The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-05-20
Mr. Grccscy's Speech to the Negroes

Mr.. Greeley llatt >lW'ti IaHl ih'uSu'I
night to the negroes of Fou~hk"rl'sic. \.
y, which contains only the following laS-
s;.-cS that we deem worthy of remark.
In the next p.cr, We must consider the
fat that tic African people IL ON county,
will remain for III im,ctimit" period arscl!!iur
rcoulc. Certainly trust that, with the oul-
Going Of slavery and the political changes
ncce>, arls resulting thercirom. there will hc
loss anta-on>m. less repul>inn between mon
Of different races, than there formerly was. |
trust the day i not tar distant when then
common right, 10 any public conveyance" and
in wih'r meetings and institutions will hc
recognized H. they were not recognized al
old. and H. they are but imrtrt'"tlr rrrn"-
niIrd still. | trust that politi,r! equality.
Justly established. will lead TO recognition ot
their rirujii, in other Respects than
this; hut. after all. while ! desire and
expect that irridinlS and Calling distinctions
will gradually fall into di>u-c, still believe
that there are differences Of races which pn-
lilical equality will not ellacc. but which will
remain Ion" after the memory Of slavery his
faded 10 Il faint tradition. Blood is thicker
tlGrn water and the time will probably
never come when men of raccS.So diverse Is
ours and theirs will mn~lc socially with the
saline freedom that men Of either race min@'r
with their own people. There will always
be recognized Il decided difference. which
need not bc disparity, need not hc inequality.
but still difference. h"lc tn" time will
come when our educational institutions aud
scmnaric> will he open 10 men of AL races
with Il freedom, witha hospitality. which ha>
never vet hc"n cniuyrd. | trust the time
will come when 10 mans color Will exclude
him from an. chuIch or any religious
organization whatever But though that
time should CONE. ] an not ut Ill
sure that The culc,cd race will not,
Is they now do. is rule, prefer their own
society, and prefer 10 have churches and scn-
in,iic> and colleges Of their own. Nor an |
clcIr that this would not be a wise choice.
20 then. | say, with regard to our common
schools. where rural district contains hut
twenty-five or Thirty families. it i simply I'M
possible, where two OF three Of those are CO.
iolrd, 10 have separate schools: and III those
cases to SAY that black children shall not 60
to school with white children i TO say they
shall not have any school whatever. But in
communities such rs these, while. if | were
y llark man. ! should not ask II separate
>thon. vet ! should still say if the whites
| chose ~ lave >cna,tltc schools | should Hot
| for lnv children should he made IL yocd. a.
>ulli,icnt rs schools provided for other mems
| children. Then, /! the majority chose that
The minority >hcilld DC educated III separate
schools. should say. Gentlemen, he it is
YOU please have no choice in the matter
\ gentleman or lady never discusses the
question. Was it proper to refuse me an i'll
vitatioI to my neighbours parity lie or she
accepts the fact and lets the reason take care
of itself Precisely 50 with regard to rc'i-
gious fraternity or associations for nEIlI-
lenance Of divine worship. would advise
the colorcd man never to make Il distinction
and never to rrtilsc one. II the white, choose
that the blacks shall not be members on equal
terms Of general congregations. | should ac-
cept exclusive congregations. not as my
choice. hut IL til" choice of the dominant
race.
We give his remarks on this pcint i'll full
| 1t will be seen that, as we said last Saturday
he sees no objection to the mixing of the
races in the public schools in the rural dis
| tricts of his own state where there arc but
twenty-five or thirty fmiirs-that is. not
| enough TO make w the schools. there hrin"
only two or three negro children. But he
says not Il word il tayurot any national law,
such IL every Grant man III Congress adyo-
cate. to compel the public school.tcachel, or
the various States 10 receive negro children
into all their schools.