New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1878-09-28
Written for the Republican.
GOOD CITIZENSHIP.
sEmI-sERmoM.
COlOred People of Louisiana; /;
BY A LAIC.
ADDRESSED TO THE

Seek the peace of the city whittier I
have caused You TO be cerried away cap
tives, and pray unto the Lord for it; for
in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
Jeremiah, xxx, Z.
These words are contained in q letter
addressed by the inspired prophet, Jere-
miah, to his fellow countrymen, the cap
tive Jews at Babylon. They are inspired
with the spirit of true Christianity as well
as that of political wisdom; and the duty
they enjoin is no less binding in these
days than it was in those; no less obhga-
tory upon the colored people of Louisiana,
temporarily disfranchised by causes among
which their own blunders and wrong do
ings can not be overlooked, than upon the
captive Jews in Babylon, reduced to cap
tiyity in punishment for their sins.
The resemblances which the colored
people are SO fond of tracing between
themselves and the Israelites of old are
very few, while the differences are mani
fold. Like the I5raeIites, the colored
people are of different race from the rest
Of the community in which they live; but,
unlike the chosen people, the colored men
of Louisiana are of the same religion as
the whites, and form an integral part of
society. If, then, the jews alien in race
and religion from their captors, and ut
terly devoid Of political privileges or civil
rights, were exhorted to seek the peace Of
the city whittier the Lord had caused
them to be carried away captive, how
much more is the divine injunc ton in
cumbent upon the cOlOred people Of the
South.
No man, nor class of men, can have in
terests opposed to those Of the rest of the
community. Seeming exceptions to this
rule will be found, upon examination, to
be no exceptions at all, as in the case of
slavery. A AthOughtless person would have
maintained, in regard to the two classes
interested in that institution, that the well
fare Of the one was Numerically opposed
to that Of the other-the servile race re-
quiring for its well-being the boon of free
dom, and the ruling race requiring for
their prosperity the institution of chattel
slavery. But no durable prosperity can
be based upon oppression, nor can any
community, divided against itself, thrive.
Before this community, therefore, can be-
come truly prosperous, developing its
numerous resources, and AffoFding remun-
erative work to every class of its citizens,
the race antagonisms which now curse it
must be overcome. The white mans share
in this good work has been iterated and
reiterated in the columns of this paper.
His dependence on the colored race for
constant and efficient labor has been set
forth repeatedly, but il does not appear
that the reciprocal duty Of the colored
man has been sufficiently enlarged upon.
The wrongs he has suffered and they are
great and many-havs been the theme Of
eloquent denunciation; but except from
Democratic and preiudioed sources, the
wrongs be has committed have been passed
over in silence.
The captive Jews Of the text had brought
upon themselves. By their sins, their in
gratitude to God. their abuse of his mer-
cies, and their numerous idolatries, the
Divine punishment And you. colorsd
men Of LOuisians, arc you guiltlsas before.
God Of the sin Of ingratitadeG Raised by
Divine Providence from the abasement 81
slavery 70 the upright position Of freedom;
endowed with The atill l0fsier dignity Of
citizenship. how have ye used thess bless
ingsv How Do your representative men
stand before ths woEias Have shsy sxiH-
eiuad he sAaEsd right 81 lase ssa God.
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