The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-08-15
" Negro Equality"

newspapers, and arc really at loss to know
what is meant by it, or whether those who
use it havo definite conception Of the idea
they intend to convey. Equality docs not
exist among negroes any moro than among
white people. They vary rs much in weight,
form, temperament, capabilities, aptitudcs
and habits as individuals belonging to other
races. Some Of them arc honest, truthful
and industrious while others arc tho rcvcrsc.
III the days of slavery, the auction block wins
the genuine test of these differences Every
patriarch and slave trader knew that negroes
were not equal, and they graduated their
bid. accor,lin. to the value o. the particular
men, women and children PIT up for SALE
Blacks, in their social and business inter.
course with each other, rccocnin, and enforce
n great many distinctions; some founded on
wealth; some on education; some on genius;
and so on, almost cndlessly.
White folks are not equal. Indeed, they
present diverSities still more strongly marked
than the blacks There are greater extremes
of high md low, rich and poor, wise and fool
ish, learned and .unlcarncd, among them than
any other racc whatever. This is because,
having risen higher in the sc'lc civilization,
there is broader distance lctwccn the two
extremes Of society in the white race than
my other.
Pretty nearly all. the while men in this
country are voters. Yet voting does not
make them equal except in hat particular
act. August Belmont is n democrat. A
money baron of that particular .'crsuasion. a
keen business man and carefully trained in
some departments, aside from business, and
which give grace and zeSt to the lavish use
Of money. lie does not institute social equal
jty between himself and hundreds Of demo.
Gratis whom he meets at the huitlnSS. Tic
would not remain democrat long if social
equality was implied in the idea OF democracy
lie has no thought Of inviting an uncouth
unkclnpi, ignorant fellow IL put his legs in'
der his mahogany because they meet MS po'
litica sovcrcigns at the polls nml vote the
same ticket. Indeed, it is easy to infer TINT,
rs Mr.. Belmont is n gentleman, if he wa'
forced to make choice Of the companionshp o.
wlillc !oai.' ~r.,I.. rrcl"rich n. u''~'' ''
would select the latter, while, if left to him
SELF he would take neither Nor S any gen
uincly democratic idea violated, either in let
ter or spirit, by such discrimination. De-
mocrcy defines and regulates political rights
not social privileges.
Indeed, it is palpablc that the attractions
and repulsions which prescribe and adjust
social intercourse, arc exceedingly delicate
and almost indeiinabk. Every man and
woman is conscious Of knowing persons WHOSE
perfect responsibility they do not question
whose equality with themselves, or even su
pcriority, they do not deny, md yet towards
whom they arc not drawn, but from then
rather repealed. 1t is this innate and invnc
bic law Of affinity that determines social in
tcrcoursc, and ali artificial rules arc mpotcn
to circumycnt it. We have never found
man who is quite willing to confcsszhc wa
at the bottom Of society. In his charitable
judgment Of his own case, whatever his neigh
bols might think, there wore persons mon
dcpraycd or dcbascl than he. And this self
deception, if it must be called such, has its
uses. 1t leaves live spark Of pride tina
may possibly be xiAlled into fame o
genuine sclr.rrspcct.
Until at least one white man shall be (ount
who actually feels that altthc members olhi'
own race arc social equals; that there arc
none above and none below him; there seems
to be little reason to fear the advent Of socia
equality between different races, which art
kept apart by advcntiliouS or natural rcpug'
nance so strong rs thus (ar to DO modified
neither by suggestions Of reason uor inculca'
,ions Of religion. Those who indulge in mp
prclcnsons Of the reign Of equality in socia
life have measured most supcrilcially the
phenomena society unfolds; tho gradations
upon which it exists; tho inacxibility Of its
cxactions and tho seycritics it always has in
reserve for the cnntumaciouS-or, they must
Ike those whose own social standing is SC
cquivocal and prccarious as to start the con-
seriousness that it is liable to be carried by
the assault Of the first bold invader. They
whose position is assured who feel an abso.
lutc certainty Of ; do not feel they can DC
compromised by occasional: or exceptions
contact with interiors, nor are they in trcpi.
dstion lest they shall DO made to share their
stools Of honor with uncopgcnial companions
The position they hold is least Of all things
in their thoughts. Tho people who arc al.
ways protesting against NEGRO equality" arc
those who have a lurking suspicion that 4
sensible, educated nuI pure -u4Mlel black man
might not he complimcntcd by proffer d
intimacy with thcm-PiHsbuyg Gasetto.
A ueiehbor was telling me ola little
boy whose fathcr-Was a,great church.go'
er, and revcrcnccdl the sanctuary. dc
had beon very. naughty, and bis mOths,
n Ill