New-York tribune., 1879-05-10
PROFEsa0Y4L C0LOBED MEN.


THE BLACKs AND THE NATION-A COLORED STATE
LIKELY TO PEBPETUATE BABBARIsM.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: The negroes have grown weary Of waiting
for a dcliyerer. They have reason for their despair
of mis- coming. For from the night before an cleo
ton, when a Governor of Tennessee iafterward 4
President. reclining on a balcony at Nashville,
hiccuped out his promise to become their Moses,
down to the morning after an election, when Gov
ernor OF Ohio Dafterward President gave tenn
perate expression IN his office in Columbus 10 bis
coid-water sorrow at his supposed defeat, because
he could not become the black mans Noses In
less conspicuous station, everywhere and always
the negro has seen the bright blossoms OF Eden OF
pledges ripen into the bitter apples Of Sodom OF
fact. and he has been taught that no rights can be
securely guaranteed either by law or constltu-
ton unless the classes OF races on whom they are
conferred are ready to maintain them by physical
force. Experience has shown him, what every
thinker knows, that all modern civilization still
rests on force, and that lie who will not draw the
sword shall perish By the sword.
Now. for men who will not or who cannot fight
for their ghts there is only one adequate protec-
ton: they mnst range themselves beneath the
banners Of leaders, Of classes who do not hesitate
to defend them. As long as the negroes congre-
gated in solid masses of population, as long as they
formed majority of the inhabitants Of any South
ern community, neither the National power nor
legislation since the Inauguration OF the ' Home
rule policy, has been able TO protect them In the
exercise of their legal rights. They have d.sc0y-
cred the sad truth that to become citizens of the
Nation they must cease TO be subjects OF the South
ern States. Since Mississippi was left to its fate
in 1879 there has been no negro citizen there.
There have been colored serfs only in all the Gulf
States since the overthrow Of the Governments
chosen by the majority Of their male inhabitants.
There was only one adequate remedy for tie
negro-hight. It came at last. The patient negro
of his own accord has taken the remedy for his Op-
preston into hls own hands-Or, to be anatOmlcay
accurate into his own heels No craft of leader !
shin has melted this black Hegra Every man Is |
his own Moses in this American exodus. In this /.
fact lies cur hope for the future OF the movement /
and of the negro. He has thrown OF, for the first /
time IN our history, the habits Of slave. Lib /
Grated from the slavemaster, and with his truest /
friends the caTpet-bagger' and the scalla"dg" /
IN exile terrOuZed, the negro mas oeen oDh4et 10
rely on himself or to seek his own dellverance. /
A new class Is now trying To guide TINS marvel /
lous aud hopeful movement, or rather 10 OBTAIN /
80 ,ition as ia rightful represeutatlyes. They
are the "DrOfessiOna cOlOred men," VINO, from /
time to time. secure offices or attract attention by
reason of their accident OF race" Mostly men OF /
mixed blood, with whom the blacks have little /
sympathy they are entitled 10 no more cOnsldeIa-
tion than their individual characters may justly
claim. and these should not De lhtIuSVed WIN tHe
aid that may be given by the Northern people 70 I
ena bic the refugees to establish themselves IN Jhef
new homes. For these men have an interest hos
tile to the best interests OF tho Dlachs ana me
Nation. Like the Irish ana the German poll
ticians, they seek 70 keep alive ana make Pernd-
nent the separate and sometimes hostile ele-
ments of our National life. IL Is not -f
the best good OF the ..5l S4uon tnaI aIJoon.S tns
or "rhe negro element" should be conserved;
but on the contrary, II should be the purpose gi
every marriott TO dissolve them into tine lnseparaDle
oneness of an American NauonaiIly. Inc alt
that il given to the cOlOred refugees should De sent
TO the recognized rcpresen iatiEes, not OF tnelf
race" but Of the communities To WlcI theY nave
migrated / hese men, WHO are on the SPOT ana H.
terested alike IN the immigrant ana ln tntr own /
state will be the wIsest and the most prudent a.
well "a the most honest ana cfuCIcnJ dsDursefs OF
the charities OF the North.
Already The policy of the c0lorcd men by profess
SION Is seen in their ardent advocacy OF c0lored /
state Practically, the creation ol negro Terri ,
rOry would be a sure ana cruel polcN Tor peipetl-
atng the barbarism OF che blacks tor II Is not Oy
massIng but by scattering the blacks that Ine /
country can hope 10 raise them rapidly I'D The ranks
of civilization. All primitive people are Ike chill /
dren-tAEV leaTu more quickly by imitation tIah /
from instruction. The observing traveller passing
from the Sea Islands IN south Carolina 10 Jhe piue
country IN North Carolina or even hOm the Dot /
tom-lauds in MissssippI To the northern counties /
In the same STATE sees on every haud evidences /
that the negroes are Of higher type where thry |
are In constant contact with wllte men Than I
where they outuumber them, and thereby en- |
courage each other IN their baTbarHms OF dress and
language and theology and yOGdOolsm. II kansas
scatfrrs her cOlOred immigrants they VIII prove "a
ble..lng To ler ~ she wIi prove DeuetactOr 20
them: bur If they are cougregated they viii surely
curse her with shIftleis and ignorant pOpula-
ton flOm whom the ranks Of her iuJure paupers
aud criminals will BE largely recruited.
Aet0-Y0rs, April %, 1879 JAMES REDPATu.