American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-06-05
Letter from Rev. DR.. C. X. Mar
shall


Editor Cite.
Your paper reached me at once.
| mailed the address. | wonder |
had not done il long ago. 1t * not
readily appreciated unless the read
er INDUCES III IA little reflection on
the great tomorrow ol cur Conn
monweGlth. In fifty years from to-
day our State may be unfit Tor the
uerm9nent homes of the families
who have made it what it Is, aud
their descendants. Tue agencies
of rapid deterioration are at work,
and few If any seem to care for the
results. IL .et us eat aud drink for
o-morrow we die" is, apparently,
the guiding oracle of the people.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the back
bone of the State is corlpOsed of
that materiat-is fippanfiy DIES
nounced as "tramps or criminal
refugees" and not wanted. or
course not. Who calls for them !!
The negro is nos the best lahcrer
for us. White men in Louisiana
far excel them. White men in
Texas take the premIums for out
doors work, but to encourage such
work, is '.destitute of philanthropy,
ruinops to the South, and Injurious
TO the negror 1t is awful, bat it
don't burt any body, for our sons to
rush into town, take a sort of boot
blacks place in fourth rate
Dutch shebang, and sell shoddy
goods.
"The relation between the whites
and negroes of the country, is all
that could be desired" That may
be so where little or no 'Progress''
is thought of, or desired, and where
the future of State is believed to
be no further Oft than shutdown to
day. Who is deemed so verdant
as to think the lately emau cipated
negro competen to renOvate Aiiita
! Look along a century to come and
say if with the capacity lie has
evineed. the educated negro may
not help the land of his race and
the home of his sirese 1t is true
the s'jungles of Liberia are DEATH
dealing'-ahd SO have been to the
| sorrow Of countless multitudes, the
iiuugles of Mississippi and LouIsi-
ana. But Liberia has million
aud half of as healthy negroes as
are to be found anywhere in Amer
lea, and many of them are rich,
learned and useful.
We want fhe negro TO go to Iii
IBERIA not merely as missionary
but "a a farmer. Liberia is to-day
making the best coffee III the world
White men perish there. The me-
gro revels in the vitality of the
earth and skies. In the South the
negro will always be a creeping
mental. In Liberia he is the peer
of princes. Tire white men of the
South will never settle down to the
tasks of life which they can lean
upon the negro. Both races are
damaged. Mixed blood multiplies.
The best young men ego west"-
commeIce has gone into the hands
of fol- eignels. The new census will
startle the Rip Van Wrinkles oil
"Progress "Reiigious EntIiuSi>
asst" sneeriugly and Silly snubbed
may patiently wait the confirma'
zion of their plans and principles
II was the grandta' her of Progress
who told Noah to push along with
his old flatboat, it was only an
| April shower. And every age,
country and county, have furnished
"A full supply of men who cared
nothing for the future, and only
/ found out that a mule was loose
after they were kicked near.y tC
death,
Soperly, however, there is nc
danger of disturbing the negro la
+ bOrer for some years to come. But
my faith is firmly fixed in the thee
ry. that as substitute for white
labor, and a political football, the
negro will work ont the ruin of the
South, and dispeTse its brave and
noble sons abroad over all the con
| tinept-until the South will be the
South no mOrei
At a future day ] propose. t6
speak a few " .irds on the situation
to Mississippiaus. l have no AK
to grind. / ask no office. l seel
no fame. But the prosperity, thu
upward and onward march of the
children of my early companion.
and friends,-a buried generation
re CARELESS of sectarianism of par
tisan politics, or vocatiOns-as
hitherto, so to the close of my life
shall be ever uppermost in my
thoughts and foremost in my tolls
We have not intended a reply Il
the splenetic and spiteful mask o
''Progress," the time and distance
forbid-but some dry a man may
put his honest name to a paper
meriting a reply. Then.
L Il Al