The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-18

wEDNEsDAY..........JU 49, 1o'o'
-=-=-====x----== - -
rne voice of ere Coiored People views We
OF Venerable Colored CftiSenr- II. aaas
rreedpm Referred the Condition q
WI. naeo.-who.n Shall They Trust
VIII They Longer be D"pes OF NC
signing Mem.
~, the Editors Of the Dispatch go
Tam colored man, born to what little
freedom was allowed by the laws OF tue State
70 nv unfortunate race. Inc ate neeung az
Hams Hall, and the still later one on eanl-
ble,s Hill, where a Just and appropriate pre-
amble and resolutions were passed, nave
stirred within me thoughts and ideas which
will endeayor to put In such shape as will
make them worthy your notice. More than
two hundred and fifty years of servitude has
reduced nv race to condition of depend
ence uneauailed by any other race OF human
beings enioging the full blessings OF free
government, Yet the few years of freedom
we have enjoyed as people mas, i
am sorry TO say. developed very few Of
those noble traits that stamp the impress
fsuperior) upon the more fortunate races OF
men. at times 1t seems doubtful problem
whether we have more cause to rejoice than
70 mourn that freedom was thrust upon US
so UNEXPECTEDLY. am not certain, In the
very uncertain future, whether we arc not
worse of for the freedom we now enjoy than
we would have been could we have remained
IN bondage until Christianity and public sem
timent would have given us gradual eman-
cipation. AS 1t is, We were made free with
one stroke of the pen as necessity to mill
tary success, and not from sense Of Chris
nsn duty, or with the intention of clothing
us with the right Of citizenship. Was
this thrusting Of liberty upon four mil
lions Of uneducated and almost help
less human beings an act Of justice to
theml Has it .bettered our condition
Can we hope to be the better for 1t?
In this, our day and generation, We can only
Judge the future by the past. So far we
have been the victims of dishonest and de-
signing men, who by the power Of the Co
veEnment become the conqperors Of the
South, and by virtue Of this power they
claimed to be the only class qualified to fill
all the Federal and State offices; and by vir-
tue of this loyalty and the fact Of their being
instrumental in giving US freedom. they de-
nlanded from us confidence and political allie.
gilnce. Our ignorance, coupled with our
ZOE "uSt we icft was Tic CECNH1us,
blessing to mans earthly existence, made us
an easy prey TO eyi-minded men. We were
willing to listen and to obey, and have been
led on from folly to almost crime until we
have SO many Landon Boyds that we hardly
know who to trust. These men, following
the teachings of their masters, have become
their equals in political wire-Working. Their
political trickery has been and is dragging
Us down so low that we seem to he lost to
all sense of decency, and do not know but
very few to trust. We have felt the weight
OF this burthen for long time. We have
borne it patiently, trusting in God that some
Just man or set Of men would rise up in
their might, with the banner of truth and
justice in the front, and lead us out of the
mire and filth Of this office-holding clique.
Oar natural confidence in these freedom
shriekers made us easy victims to these de-
pigning men. They fully understood our
weakness and our ignorance; they could
readily select the Landon Boyds of our
race /; they soon learned the power OF
yreenbacks and the value of such men.
A few dollars, or some subordinate position
IN the custom-house, would rally our colored
leaders ip sufficient force to, in most cases,
effect the object aimed al, without regard to
truth, justice, or the welfare Of the best
Interests or wishes of the majority Of the
people. These tricksters and gambling poll.
tcians have managed to work out most ofthe
honest, earnest men, and to get possession
OF most the of Federal Offices themselves.
These honest men really had the best inter-
es:s Of our race at heart: they dared to tell
Inc truth, to tell III of our inCapacity and our
weakness facts the Boytls could not submit
70. Whenever one of those trickSters
gets an honest mans place, like
the pirate captain, every honest
eaploye must walk the plank, and none but
those who prove to be willing tools of the
master eau remain. We see this wildly de-
rronstrated in the late contest for the collec.
,orship of the third district of Virginia--not
one Of DR.. Smiths clerks were retained, and
even one poor but honest colored man, Elem
ing Jackson, who had the manhood to speak
his honest sentiments in favor Of the late as.
SCISSOR, and who received his appointment
from the Secretary of the Treasury, was re-
questfd to resign, and suspended. Such a
shirt does not, in our humble judgment,
become the brave and upright man. The idea
Of rewardipg and Furnishing men for their
honest conviction partakes of an unjust spi-
rit Give us just and upright men, high
minded and of generous natures, and we
will reward them with the most heroic ale
glance. Had we been taught aright-had
we been led by honest, sincere statesmen
we would as race stand before the world
without spot or blemish; we should not
Be seeking for positions we have no ability
20 fill. No one but knaves and demagogues
would attempt to put us into responsible
positions where education and experience are
required, and no honest eoored man wants
any position he cannot fill with honor to
himself and to the benefit of the people he
represents. We are untitled by our want Of
education. Slavery has dwarfed our intel
lectS and weakened us physically. Labor is
the only field where the present generation
can succeed. We must wait for time to
qualify those who may come after US to ill
The more important stations in life. Until
then let Us take back seat. Work and
wait. Let our deeds of progress tell. True
merit will win in the end, and If
found deserving we shall be invited to 20 up
higher; first let US humble ourselves before
we would be exalted; let us see ourselves as
Others see Us and great shall be our humilia-
ton. Had we always kept within our proper
sphere and filed our natural positions in
society aud the State, the production of our
labor would have been tenfold greater; the
agricultural and manufacturing interests
co'IespondiDgly increased; the character
OF our race for truth and honesty, industry,
and thrift not surpassed by any race in this
nation. LAWSON JOHNSON.
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Mud
Holes.
RlcIIMesD. 18th June. 1874