Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-04-26
q m our last issue we published the proceed

: FRIDAY MORNING, APRILs2 20 1851.
In our last issue we published the proceed
ings Of the meeting of the colored people,
held here, without comment, in the first place,
for want Of space, they being received, just
before going to press, and secondly, that we
preferred to see the result Of the eongentlon
which assembled in Richmond, on the 18th,
to which the meeting here sent delegates.
The Richmond convention has had its say
md has committed the unfortunate and lgno-
rant colored people Of this State to a policy,
/! calculated to result in great injury to them!
Judging from the resolutions which we pub
lished, the meeting Of the colored people here
was anything but conservative, yet the Rich l
,nond convention went a bow-shot beyond
We feel that our colored people have been
greatly mislcad by designing Writes, in the
meeting here as well as at Richmond. They
had no hand in getting up the resolutions j in
either case, and, infatuated with the, idea Of
participating in a political meeting, they
could be and were easily manipulated to 70 te
for any and everything Great allowances IAN ?,
should be made for them. i They are iegno-
rant and credulous. They surely have nc
. Ill will to those who have shown them only
kindness throughout their lives, and, as far
as we have conyersed with them, they have
not the slightest idea Of the purport. Of the
resolutions they have voted for, and we again
repeat that we should make many allowances
for them. -, 74,.9t & ar q pmianei.j
81 There is, however, duty incumbent up
on each and every one Of US. BY our inert
ness we have allowed the ignorance Of the
-ceolored people to be abused by evil designers.
Although we cautioned our people weeks
since that they must explain candidly and
truthfully to the colored people their new con-
dition, yet we forbear to upbraid, but suggest
that they lose no more time in dalliance be-
tween inclination and duty, but follow the
course indicated by the latter 1t is incum-
bent upon each and every one Of us to ex-
plain to those around and about US their ex-
act condition. That it was no love for them
that induced those, who brought them from
the wilds of Africa and first enslaved them,
and, finding them improbable chattels,- not
only sold them for a price, but guaranteed
their possession and servitude forever to their
Southern purchasers, but the erigencies Of a
war, thought to be fruitless BY any other thheer
course, which caused the proclamation OF
their freedom. That it was no desire to see
them awarded justice that they were sudden
" lifted to the position Of sufragans, but
simply that the power and spells might re-
main in the hands of the Radical leaders, the
first crumb Of which will be awarded none O
those who wear dusky skins. If the contra.
ry obtained, why are the few in the North
ern States denied, the political privileges
thrust upon their sable brethren at the South
It must be truthfully explained to them
wherein their interests and the, interests o.
the whites Of the South are. identical and
that mutual dependence exists between
them, the one for labor and the other for the
means Of honorable sustenance, and thai this
will only be interrupted by their failure t
realize the fact, and act with confidence il
and not distrust of. thoseswlites among whom
they were born and raised. Their actor
based upon distrust Of their former masters
and most reliable and sympathizipg friends,
must exhibit itself sooner orIlater, and must
resultin their being supplanted by white Ia
Dor which acM understand that confidence
between employer and employee is essentia
to the success of both. They must have ii
explained to them that the white people in
every part Of the world havesbeen duped by
fair promises, which were never intended tc
be kept, but simply to win their confidence
to secure some benefit to the willy and un-
principied, and be warned that they are now
being beset by adventurers, who seek only
their own self emolument, which they deem
easily attainable through the ignorance Of the
suddenly enfranchised blacks. We mus
cause them to consider, who has aided in sus
tanning them since they were freed and SET
if they do not find it to be their old and trie(
friends in the South and not their pretended
friends in the North. The negro, being
called upon, is learning to reason, and with ;
little effort on our part, will reach the proper
conclusion and act upon it. But if we ALLOW
him, by our inertness, to become the prey o
those who will excite his passions and pref
udices for their own advantage, it will not b.
his fault, but ours. We repeat therefore
that it is incumbent on us to impress upon thu
minds Of the colored people these. and man,
other things which will suggest themselve
to all, and which the narrow limits of news
paper article forbids US to mention. Jus
tice to ourselves and duty to those who wer
once our faithful slaves, and, from their gen
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