The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-09-10
INTELLECTUAL POWERS
OF THE BLACKS.

The question OF the capacity of the
coIored people to receive education is
one OF the greatest. Il is OF course
still uncertain whether many OF them
will be found capable Of acquiring q
high degree of intellectual culture,
and con 'iderable time will bereQuired
for the solution of the problem. /
does not appsar to me probable tina
the. race in general will prove TO
possessed OF sufficient intelleclus
fibre ond tenacity 20 enable them
endure the labor and discipline upon
which varied and complex culture
depends. It will be very strange,
considering their antecedents and
theis present environment. if the col
ored people DO not show themselv
.naniGestly inferior TO the whites. l
think that the sanguine friends OF
the black people may be disappointed
by the results of their education, be-
cause, as it seems to me, they ex-
poet too much OF generation which
has no intellectual past behind it.
But 1t is possible that the 6isappoint-
ment really awaits those who are less
hopeful. The negro has not failed
where be has had a fair trial. He
was successful as q slave. The race
was developed and benefited by slav-
cry in this country, instead of being
corrupted and ruined by it. and this
may indicate the possession of equal
tiles which will render it capable OF
a high degree of civilization; but it is
more PROBABLE that its most imports
ant characteristics are such as fit il
for subordinate position. In such
q relation to stronger race the black
people would be likely to evince great
tensoity and power OF endurance I'm.
der conditions of depression and mis-
fortune. But it is question whether
the race is possessed OF qualities
which render it in a high degree vital
and efficient in its relations to the &C.
tual environment here in America.
Negroes have greater initiative sbil-
ity than the whites. and they acquire
the rudiments of knowledge with q
readiness which is often wonderful;
bat I doubt their possessing capacity
for sustained and complex intellectual
exertion. Yet they have more Of
aentim ent, FIRE and passion in their
nature than the white people, and
these elements may greatly increase
the vigor and efficiency of their in.
telleotual endowment.
1t appears to be certain that they
have q superior equipment for ora
tory. 1t is said OF many of their
public speakers in the southern
states, politicians and preachers, that
they will attempt to speak on any
subject and upon any occasion, with
out preparation or previous acquaint-
tance with the matter In hRnu; and
even with such odds against them
they often succeed in saying some
thing effectively,-in persuadiDg or
strongly lnf1 lencing their auditors by
huenoy, pathos, humor, and beauty
OF expression. Eloqn: nee seems to
be natural for many OF them. and /
beard several colored men described
90 among the best public speakers in
the south BY cultivated white sntsg-
onists. But I do not thiok this apt
mesa for oratory on the part OF the
negroes is likely to be of such value
TO them or the country. Popular
oratory and eIoQuence have not been.
highly servioeable during recent years
as aids to progress in intelligence or
morality in the northern states of
this country. They have been used in
the interest of fippsncy and coarse
ness, and in a manner rather to pre-.
vent than to promote discussion and
serious thought. OTatory cas- it's useo
when great issues are clearly made
and understood when men are TO be
reused from apathy to enthusiasm in a
great cause. But at the present
there is no great cause" The peo-
pie of the country need light. We
want wisdom, direction, that we may
deal successfully with the problems OF
time. and thoughtiulness and serious
discussion are more desirable for us
than enthusiasm and eloqUence; and
II We were entirely destitute OF ora
tors for few years, it would proba-
bly, not be great misfortune to the
nation. It seems not unlikely that
the south may again become distin-
guished for oratory, and that it may
develope new power in poetry and
other forms OF art; and it is possible
that the black race may be repre-
sented in this Renaissance.
The opportunities OF education and |
development should of course be |
equally accessible to all races and |
classes in our country. There should |
be no prescription, no favoritism. |
But the question OF what education |
should be for the working people OF
America Is q very important one. So
lar from it's having been decided. it |
has not yet been seriously entertained. |
That which they now receive ia our
public schools ia mischievously made |
4uste. One of its detects is that il
does not have in v;eS in any definite |
manner the essential conditions or |
specific requirements OF the life of !
The men who labor With their hands.
The negroes of the south should have |
,onoothinO hoffor - C.,,to... L : IN :.