New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-25
GOOD ADVICE.

l
GOOD ADVICE.
When the Hon. Frederick Douglass
takes SO public an occasion as fourth Of
July celebration to give advice to his race
it may be presumed that his expressions
are we'll considered and hig counsel disin.
terested. After speaking of the imposi-
tons under which the colored people have
suffered from sham friends, bringing them
into disrepute by begging in their name.
he says:
Allow me to add that we must stop beg
ging for ourselves. If we build churches.
don't ask white people to pay for them. Ii
we have banks colleges and papers, do not
ask other people to support them. Be in.
dependent. Begging was well enough once.
but in these days of true manhood it is out
Of place.
There struck the key note of that psalm
Of life which every man, in every station.
must adopt as his guide. a fair days
work for a fair days wages. No begging,
no borrowing, no cheating, no stealing,
no cringing, no lying. Work. Of some
kind. but genuine and fully worth the
money which it gets, that gives the indie
pendence which Mr.. Douglass recon-
mends to his race; and that any man may
command, no matter what is his rank or
color. True. self-respecting independence
asks only what i. has earned, and is as
far removed from the many makeshifts
and devices by which money is indirectly
obtained, in the name of charity or reli-
gion. as it is from absolute beggary Or
theft. Such are the numerous subscrip-
ton papers, lotteries. raffies, etc. for
the benefit of widows and churches, which
are constantly pushed into the hands of
all considered able or willing to NEE: such
demands. In justice to our coiored
friends, We must admit that they have the
example Of their white neighbors for this
very annoying and indirect method Of
getting money without giving any equiva-
lent, in some cases without acknowledging
any obligation. It is bad example. and
the colored folks instead of following it
any longer, had better set the white folks
a better one by avoiding in the future
all such unworthy expedients to obtain
For, after all, no man can get money
without paying for it in some way. If
not with honest work. or works result.
be pays with portion Of his manhood.
his character, his self-sespect. Lost, in.
Iced. mus! tina: man lie who can. without
. feeling Of degradation. use money for
which he has given no value whatever, !
md never intends Or expects to give any
Of course there is such thing as bor-
owing in the way OF business. but in
hat case security Of some kind is given.
nd the money is usually returned.
Neither is moneys worth always or neces-
arily as the ignorant think, either manual
abor or good Of some tangible sort. The
dvice Of lawyer which saves a mans
ortune the prescription Of physician
which saves his life, not to mention the
piritual ministrations which may help to
ave what is more precious than either
ortune or life--these are services not to
e measured by the same standard as dry
Gods, groceries or brick laying; still
hey are moneys worth. But the owner
hip of ticket conveying one chance out
f one hundred and fifty to win at q
affie (Which may never come off, sec.
Midland buggy and spawned horse.
r an up town lot, enhanced in value as
lch chance may be by the belief that the
honey paid therefor is to benefit orphans
r help 70 build church, can not. By any
reich of faith or courtesy. be considered
alue received.
Neither can a man claim, directly or
ldirectly, pecuniary remuneration as a
,ward for supporting the party of his
aoice. And yet many man who would
,orn to receive direct pay for his vote,
ems to consider that by giving it uni.
rm]y for one party he has opened run
ing account with the prominent mem.
RS OF that party, BY which he is entitled
periodical supplies Of cash. This also
altogether opposed to that spirit of in
spendence which Mr.. Douglass 50 elo-
lently urges upon his constituents. The
ght Of suffrage is not a marketable &C. s
,isition; and the venerable colored Y
ffragan who exclaimed, after selling his
ote: ':Dis yere niger has been sold
any a time, but dis is de fust tim he's
I de money hisself," did net at all ap- I
eciate the value Of what he sold. 10
No; let the colored men listen to the J Q
bile words Of their distinguished brother; t
them stand erect. self-supporting, SELF S
'pecting, and ''tread to duty with mar Ii
! STEP" Thus will they compel the '
'pect Of their white fellow-citizens, and Il