Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-10-27
THE MAN AND BROTHER,
How q Southern Negro Fares i'm the
North.

How q Southern Negro Fares I'm the
North.
The following letter from negro man
of Macon, Ga, to the Macon Telegraph
tells its own story:
WASHINGTON, October 9, 1S6S.-As you
see by this communication, | am at the
great headquarters of Radicalism in
America. You know started on invita-
ton to visit the State of Maine, but since
arriving here and seeing what chance a
colored man has in the North, have
concluded to return home And now |
want to show my colored friends what
they may expect on their travels in the
Radical States
arrived at Atlanta Just before day. 1t
was a cold, damp morning, and was
stranger in a strange place. asked
some one where | could find place to
stay until light, and was pointed to the
NATIONAL Hotel, the headquarters of Gov
Bullock and. the Radical party in Ats
lanta
After all the passengers were through
registering, l went up to the clerk, pulled
off my hat and asked him could | stand
by his stove till daylight He looked at
me, saw that | was cOlOred, and replied:
mo, no, this is no Niger hOtel-we have
no negroes here but few walters, and if
we could do any better would soon get
shed of them" told him | did not ask
to stop at his hotel, but was stranger
and only wanted to stand by the stove in
the Office till it was light He said: ego
out and stand by the door, and when the
porter gets through with his baggage he
will show you niger hotel
left Immediately and was pointed to
the United States Hotel, which they told
me was the Democratic headquarters, and
was kept by q Southern man. asked
the clerk there could l stand by his stove
till it was light and he said, ooh, yes,
nv good fellow, and take them carpet
bags and trunks and make you up bed.
You can get right good nap before day
light" And here you see the difference
between Southern man, as has been
used to us all his life, and the Northern
man who is not used to US and does not
like US.
l left Atlanta on the nine clock morn
ing train for this place, and all the way
along | met with the same difference;
whenever 1 spoke to a Southern white
man, he gave me kind answer, but |
could tell Northern man not more from
his looks than the way he treated the
colored people.
When got to Washington, | was tired
out and wanted dram. SO went to a
bar-room, as | would do in Macon, and
asked for one. The bar-keeper looked at
me-raised his eyes and, says he, "NO
niggers are allowed to drink at this bar
Says /, 81 axes your pardon am a
stranger, a travelling about and wants a
drink nightly, and would you please tell
me how | can get one? Says he, "Thar's
perliceman at the door, and if you give
him the money he will buy one for you"
Then | went to the door, and pulled off my
hat and stated what wanted. Says he,
give me fifty cents, which l did. Thea
says he, you stand here. Then he went
in and soon brought out little whisky in
q tumbler, and drank it in the street.
Then | stopped while to see if there was
any change coming and he says,
saws he, what is you waiting fOr2 Says |
a little change, if you please. Says he
change hell-we don't wait on niggers for
nothing up here.
Then | next encountered gentleman
in a high place, holding an Office of both
trust and homer under the United States
government, and l assure you he talkC d
very plain. Says he, we Northern people
have no use for negroes. We ARE willingyOu
should be free and have freed you, but as
for your equality notions, they are all
stuff and nonsense. Do you reckon |
would take you inside my hOuse2 Do
you reckon you could sit at my table :?
No, you could not come inside my gate.
You negroes must learn to keep your
place. The South is the best place for
you to live in. Ifyou come North you
will starve, for we have no place for you
here.
These few anecdotes will tell you, my
eolored friends, what the Northern SYM
pathy for US means. IL is all a political
hobby and there's nothing in it. 1t won't
give you place by the white mans fire
or a mOrsel at his table-Or bit of
whisky in his barSrOOm, or kind word,
except he wants to use you. There's
more kindness for the negro among our
old masters in the South, in day, than
there is in year among the people up
this way.
The Southern white men are your best
friends. Stand by them and don't mind
| this Northern talk
l remain, your humble servant,
| WILLIAM SMITH