New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-14
Sound Advice to the Blacks.

Ii any man oaght 10 possess the conf
dence and sway the action of the co!ored
people, it is Mr.. Frederick Douglass. He
Is the most prominent: and capable repre-
sentative Of the race. He has shared its
hardships and its oblocuy. Once a slave.
escaping from slavery to freedom, witness.
ing the debas. of his people before
emancipation an! their difficulties and per
lis after il. he knows the whole subject in
all its political. moral and industrial bear.
ings. Though lar superior in intellect and
position to the mass, he has ALWAYS been in
tuil communion and sympathy with them.
He has been true to his blood.
In his address on Independence Day near
Washington, Mr.. Douglass gave the colored
people some very excellent and wholesome
counsel. Hi. grand lesson was the import
ance and value of sel.-relarce. He wanted
the men OF his race 10 depend upon them
selves and no. rest upon the arm o! any
other class. ''Ati we ask he said, ''is !.
fair field to work in and the white man to
leave us alone" II. told his hearers that
they must neither beg themselves nor per
NIT any body else - oeg for them. They
must not regard themselves as a poor aud
helpless race nor :" act as TO make others
thus regard them !n.tead OF that, they
must win their bread by the sweat of their
brow, and mu-' carry Oct their own dis
flnctive work by :heiT own personal efforts.
Mr.. Douglass confined himself mainly 10
the industrial teid, but his Injunction to
help themselves would apply just as well 10
their political. educational and gener.; :e.
Iuirements. In ali things. self lfdependence
was their great need.
This was salutarv advice, and j. came
with peculiar forca from one of their mum.
Der who had carved out d high position for
himself by his own energy. determ nation
ard talent. Hcthing could te better
adapted to the true wants of the culored
people. There ia no doubt that many false
and demagogical movements have been
made to theu. and that these attempts
have been encouraged by their own sub.
mission and reliance upon others. Nor have
they all been on one side. If We do not ex-
cu'pate the old ruling class of the South
from the blaine OF such sinister designs,
neither do we clain that some who bear the
name of Republicans are exempt from s!mi.
lar censure. /: is not strange that the
blacks have depended SO much upon others.
Until recently they have never been taught
to rely upon themselves. The whole effect
of slavery was precisely the reverse. They
were the property of their master. abso-
iutely dependent upon his will, doing his
bidding. locking to him for support. and
no more independent than the cattle Of the
field. Two centuries of such history res,
ing upon a background of barbari-m would
leave any race Wlthou. the virtue of sell
reliance.
But in the ten years which have followed
the close of the war, the blacks have made
great progress. They have still. however.
a vast deal to learn. and the solid foundation
of it all must be the cultivation of that
quality which Mr. D,ugiass SO earnestly
and torcihly pressed upon them. Macaulay
said that the best cure tor the evils OF free
dom is-freedom. The blacks were lily
fitted for the privileges they enjoy: but the
best way TO tit :h-m was 10 confer the
privileges and briUg them face 10 face with
the actual experience. They should have
aqua! political rights. and should be fully
protected in them: and then. With t.ir
field. they should be taught and left to .ely
upon tbany Joetr5.oi.