New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-07-02

eniranchised colored people of the country,
without qualification, to the Republican par
ty. Any party that refuses to do us justice
we are under no obligations to, and they have
no claims upon us. The party platform is
right, but the leaders and managers are blow
ing hot and cold with the same breath, else
the bill would have passed long ago.
Yours for the right.
VIM. +. WALKER.
DAYTON, ONO, June 25, 1874.
To Me Eitor oJhs Vac National Era.
In all my readings of your paper during
the past four years l do not recollect seeing
in its columns at any time any communica
ton from this historical city. Why this has
been the case l know not. 1t certainly is
not, however, BECAUSE of want of interest
on the part of the colored people of Dayton
in the success of your paper, nor a want-of
appreciation Of the valuable services your
paper Is rendering the cause of the elevation
and advancement of the colored race that no
one from Dayton has written for your paper;
for, for several years, your paper has been
welcome messenger to many of the colOrcd
people Of Dayton.
| The past history Of Dayton, as regarded
tire trUitrert of its cofor CT saliuw -cftizens,
has not been complimentary. Mobs and
violence, for number of years, during the
dark days of slavery, were frequent, and
completely hindered the intellectual and ma
teriaf advancement of our people here
Churches were destroyed, houses burnt down,
and the inmates driven away, and in some
instances killed. SO that for number
Of years Dayton was Il terror to the cOlored
emigrant, who avoided it, and a dangerous
place for the resident colored citizen. SO
that now, out ola population of $4,000, not
more than six hundred are colored. But
times have changed, and with it Dayton.
In our beautiful Woodland Cemetery the
remains of colored and white alike are de-
posted to mouldcr away together.
Four years ago upon the introduction of
street railways in our city the colored man
was not Disseminated against, but rides in
peace in street cars with his white fellow
citizen. In our beautiful new Opera House
c'Music IIall') he may purchase a reserve
seat and occupy it in peace.
The lamented Samuel Peters, elected to
Congress in the Shreveport District, in Lou
isiana, last fall, and who died shortly after
of yellow fever, was originally from Dayton,
| and up to the time of his leaving here four
years ago he was Principal of the Colored
Public Schools of this city, now the "Tenth
District School," lie was highly esteemed
by the citizens here of all classes, and had
bright future before him when he was
called away.
He was succeeded in the school here by
your humble correspondent, and, since so
much has been said about the interiOrity of
the negro, especially by certain Congress
men during the discussion of the civil rights
bill, L desire, through the columns of your
paper, to present 4 case coming directly I'M
der my observation (Which is only one case
among scores of others) which proves that
the negro mind is capable of as rapid and as
high a degree of culture as the Anglo-SaXOn
mind.
Scarcely two years and a half ago Daniel
| Fleckinger Wlberforce, q native African boy,
| in his 18th year, was brought from "Shen-
| gay Mission" on the Western Coast of Africa,
| by United Brethren Missionaries and placed
in the colored school of which l have
charge. At the time of entering school he
could read and write, and understood simply
addition and subtraction in arithmetic but
grammar, music. geography, and United
States history, he knew nothing about. Yet,
in the short space of but two years and three
months, this native African boy passes an
examination for admission into the DAYTON
High School, getting per cent. far above the
average of the class of applicants, all the rest
of whom were white. An average of 65 in
all the branches examined in was required
of each pupil to be admitted. The applicants
were examined in grammar, arithmetic,
United States history, defining, music, Or
biography, and pcnmanship. Young Daniel
obtained an average Of 80. In United
States history getting IS. Two years and a
half before scarcely knowing there was such
a country as the United States.
There is no doubt he will be admitted to
the High School. Nearly every member of
the School Board, irrespective of party, ex-
pressing himself in favor of his admission.
Thus far, the first time in the history of