New-York tribune., 1869-06-28

OFFICE sEEKING-A CARD FROM MR.. DOWNING.
To The Editor Of The Tribuue.
SIR: 1t was suggested to me by letter, (and
1t was surprse) by Of the most prominent and In
fuential citizens of Newport and elsewhere that L
should apply for the Collectorship Of this port have
applied have been urged to do so by individuals
in and out State, persons whom you would not
charge with chershiug the desire to have the blacks
become race Of oiceseeRers !" by persons who would
not have them sink "to lower level than when they
were slaves"
Ihave been urged to apply for the Colectorshp. The
persons who urged thought that acceptance might
be to personally, an ncOnvenieDce and peeuniary
that general good would flow therefrom that would
am especially allied that though the color
people being invested with rights, long
uninstly withheld from them still being against
awarding TO them due consideration, community would
be very tardy in that respect that the oecupahce OF
ored man. would induce 10 proper respect for cOored
men generally it would stimulate colored people create
sehrespect invoke higher aspirations lead
them to seek positions in business, offices OF responsibility
Of command, rather than to aim at only menia de-
peTdent positions; 1t would have reconstruetng IN
fucnce-peIhaps as much as universal amnesty In
causing the South to believe that the North cherishes
toward no feeling OF revenge that is ready 70 nave
its coOred placed In Office ana positions, as they
have been in the South from necessity, along with
OF justice, under the reconstruction action
The Office in question is worth 1920 year. This, you
know, would net be 70 me consideration, would lose
friends to accept the matter my friends see it,
and confess TO interest in the matter only in view or
the general good that is likely 10 result
notice your alusiOn 20 the case I'm your issue OF yes
terday, because some may read 10 as intmatinR TO a
greater OF lesser extent that the blacks becoming
race OF oficeseekers Would IL not be well TO leave de-
togative intimatiOns TO enemies Why should not
some Of us seek some Of the privileges OF citizenship
Why should THE TRIBUNE dampen aspirations III black
menl "can keep hotel" but in doing so feel the
force here OF prescribing spirit that wOud crush me
because have dared boldly but respectfully to demand
ment colOred persons In commanding positions ana
a fatal blow will be eveled against the spirit which
would under the law foster privileged classes. O. T. D.
Netcp0rt, June "a, 1869.
[BIr. Downing is mistaken if he supposes
that lie could do more for the elevation of his
race in a cOllectorship than in the manage
ment Of a good hotel. If he were White, he
virtually tells us that lie would not take the
office in question, and we are opposed to all
determinations based on color. If no cOlOred
man had yet been appointed to Office, it might
be we'll for Mr.. ID. to accept one for the sake of
the precedent but, as several higher civil
trusts are now filled by colOred men, we do
not see why he should do it. We do not be-
lieve the Blacks are generally becoming Office
seekers but there is danger that they may,
and we caution them against it, We do not
consider "aspiration to Office conducive to
self-respect; and we hold a cOllectorship of
customs quite as much q "menial, dependent
position" as that of hotel -keeper-much
more so than that of farmer tilling his own
acres and training his sons to do likewise.-Ed.l j