Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-03

The Future Of Our Freedmen.
Editor Morning Nelcs: The development of
the resources and immense wealth of Cen
trail Africa, by the recent explorations OF
Livingstone, Stanley, Cameron, Gambler and
other enterprlsing invaders Of that unknown
country, has so stimulated the commercial
enterprise of Europe chat england, France
and Belgium have entered into an energetic
competition to reach first and secure the
control of these treasures OF trade, there
wonderfully stored with rich and varied ar
ticles for the necessities and luxuries Of
mankind. Railroads and river steam navi-
CATION for the opening of this region of
ainaaft fabulous production are engaging
the attention oil merchant princes and the
most powerful engineering ability, and with
so much vigor that 10 the efforts to reach
Central Africa the conversion of the Desert
of Sahara back to its original character Of
an inland sea Is being thoroughly discussed.
According to reliable statements, cotton,
coffee, sugar eSne, indigo, nutmeg, pepper,
rice. which elsewhere require so much care
in their cultivation, grow In Central Africa
spontaneously. Also the castor oil plant
and the pistachio, which, cultivated at GER
tain points on the coast, are important arti-
Giles OF commerce with Europe; and also,
palm oil, of which the trade has begun to
reform, socially, the tribes bordering the
mouths of the Niger and the Congo rivers
Everywhere are to he seem cOpal and caout
chouc trees. Cereals and vegetables yield
two or three erOps year, so great is the
productive force OF the soil, which is an al
luVian of powerful fertility. Fancy and 10
dustrial trees for cabinet or carpentry work
T., ~, $50 - 4
animals and birds seen In our menageries,
geological gardens and aviaries; and hence
are drawn the supplies OF ivory, ostrich
feathers, skins, wax, etc, so valuable to
commerce. Iron, gold, copper and precious
stones are found in many localities, and vast
beds Of peat so Vaiuabie IS 6 ccmbustible
to the inhabitants OF the Eastern hemis
pbere, border the lakes Tanganika and
Nysssa. The natural resources of this SIN
gulsr country are said, by the explorers, to
be far beyond their powers OF description.
They develop a wide field OF work for civili-
cation, Christianity, philanthropy, and com
merce, the great agent of progress; and
call for laborers to rouse this grand print
tive country to participation in the intel
lectual and material action f the cultivated
world surrounding it. But who IS to ac-
complish this great uEG1rtaLt.. The
iusalubrity of the African climat , fatal
Gus barrier to the development of this con-
tinent, and were there no other races this
obstacle would be held to be insuDerable.
| But, though forbidden to the white race, its
evolution is to De, nevertheless, an accom-
plished fact. A new element OF progress is
| in preparation for it, aud one that, taking
up the problem at the point to which the
whites may be able to solve It, will carry on
/ the solution and the result intended by the
| Creator. This element is TO be found IN the
| educated negro, who comes upon the scene
with his improved intelligence pdrt pdSSn,
With the growth OF science and art to aid
him.
These facts are recognized In Europe, and
attention there is turned to the training
| schools Of the fourishing English colony OF
| Sierra Leone for the supply Of instructed
/ mechanics, laborers, agriculturisis, manu-
! facturers, clerks, fOremen, mercantile
agents for counting rooms and trade, and
| proprietors OF commerce and factories
| Already the English have begun this system
! practically on the coast and along the Niger,
I and have laid the germ OF an intelligent
| class OF negro commercial agents and man.
ayers from Sierra Leone, who are not only
| skilled 10 trade, but are also veIsed in its
| tricks as practiced by the cunning natives
| with whom they deal. SO well
has England understood this matter
that she has now from twelve to
fifteen trading stations and plantations
| with organized steamboat communications,
! on the lower Niger from Akas,s ana b9nny
! a. a. DaIto ee tigh NJ as WOnangi and
T,o ~ ,be I-tsder5 of Independent
sd Ill - which are under the direc-
ton of Heated, intelligent, negro gentle
"F1ourishing as the colony Of Sierra Leone
may be, however, it has not the capacity to
| supply the stock Of cultivated colorad me-
/ chants, clerks, etc, which the raDiditvof
! progress, impelled by steam and electricity,
now demands. New sources for furnishing
this prepared negro intelligence aust De
sought for, and they are limitd to our
weak little colony at Liberia and to this
country.
OF Liberia the accounts pc so contradic-
tory that we cannot soy positively how
large are its stores of cultivated negro brain
material but we know they Cannot be e1-
tensive. And. therefore, this country Is the
mine to be worked for the valuable and
sstute African intellect that Is to take hold
OF the great work OF redeeming Africa to
Christianity, civiliZ ltion and commerce.
Trained BY long schooling in slavery to
know Christ, and the refined life revealed
to man through and by bin, snd learned in
the lesson, that "man must live by the
sweat of his face" the negro in the Uni
ted States is receiving now, as a freedman,
his instruction In civil and political rights
anu uuAicb. III INC DIOGIEbhlNt SCHOOL OF uu-
NAN government, democratic republican
ism. IN few years we shall count our edu-
Gated freedmen by thousands, ard the gu
periOrs of their race, and to them will be- /
long the privilege of Tescuing from the |
darkness of bsTbarism their ancestral home, |
and OF raising it and themselves to the level |
of the white races territory ard condition. |
Every motifs ambition prompts to this enter |
prise as the only ROAD &c manly independ- |
euce, wealth. civil, political and social stanC- |
ing. l. will be the escape from |
the repressive Influences of the |
greatly numerical superiority of his white |
fellow citizens, who, willing always to use |
him as that base tool known IN politics as |
''the balance OF power" will never cOncede
to him practically the complete enjoyment |
OF equal rights. The history Of the negro |
in the old free States demons rates this
fact. Indeed, the entire record of the freed
men, from the Revolutionary war to this
day, proves incOntestibly that the race dis
iinctjOn impressed upon the whites and the
blacks and their inevitably consequent
prejudices can never be Obliterated here by
proper edicts OF constitutions or laws There
Is no upsetting, turning or lodging the
plain DEGREES OF God. The negro therefore
who respects his race and himself will be
DESTROYS OF being in fact, as in name,
freeman, and following the bent of his de-
SIRE Will often think of the land which the
Creator has made especially his, by debar-
ring the white race from occupying it. And
In time the desire will assume material in
tentiOn and fulfllment
To the freedmen Of the United States
Providence has committed, it seems to me.
the noble work of regenerating the land of
their fathers. And as we trace back the
history of the negro in America we recog-
niZe the ways by which the Great Architect
Of the Universe has gradually prepared him
for the work; and, is now turning the tri-
umphs of science to the accomplishment Of
his occupation and possession OF 1t. Eng
land France, Belgium are bending their
energies to reach, in rivalry, the goal Of un-
told wealth, Central Africa, knowing (but
INDUCING the fallacy to the contrary not
that the white man cannot
occupy it when attained. Hoping against
hope, they speculate, toll and labor, uncon-
seious elements, in their cupidity of great
design.
Nor will the labor question be shocked
with us, as the movement must be gradual,
occupying many years, perhaps several gen.
eratlons. Our day may see the beginning of
the movement, but, in all probability, no
man now living will witness it fulfllment,
yet 1t will come. Yours truly,
HENRY @. WAYNE.
Savannah ARf07tSf Q 1891