Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-09-07

doing so.
a Case in Point.
The col0red people of the United States have
been favored this summer with plenty of politi-
cal advice. One of their counsellors is Mr.. Ed
ward A. Pollard, formerly a Richmond editor
and now magazine writer and political PAM
phleteer. He assures them that the white peo-
pie Of the south are their natural friends and
protectors, and that the native born gentlemen
will guard the political and personal rights of
the negroes far more honestly and efficiently
than the irresponsible carpetbaggers can or will
do. OF course, i'll order to avail themselves TO
the utmost of this protection so cordially Of
fered, the colored men must vote for Greeley
and Brown, and for the democratic ticket at
state and local elections, so as to bring their de-
voted white friends into power and give them the
opportunity, which they have been impatently
waiting for, to confer all the benefits that the
best laws and the best administration of them
can give. A Virginia gentleman, travelling last
week on the Orange and Alexandria railroad
was beguiling Ls leisure by reading this seduc-
tive epistle of Mr.. Pollard. 1t was pleasant
reading enough, argument and fancy, lessons
from history and sentimental appeals were pref,
ty skillfully mingled, and over all was thrown
the glow of Mr.. Ponard's iervent, though rather
slipshod rhetoric. The effect was, on the WHOLE
favorable, and the reader could not help think
ing that if he were a colored man he might pos.
siby become one of Mr.. Pollard's converts.
But as he finished the letter the train stopped
at the Charlottesville station, where the
reader observed a eolored man, vaise in
hand, standing on the platform. An old man,
who carried club, approached him and in
quired if he were going on that train. "No
sir" he replied, "but am going on the Central
cars when they come" "Then," said the other
"get off this platform; | am here to keep you
niggers away from here The negro hesitated,
when the old man collared him and led him off
the platform. A rufian, said TO be the old
mans son, came running up, and struck the
negro a blow on the head which felled him
senseless to the earth The colored men standing
about, seeing one of their own people treated so
shamefully, expressed their indignation, and for
a minute or two it seemed as if there might
be serious trouble. There were loud words but
no further violence, and the train moved on.
The spectator of this scene thought it a sug-
gestiye commentary on Mr.. Pollard's letter. He
wrote an account Of it to a Richmond paper,
adding his belief that the authorities of Char
lottesvile would take no notice of the outrage
But the next day he published another com
munication, admitting that he had been mista
KEN The civil authorities of Charlottesville had
not overlooked the matter, They had arrested
the colored man who was so cruelty beaten and
caused him to be tried before the mayor on the
charge of melting riot. Whether he was ac-
quilted or convicted the correspondent had not
learned.
This may seem small matter. Acts of VIC
lence equally unprovoked, and in themselves
quite as bad or worse are committed every day
in other states beside Virginia, and no political
inference can fairly be drawn from them. But
this case, as an illustration of Pollard's theories
contains a valuable lesson. The mayor of
Charlottesville, the constables who arrested the
black man for the crime of being beaten, the
men who assaulted him, and the white citizens
who looked on opproyingiy, are of those who,
Mr. Pollard says, are the best guardians of the
political and personal rights of the colored men.
Yet il is almost impossible for these people TO be
just to the negro. They can patronize him, but
to treat him as an equal is forbidden bv
all their instincts. of inheritance and educa.
ton. The patriarchial notion that the
negro is a dependent, and to be kindly
treated, SO long as he behaves with difference
and seryility towards his betters, but at all
events to be made to "know his place" and to
keep it, still survives and is predominant in the
minds Of local magistrates, petty officers and
the citizens generally, and prevents them doing
equal justice between a colored man and a white
man when their personal rights conflict No
one viii doubt that, if, in the incident al Char
lottesville, the relations Of the parties had been
reversed, the negro would have been arrested
just the same, and would have been punished
severely, to the intense satisfaction of the pub-
lie, if, indeed, the indignant citizens had not
taken the law into their own hands and iutiict-
ed such summary punishment as would
have placed the offender forever beyond the
pale Of human laws.
The Baltimore American, in its comments
upon the same affair, draws the following les.
son;
"For the prevention of outrages such AS oc.
CURED at Charlottesville there are two expedients
education and republicansm. The one is
SLOW in its operation, and eau only be made ef
tectiye IN the course OF generations II will lift
both races TO higher plane and give the white
people clearer conception Of what is really
meant bv equality before the law Republican,
Ism VIII not change the heart, but il giyes 10
the cltizen powerful motive 10 do Justice IL
seek 10 give the col0red people some interest in
me administration Of the government. allows
mem 70 ST on luries and hold Office Tins
mutual Polillcal interests become the best
s4a'"nIee " equal rights. II the ruffians
n nlo assau,teu Tue negro PASSENGER M
SnAIiollesyile mad expected 10 face fonr
or hFe cOiOTed men on the iurv sn,no,,,ioi
70 Try them, they would have feAec,a! d dnS
they used tue bludgeon. The presenco "o ~
colofed policeman would also have ia Vi
straining effect and the KNOWLEDGE iba, re-
publican magistrate held court near hv , a Ie
have operated as a complete bar 10 tbeir "yi uu
less proceedings. We take il for granted NV,
the men who committed the assault. mo mae ,tes
before whom their victim was arragned anJ H.
editor Of the Chronicle are all ent6usiosIc s,,"
poriers Of Greeley and Brown. They are INK.
posed 10 stand upon the Cincinnati platform
aud 70 endorse, theoretically at least, the broad
principles Of equality laid down In
me Introductory resolutions But all OF
inns amounts 10 nothing at all. The in
heriied traditions and preiudices remain lust as
they were before MIR. Sumner was deposed from
the committee on foreign relations and NJ
yyIceley Trends were dismissed from the New
bVfA custom house. In The absence Of an Cd.