New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-11
The President.
THE BLACK MANS FUTURE.
ONE OF THE RACE WHO BETIEVEs TIE NEW
SOUTHERN POLICY IMPROVES IT.

SOUTHERN POLICY IMPROVES IT.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEI
WASHINGTON Jan. 1O.-The Hon. j. Willis Me-
nard of Louisiana, who was the first colored man
ever elected TO the American Congress- Will deliver
a lecture next week to the colored people of this
city on the condition and prospects OF The negro
under a solid South.
Mr.. Menard SAYS that the race problem cannot be
solved by Federal bayOnct5 or Tepressiyc
laws and that the spirit of political phlan-
thropy which seeks to maintain sectional ami
mosties on the ISSUES Of the past and
at the expense Of National prosperity which is sure
to flow from a reunited country, is false aud specu-
latiye He asserts that the negro in America Is
not diving ont, but is rather increasing, and that
SYMPTOMS to the contrary are not based upon
statistics of mortality from the country at large but
from few cities into which negroes have crowded
in numbers too great to find employment. They
have in such eases, been unable 20 provide them
selves with necessities and comforts of life, and
mortality greater than that among the white people
has been the result.
Mr. Nenarl declares that the product OF negro Ia
boris greater now than it ever was before the abo-
liton of slavery. In support Of this statement he
compares the statistics of cotton production from
1853 to 1861 eight years under slavery, with those
from 1869 TO 1877, eight years under freedom
showing a surplus IN favor Of the latter period of
nearly g GEO 900 bales. lie believes that the signs
which are already apparent in the shape OF indopcn-
dent political movements in the South must result
within five years in breaking up the solid Demo
cratic rule and he thinks the sooner the Negroes
rights and wrongs are taken ont OF party platforms
and political discussions the better it viii be for the
race lie says that the supply Of labor IN the South
is far in excess of the present demand and he advises
the negro to seek such local political alliances as
are favorable to a widespread system of internal i'm
provements in that section, through the aid OF the
Federal Government, ana thus make a market for
his labor
He also advises his c0untTymen to emigTatc from
localities where their labor is not needed to the
West and Southwest and to the negro republics Of
Hayti and Liberia. Let them venture says Mr.
MeBard, TO all parts of the world do the whites
of Europe and America"
Mr. Menard says that since the acknowledgment;
by the Federal authorities of the right Of local self
government at the South, Northern capital has be-
gun to flow literally in that direction, and in this
he finds promise Of renewed prosperity, of which
the colorcd man must reap his share. lie considers
the ballot, without education, an element of weak
ness and danger, and he suggests that the proceeds
of public land sales be applied 10 the extension of
the common school system.
Mr.. Menard asserts that troops at the SOah were
not source of protection to the neRro that they
not only usually hostile to him. bit that their
presence had the effect of provoking larger meas
ure of bad feeling against HIM than would otherwise
have been the case. That n change of some kind
necessary, he thinks every reasonable man must
admit. "Thc country" he says, sick st heart of
this continued discussion of war issues, aud 1t has
no sympathy with any movement whose aim
is to fire the Northern heart against the
South, not in he interest of the negro nor Of The
public welfare but purely for political power. The
negro has been played long enough a trump i'll
the political game, and II Is high time for a new
deal The war waged against the Southern policy
of the Administration is suicidal, and will prove q
cause of weakness to the Republican party. The
policy is only wise and timely anticipation of the
end made inevitable by public opinion and the
urgent necessities of the country"