New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-16
cONTENTIOY or COLORED EDITORS.

CONTENTION or COLORED EDITORS.
A large part of the time of the Convention
OF Colorcd Editors in Cincinnati was given, as
perhaps was only to he expected, to the dis
cussiOn of Civil Rights. Immediately after
fervent appeals to each other to "become self
sustaining" to find ga civilization where
"men will be accepted for what they are
"wOrthr follow complaints bitter and deep of
rcfllsals from hOtel-keepers to receive them or
of sights put upon them at Long Branch,
when they dressed as well as they could, and
had plenty of money ia pay for everything.
Now it appears to us, that considering the
culture and mental force of the men who COM
posed that Convention, there VIA too much
Of this pathetic complaint. One Of the Eek
"tra0riinaly uterancc5 of their hitherto
"stanch friends" to which they except is
probably the universal conviction that enough
oljurSation and sympathy has been bestowed
upon he colored man. Ii is time for him to
test his own strength. Self-hclp is for
boy, or race Ill its homage, the best
of al educations. The wiser of our col
ored friends recognize this fact, and both
in public and private have urged and acted
on il. We do not refer by this to certain re-
cent letters or speeches of their leaders by
which they are melted to cndeavOr, i'll an ex
cited and foolish phraseology, with an obvious
resentment and defiance of the white people.
Defiant and rcsentful yaporing are childish
under the circumstances. We do not mean the
mass of blacks and muattoes who, in the
Southern and Border States, have quietly
gone to work to better their condition and
elevate their social rank in the community in
which they happen to live. This is sound
rational woodwork which will tell: work
which by the next generation will do more for
the comfort and happiness of their race than
hundred suits against hotcl-keepers or fiery
"appeals to a Power that is above
The absolute truth is, that there is no Use
for them to go in search "of civilization where
"men are accepted for what they are worth"
1t is here. 1t was the Illuminating force of
that idea in favor of their race that tore
the nation apart with throes which brought it
to the very verge Of dissolution, fifteen
wears ago. Virtue, knowledge, intellect, gentle
breeding, may not command money, political
power or the homage OF shOpkcepcrs, but
they never fail to receive from civilization
their acknowledgment, or to be accepted at
their full value. Ten years ago a cOlOrcd man
would have found any recognition of himself
as an equal by the lower class of whites
an impossibility. Now it is not an i'll
frequent sight in this city or Philadel-
phia to see band of white wcrkmen I'M
der the control of Il colored contractor. The
whole machinery of tho work, too, moves
pleasantly and smoothly. Whyl Because in
this instance the colOrcd man had the ability
10, kn a no tn 1a
hod carriers or carriers. The money OF man
is as good in trade whether the hand that takes
it from his pocket be blacl, or white. 4 little
patience and the same fact will be recognized
in hotels, theaters, and it may be-if that is
desirable to thcm-in some circles of Mrs.
Grundy's own set
There are certain occupations in which the
colorcd people have excelled heretofore. They
have been gwen up to them. If there are
Others in which they can excel, they may
he sure they too will be given up to them,
in spite of all prejudice or instinct or
any other obstacle. Let them make of
their SONS doctors, lawyers, merchants,
artists, and of their daughters educated
gentlewOmen, not out of any antag
onsm to the whites, but simply for
self development, and their place will he
yielded to them far all practical esscn-
tial points are concerned. If there should lin
ger social prejudice against them, they can
well afford then to disregard it. First of all,
however, let them 20 quietly to work to help
themselves, without further cutlery of wounded
feelings or appeals to Heaven. When llercu-
les gave to the carter broad shoulders and
sound muscles, he left him unhelped to lift
the cart out Of the mre with them.