The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-17
ifI,,l,o,ld Dlspatcn.
:, a,.y AUGUST II, 1872.
Hard to Forget.

I, seems very hard for Mr.. FREpkkich
sDo,,a, ASS. who is alleged to be the i'los' 'n-
tel,icent colorcd citizen In this county, =, !"
forget that he hiss been slave. Dlre's., -.
q admitted iuto the discussions OF WINE
MON he shows that he has beena bondsn'ah'
. and vye regret to add, that to-day thousn
c-o,,,an q, the flesh, he isa serf in the spirit
There Is an afIec.ness about him, 5 'a"h'',s
adherence to pTesen. power, willingness 10
sacr;t;ce his best friends to please his MASTER
that can come Of nothing but past bondage
He shows an agility in sprtnging to GRANT
feet. and promptitude In swearing ~
his own and his friends hurt, t"a,
conA come of nothing but having h''l
q nader. He takes such pitiful view OF
fbc snbiect. zoo. He only sees 1t % social
slight. as if some other colored man hau neg
looted TO invite him to dinner, ana not thal
the chief officer Of this country, who mad
thought him worthy to be member OF an
,mnortant commission, had Disseminated
against him at an official dinner given that
body on account or his race. 1t is such eX
bibitions as these that give the weil.wlshels
of the colored man pause. II makes them
look back and calculate the cost, for, Wiling
or unwilling, all had to share it, OF having ph'
men of. Mr.. DoUsLAss's color IN the pos'tioh
lie now stands Ittook half million human
lives and two thousand millions in treasure
to stand them where they can never De
moved. And yet it was cheap, according
70 MIR. GREELEY's faith, and would nave
been had il cost twice US much, and he
proyed bis faith by his works, for the greater
mart of his life has been given that these
people might be free. The life of CHARLES
SuxxRa went the same way, and the lite OF
THEODORE TLToN, and the lives OF many
others. but there are none of them, not even
Mfr. FREDERICK DOUGLASS himself, who would
not be secuted, and more than likely mobbed,
by the colored people in Richmond to-mor-
row If they were to appear before an audi
ence of them in opposition to GRANT. 1t Is
tiresomc thing to have to wait for two more
generations before this people begin to think
for themselves, before they become as'sC-
lutely free. 1t seems such pity to have paid
so much and haye to wait so long for the
meagerest interest on the money. 1t does
not annoy us here in Virginia. The intelli-
gence of this State holds The power, and is
about as likely to lose it as the Republicans
are to lose Massachusetts but there are
other States besides Virginia, and there Is
the nation as nation that would be greatly
benefited il these people could be taught to
feel that they are men mentally as well as
physically and if these four million freemcn
could rise from the abject following Of serri-
tude into the independence Of citizenship.
In Virginia the Conservative party does
not need the vote Of single colorcd man
within her borders, and every thoughtful
man would deplore the addition of any CON
siderable number except they were rs those
within the party now are, the most intcii-
gent and worthy Of their race.
Above the necessity of deception, let us
hope our words may have some weight. Let
thsm vote for GRANT in body, but let them
do II as freemen and not as slaves.