National Republican., 1874-07-13
TIE FREEDMAN,S BANK.
D. A. STRAKER IN REVIEW OF THE LET
TER OF VIM. WHIPPER, OF PHILADEL-

fdlA, lO IHE TRUSTEES.
The following letter of Mr.. D. A. Straker viii
be read with interest: -.r
WASHINGTON, July lS, 1874
MYDEAR SIR: thank you most heartily, in
the name Of the colored American race, fol
your manly, wise, and instructive letter of pro
test against the extinction of the Freedman's
Savings & Trust Company. am satisfied that
the baneful effects which you have called at
tention TO, as the penalty for this indiscretion
and haste on the part of the trustees of the
bank, never entered the minds Of these patE-
Otic gentlemen, who, after q life devoted TO the
best interests Of the negro race, would not
maliciOusly have laid the murderous weapon
to the throat of their benefactor.
Ill understand the puTport of your letter n
is not to interrupt judicious settlement, nor
to interfere with that which is best TO loose the
bank from the mazes which q new and old
charter have thrown It into, but TO sound the
alarm against its utter dissolution, for the rea-
sons that YOU have given, namely, it was not
an institution of money only, but an educator,
an elevator, areformer, and protector among
the people for whom II was especially estab-
lished. Your letter is at present misunder-
stood by the superficial, envious and jealous,
as well as many honest doubters; but the eter-
nal rules of right must not be circumscribed
by expedfency.
cret love-" 1t is to be regretted that the trus-
tees had not called to their aid the experience
Of twenty years, the maturity of thought, and
the particular financial ability so literally
found in yourself. For in " avoiding Scylla,
they have rushed upon Charbydis."
l willingly join you in any present work, or
work hereafter which you may undertake, in
restoring to the colored American race a Ma
tiOnal Freedman's Savings and Trust Company,
the future. Let the cOlOred American citizen
be assured that legislation alone will not rem
der them happy in their rights. As they rise
they must carry with them institutions. Inter
dependency, con-association and cooperation
in labor can alone place them on platform of
success. Let no false alarm be raised in any
quarter as to dollars and cents. The commits
sioners appointed are the embodiment of integ-
rity and honesty. They are the well-wishers
of the negro race. But, in the language of
Hon. Caleb Cushing, in 1885, concerning the
Union, 81 pray to God, if in the decree Of His
providence He have any mercy in store for me,
not to suffer me to behold the hour" of the
total dissolution of the bank, 'its glory extinct,
its pride rent and trampled In the dust. y =
To him that shall compass or plot this disso-
luton there shall be to him no part or
lot in the honor Of man or the love of woman"
Fred. Douglass is honest and patriotic j. NJ
LangstOn is watchful. A large number Of the
trustees are intelligent negroes. Suicide is the
work Of a f6aduian. Gentlemen trustees of
the Freedman's bank, restore to US a bank as
an impershable monument of our industry.
Wm. Whipper is right; let it not be extin-
guished. The Freedman's bank was an exam
pie to our children, and gave US a place in
trade among nations. Let not history make
us responsible in the whole for what we are but
in part the authors Of.
Yours truly, D. A. STRkKER.