Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-08-22
From The National Republican, August Is.
MARYLAND PREJUDICE.
How the Papers of Rockville Respect
the Dead

the Dead
AS an evidence OF the deep-seated and con.
tinued prejudice Of the people OF upper Mary
land to the colored race, the following incl
dent is related with the hope that never again
will such an event transpire, and that the pro-
prietors OF Democratic country papers will re-
cognizc the fact that the war has closed and
all men who demean themselves in a becoming
manner are entitled 10 the respect OF the COM
mnnity in which they live.
Yesterday morning there died in Rockville,
Md, Mr.. Samuel Martin, colored gentleman,
who had reached the age Of seventy three
years. Born as slave near the spot where
he died, he had served his masters, the Nichols
family, until he reached his tweDty-ninth year,
when he was set free.
Being then married he concluded to remain
among those who knew him, and did so. En-
tering the race of life with his more favored
competitor he not only made living for him
self and family but succeeded 10 accommodating
considerable money, which he promptly in-
vested in property. His children, fourteen in
number, scattered through the country, but
the old gentleman remained respected resi-
dent Of the village of his birth until his death
yesterday One not familiar with the pecu-
liar customs OF the people Of that section
would consider that an unblemished life OF
sevcnty-three years in any community entitled
man to common respect ut his death, but
such is not the case
The fact Of his citizenship under the law, of
his long residence, of his property. OF his
blameless life, Of bis not owing dollar to any
one, were oil lost sight Of in the old unwar-
rantcd prejudice against his color, and yester-
day after his death his son was mortified and
insulted by refusal on the part of the propri-
etors to publish notice ofhis death in the
Rockville Sentinel.
AS matter of course this refusal did no
harm to the dead, but il proved that the same
old spirit which in days agone declined to re-
cognize in. the colored man anything more
than chattel, still exists in the mind Of the
publisher of that journal, and that its readers
should at once seek some other channel of
news and information. The funeral of Mr.
Mnrtin will take place on Sunday afternoon,
and will be largely attended by the colored
people of the District, many of whom know
both deceased and several members Of his
family.
The above is from the National Republican,
the pensioncd organ Of the Administration at
Washington paper from which no Demo-
cratic journal need expect common Justice
In the above article the animus OF the writer is
apparent, and that his object was to create
sympathy with the colored race and excite
their prejudices. At least it has that coloring
to us. We did decline to publish the obituary
notice alluded TO, and for several reasons, not
the least of which was, that whatever may be
the opinions of the Republican, an indisposi-
ton on our part TO mingle notices of white
and black together, and any other location in
the paper would have been objected to by the
same parties besides, our columns were
crowded and the paper about closing, having
to omit several matters and our market re-
ports, which were Of more Importance to the
tility to or prejudice against the colored race.
We accord to the colored people overy right
to which they are entitled under the laws and
would not infringe or see any of them infringed
upon. While freely acknowledging this, we
beg leave to say that VIC know our own rights
and claim the right TO conduct our business in
our own way. The structures of the Republ-
can come with an i'll grace, when it charges
Democratic journals with hostility or preju-
dice against the negro, when they have secnr-
and in demanding of 4 almost socia, rights
while they deny to them political rights. Even
now the colored people of Talbot county, in
this State, are demanding their rights and say
''tho time has come when the colored voters
are entitled 10 be represented in the nominal
ing conventions" and they ask for at least
two members from each election district in the
county. And in Columbus, Ohio, on to-mor-
row, Convention of colorcd people is to be
held to take into consideration the same thing
the acknowledgment of their rights. Is
there not as much cause for complaint in this,
on the part of the Republican, as for q suppo-
sed slight on our part Having "voted early
and often in Pennsylvania, North Carolina
and other places, and sustained the Govern
mcnt on their shoulders, they begin to feel
that they arc entitled to their reward They
are beginning to see that tho same sense OF JUS
ticc which impclled the white man to keep all
the turkies and give the Indian all the bnz-
yards is actuating the Radical party in the
distribution OF favors They are beginning to
see that they arc made the catspaw TO draw
the chcstnuts out of the fire while the Radicals
eat them. Away, then, with such cant, and
learn to do justice to tho colorcd people, be-
fore you charge US or the Democratic party
with violation of its rules,
ANOTHER HoRRoR While the hearts of many
are yet bleeding at the sad disaster to the
steamer Wawaset, in the Potomac on the 10th
inst, by which seventy livcsswere lost, there