. Tribune.

To the Editor OF the y. Y. Tribune.
SRI noticed in your paper yesterday an
article with the above title, dated from Wash.
inQton, and signed by 81. S. p" The writer
asked the question which is frequently propoun.
ded in these days, and by your permission will
endsavor to answer it. l deem it to be unneces-
sary to spend a moment in examination of the
writer's argument in favor of getting rid of US
for he condemns it himself, by prOnouncing it
to be "cruel and unchristian." Whatever
else there may be wrong in the article of j. s.
p, his judgment against himself is certainly
true. LIE; US hope to See him follow his own
convictions, and attempt no more to advocate a
measure that is both '.cruel and unchristisn."
Humanity, the spirit of the age, and the pre-
cepts Of the Christian religion, teach the great
American white people to do those things which
| shall mention, to their fellow cOlOred Ameri.
cans. Give US our natural and inalenable rights,
with which all men are endowed. Give US free.
dom to enjoy our own life, liberty, and pursuit
OF happiness. Give US back our plundered
homes, and our heart-broken wives, and beloved
children and friends whom you have torn from
US, and doomed to slavery worse than death.
Hinder us not in obtaining an honest livelihood
by the sweat of our brOws. Do not hem US in,
and try to exterminate US. Extend to US native
born citizens the same privileges that you give
to foreigners, no matter how ignorant, and deba-
sed they may be. Practice toward US your high.
sounding principles of Democracy. Blot out
from your statute and constitutional codes those
disgraceful and proscriptive laws which you
have enacted against us-cease to do evil, learn
to do well, relieve the oppressed, plead for the
widow. Give US the Bible published in your
own language, and preach the Gospel to the
poor, and proclaim liberty throughout all the
land. Open your schools and seats of learning
to US. Wecome the honest, Industrious, and
enterprising among US to your workshops, and
to the broad acres of the public domain, and
10 your counting houses. Do not cloud the
opening genius of our children, nor crush their
budding intellects. Give us fair play in Gods
wide, green earth; and when white men and
black men meet, let both "keep to the right,
and mind their business"
If birth, long years of unrequited toll, and
large contributions to the wealth Of the nation
entitle people to the claims of nativity and ci,i-
zenship, then certainly class of people in this
country can go before us. On these grounds,
We have much higher claims to this country
than many who are perplexed in giving solu-
ton to the unnecessarily vexed question,
What shall re do rith the Negro Z" This
Is our country. with all her faults, We love
her STILL We cannot be driven from it except
by brute force, and surely the great, Christian,
American people do not contemplate such dia.
boical act. No. there are millions of white peO-
pie in the land who would not see the deed per-
petrated. And we ourselves, feeble as we are
would resist unto the bitter end such an act, and
appealing to the good and brave of all mankind
We would leave our bones to bleach on our ma
tive shores, and our spirits would 90 up to God
TO accuse you at the Judgment. Nv own
mind favors emigration. am for African civil
1anon and negro nationality, somewhere, where
yer may choose
But reject As do deadly poison, any attempt
Oh the white people to expatriate US, or to force
usto leave our native land. On this point
spear the sentiment of every member of the
AFRICAN Civilization Society, both white and
olack. No living men will oppose more than we
VIII any coerclve measures in removing our
people. We black men know how to suffer,
and are ready to endure more in the defense o,
the few rights We have
Neither do We desire to put our cause of A.
rcan civilization into the slippery hands of pol.
itics. We want no politica! party, as such. 70
NEEDLE with US. If the Republicans nut tina,
plank in their platform, but few black men will
stand on it. We say to politics, Hands off. We
invite Christians and phianthropists, of every
shade OF ant-Slavery opinion, to assist US in ouI
Tree and voluntary emigration to any part of the
world We may choose to Central America
Aayh, the free West India Islands, or to Africa
Come wisely to our help, and you will do u,
good Come on the broad ground of Christian
love, and make some restitution for years o
wrorg doings. II you take any other steps
you win injure the cause. Many colored peopl
are in favor of our plan. and many are not
we, the black people, are the principal par
ues in this matter, and it would be well 70
everybody to know that, and show some wisdom
In their advocacy of this glorious and growin
cause. Respectfully,
New York, March Is.