Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-04-16
For White Folks and Colored Folks.

gotner. n great cnango mas SuuOOHiy oOAuo
upon both races. The white race is no longer
| race of masters. Formerly rich, they are now
poor The colored race by one bound became
in moment free: Every colored person may
now 90 where and when he pleases. He IS a
free man, and full citizen. This Is not all;
by another bound they have become voters.-
They will take part in the government OF the
country. No people was ever SO suddenly SO
rapidly lifted up. y
Shall we all live happily together? or shall
we hate each other, and quarrel, and bear
malice? mr. !,
Let us all try and get on together. The land
is big enough. Let the whites accommodate
themselves to the new state of things. Let
them be polite and kind to ALL and be always
ready to accord to every man. whether white or
colored. his full rights. Kindness is the most
powerful engine in human society; haughti
ness bitterness, and anger, accomplish but lit
tie. We will warrant that an employer who Is
kind and considerate with those who work for
| him, will have their respect and get on In his
business. Pay them punctually what you owe
Them. Let them see and feel that you are scru-
pulously Just. Bear with their harmless preju-
dices; have not we 1.-THE whites) ten thousand
foibles and vanities? Does not a hoop turn
the head of white woman as we'll as coiored
woman? Does not the same poor human heart
| beat under the most snowy and the most jet
black bosom? Is colored man or woman sick ?
Visit them. Are they in want of shelter, lend
them vacant cabin Are they hungry? give
them bread. Is your servant hlgh-tempered
bear with it-f3r, it may be, you have temper
| of your own. Is he lazy ?-mayhaps, you are
| lazy Is he church member, and very incon-
sistent? perchance, you are church-member,
and with ten fold the inducement to consls
tent christian life, goa excite the surprise of
your neghbors by your sharp practices, or your
love of meat and drink, or your bad temper, or
your facle conscience.
Now VIC make bold to say, that the behavior
of the colored people in this State, since they
were set free, has surprised all fair minded white
people. We do not believe the white people,
under the same circumstances, would have be-
haved so we'll by twenty per cent. They have
shown the greatest moderation. They have
passed from plantation hands to freedom and
the ballot without outward excitement. They
still touch the hat, and call US master when
they pass us. By a kind word you can engage
them to anything. What crimes have they
committed? They have stolen good deal, we
admit; and how much would white folks have
stolen under the same circumstances? The
perpetual wonder with US is, that there is so
much honesty among the colored people. What
chance have they had? what mother taught
them to pray in infancy? taught them about
the SAVIOUR as they grew a little older? sent
them to Sunday School? took them to Church
gave them the example of her beautiful life ?
What father laid upon them the spell of his
restraining influence? What public sentiment
kept them in the path of duty and of an up
right life?
Consider what appeals have been made to
them by designing Northern friends. Consider
what preiudices have been played upon. Con-
slider how they have been preached to about
their rights" by those who kick them at hofne.
Poor creatures, it seems to us as if God had
helped them to keep within bounds.
We just say this-that if We had been born
nigger-reared out in mud cabin, with no
knowledge of God, with no knowledge of any
thing, surrounded by public sentiment that
tolerated dirt, swearing, sabbath breaking,
stealing, Iying-we should have been hung long
ago.
But a word to our colored friends: you are
ignorant, you are poor, you are helpless, you
are surrounded by many temptations. GU
have been suddenly elevated so high that you
are in great danger fhaving your heads turned
Designing people are seeking to use you to help
forward their own schemes. Some Of you
more particularly those who have lived in
towns-have picked up some knowledge Of the
world. The great body Of your race know no
more than little children.
South proper. There are about six millions of
white people in the South. In this State there
are about 100000 colored people, and about
100000 white people. In the fourteen South
ern States counting Maryland, Kentucky, and
Missouri) you outnumber the whites in only
two States-South Carolina and Mississippi
In ali the other old slave holding States, the
whites are in majority. By white people COM
ing here from the North and from Europe, the
white population viii steadily, perhaps rapidly
increase; your race will not increase; it may
fall off in numbers. You viii see therefore that
you cannot afford to quarrel with the whites =
Besides that, the whites have all the property
and have education 1t is as much your inter
est as that Of the whites that we should get on
pleasantly together. Ii the two races quarrel ;
both will suffer-the whole South will suffer-
If we have good government, and peace, and
quiet, all will prosper. If we make good crops
all will be fed. If we wrangle and jar; if the
whites Cypress the laborer, or if the laborer
does not do his part by his employer, both will
suffer.
By the right to vote, you have acquired an
immense power to protect yourselves. Ii you
use this power without abusing it, if you are
prudent, the legislatures Of the States will pass
kind laws to protect you, and the courts Of the
country will enforce them.
Remember that although you are free, and
although you will vote you are still the Iaboring
class Of the country. Do not abuse the freedom
which God has given you by forgetting your
position in society. Do not undertake to be
fine gentlemen Do not put on airs. Attend
to your business, do your daily work, do it well,
deal honestly and uprightly; and you will COM
n1and respect. Live peaceably with the whites.
Make them your friends. They can do you in
finite harm, if you make them enemies They
can persecute you to death in thousand ways
which no laws can reach. Remember that in
the late commissions Of the country all the fruit
has been gathered by yod; all the dregs of the
cup have been drained by the whites. Be con
tented with the blessings which God has be-
slowed upon you, and do not by a grasping
spirit blast the prospects which lie before you.
What you want is to gather your families to-
gether, to reap the fruits Of honest labor, to
have protection from injustice. Beware of the
loudmouthed babblers that would pit you against
the whites fyou become pitted against the
whites, it is game which two can play at the
whites will become pitted against you. 1t will
be death-struggle. The stronger race will
overpower the weaker. Let there be no strife
between the races, let them work together for
the whole country-for the common good
Politics brought all the present troubles on the
country. Do you attend to your business and
let politics alone. What you want is bread and
meat and decent clothing and neat little house
or room to live in. Try and lay by something,
and have your children taught to read and
write, and make them go to Church and to
Sunday School, and keep them clean. When
Won learn TO read read the Bible and learn from