The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-08-20
SOMETHING WRONG.

Set free by the will of God--for that
which is clearly irreversible must be
the fiat of Omnipotence- the negro has
been left prey to designing knaves
and to his own ignorance. The worst
of men have bee playing upon his worst
passions. Is it not marvellous that,
thus played upon, he has behaved SO
well?
What are the best men in this COM
munity doing or trying to do with the
best motives and impulses OF the negro?
We think we do not overstate the mat
ter when we say, absolutely nothing To
put it in another and stronger form,-
our best men are doing only less bad
than our worst men. The latter are
doing all the evil they can; the former
are doing nothing to prevent 1t. In
the sight of God, which is the more cul-
pablep Our responsibility is measul ed
by our enlightenment and our morality.
What are our ministers of the Gospel
doing? What are our lawyers, doctors,
farmers, merchants, our men OF clarac-
ter and worth in every calling, doing
to elevate, improve and make better
their former slavesp Absolutely nothing ?
We fear it Is even so. For our part, we
do not know solitary respectable
white man who feels it to be his duty
and makes it his business even to talk
to the negroes who live near him. Dur
ing the late canvass, there was much
talking. That was to avert an evil
which threatened ourselves. But what
is Icing done to help the negroes them
selyes2
1t is no. question ofeducation or no
education. That has long since been
settled. 1t is question of more OF
less education-nay, it is a question Of
the kind of education which the negro
is to receive. II we fold our arms, and
fromindolence or repugnance allow
Yankees to come down here and teach
the negroes just what they please ant
to poison their minds beyond all hope
of recovery with false ideas of politics
and religlon-if we allow this, wha
then? This is the question; and thu
rooner We answer it to our conscience
and our common sense, tho better.
1t will not now avail to say that W,
have no influence over the negro ant
can exert none. The colored Conser
vative Clubs, which are being formed
in all parts of the State, disprove thi
very effectually. These Clubs are TIL
result of six weeks of active work.
What might not be done in six months
After a spasmodc effort, we have char
acteristically enough .relapsed into GU
wonted rut of Incidence. Manassa
fought and won, VIC squat lin the trench
es. But the enemy meanwhile, is dill
gently drilling and organizing. A sin
gle great victory will no more end thi
war than it did the other.
We complain much of Candy. He i
tyrant, and mean one. More thai
that, he is the General commanding tn
forces of the enemy. 1t is but natuIa
that he should make war upon us i
every way possible. 1t was folly in Il
to expect him to do otherwise. This
not rosewater business. What ar
we to dor What ought we to have don
in the beginning of the late war? Hav
We so soon forgotten? We must d
now what we ought to have done the
arm the negro with the ballot) an
enlist him heartily on our side. w
can do it. With this black rod held
terorem over.them, we can.easily..mastt
both Candy and his party.
People of Virginia,we owe somethin
to the black men. Deny that if yo
will, We certainly owe something
ourselves.