Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-02-02
Gen. Grant and the Darkies.

a band or saucy negroes called on General
Grant the other day, calling themselves 90
committee of the Colored Mems National
Convention" and presented speech prepared
by some fabbergastic white man, who is as
void of information and sense as he must be
of shame. There is no fault to be found with
the negroes for this disgusting farce. They
are not responsible for it. They are the tools
of cunning knaves who use them for the pur-
poses Of party and faction.
But this address, which was repeated by a
negro called Langston, is curiosity of ex-
aggeration and impudence. 1t starts off by
declaring that these darkies addressed Grant
sin the name of four millions of American
citizens, in the name of seven hundred thou
sand electors of African descent" In the
first place, there are no "four millions" of
negroes now living in this country, nor three
millions, either. Their numbers have been
reduced to million or million and half
by the war, and by their freedom" Nor
are there. even taking the Republican estimate
of its negro force, any such number as ''seven
hundred thousand electors of African descent"
There is probably less than half that number,
unless such fellows as Hamlin and Sumner are
to be counted as darkies.
But this address sets forth that these Seyen
hundred thousand black electors "braved the
threats" etc. When: where, and how have
that number of negroes braved any threats
This is all bosh, which the darkies have been
taught by such patriots as fling this slang in
Congress.
These darkies call Congress sour national
Congress" which is very properly said, for it
is negroes Congress in very deed. They
also speak of the "humblcst subject of tic
government" which is we'll enough for ne
groes, because they are not expected to know
any better, and the white scamp who wrote
the bosh they repeated ought to know that in
this country no citizen is subject of the gov
ernmeat. In the government our fathers
framed the people are sovereign, and the gov
eminent is their subject, or the agent and scr
want of their sovereignty. The white fellow
who prepared this speech for Sambo is either
a fool or scamp. Probably, is good deal of
both.
But Grants reply was poser. TIE papers
call it a speech. 1t occupied just ten news
paper lines, and said nothing, except to hope
that the darkies will "by their future conduct
prove themselves deserving of all they now
claim" But there was in all this speech"
not the least expression of belief that the
negroes ever will prove any thing of the kind.
Grant has not yet been educated to have faith
in negroes for belief in negroes has to be
acquired-as much so as love for tobacco.
To acquire this faith in negroes, Grant would
have to go through fanatical discipline which
would kill him. He would have to give up
the use of whisky and tobacco for eighteen
months, live on sawdust bread and cold water,
and read the Tribune and nothing else, six
teen hours day. If that didn't kill him, he
might possibly learn to believe in negroes.
The Radical leaders are evidently in some
distress of mind in relation to Grants honest
love of Sambo. They know that but short
time ago he was what they call 'negro
hater" Whether he can play the hypocrite,
and feign opinions which he can never enter
tain, little time will fully disclose. In the
mean time we shall wait with patience to see
whether the moke has got Grant or Grant got
the moke-PomerOy'S Democrat.