New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-05-28

the rivals of the whites. And | lnforme,
that he has privately spoken in favor of tn,
very clause which he, in semi-political ser
mon, condemned
When Mr.. Sumner died, who was reuueste,
to preach a memorial sermon by the colore,
citizons Of Richmond? w. y. Derricks
When the celebration of the fifteenth tool
place, who was requested to deliver the ora
ton? w. b. Derricks. Now he, having
received the plaudits and appreciation of hi.
fellow citizens for these ensleavers in. thei
behalf, seeks to have them proclaim theil
lnferiority to the white race by following his
ill-advised and pernicious advice.
Sir, the efforts of the Rev. gentleman may
have received what he so much desired. the
plaudits of "Ellyson's Dispatch" and tina,
quasi-Republican paper the estate Journal
But he has received the merited condemna.
ton OF his race, and beyond doubt the con.
tempt of the young colored men of Virginia
who are forced, by the same prejudice which
he upholds, to go to other universities in
order to obtain an education. Temporary
plaudts from Democrats are not to be com.
pared to the lasting powers of ones own
race.
To-day, sir, in the State of Virginia there
are numbers ofschools and colleges supported
by the State taxes. Into those colleges
though supported by the taxes of the State,
no colored young man dares to put his foot.
This is what Mr.. Derricks upholds. In
Richmond rule was made that the white
children should walk on one side of the street
and the colOred on the other. Mr.. Derricks
iavors this discrimination. White children
receive lectures regularly, the colored chill
dren their a-b-abs, and are then sent home.
Mr.. Derricks thinks this is lirst-rate. When
teachers meetings are held there is a parti-
ton between the whites and colored; the
whites go out the front door, the colored out
of the alley. Mr.. Dcrricks thinks this is
good enough for his race because they are
inferior.
l have examined this genlleman's re-
marks; and though he has produced nothing
like an argument, yet see that he is bitterly
opposed to mixed schools. And nothing
made me feel proulcr of the colored citizens
of Richmond than their assembling en- n,asse
last week and adopting resolutions lavoring
the Civil Rights Bill as reported from the
committee, thus giving Derrlcks to under
stand that his remarks upon this clause did
not meet their approval. There has been
much talk about the mixed school clause
working direful effect upon the school sys.
tenn OF Virginia; but allow me to say that
nothing will do more good than this clause
in that State there are many portions of the
State to-day in need of such a clause sys-
tenn, and particularly the Richmond district,
where there are no schools on account of the
paucity of white and colored children. II
this clause is carried ipto effect these few
Whi.a Aal ev.utcu ri.,;.,. .-,s ga. l,e oatbared
into schools toget,.cf, ..m.s .ic,icte thin.s
will work tremendously.
Sir, l enter this letter simply to inform
you that the remarks of Mr.. Derricks, the
sO-called leader of the colored people OF
Richmond, have had no effect upon the PEG.
pie there, and that he, presumptuous man
and would-be leader, is, so far as this bill is
concerned, squelched forever.
W. {. ROANE.