Daily Republican., 1882-11-16
mems Of vice and Gambling

NOVEMBER 10 1867
Dens Of vice and Gambling l
II isyery much to be regretted tn"' i
so many of our colored people, espe"-
aIlv of the younger class, persist IN
living and acting so as to bring discreol'
upon their race and to render the po-
Ntical party with which they act un-
Dopular, The raids and arrests maue
NV the noliee within few days past,
made some very unpleasant disclosures
which reflect upon the character OF sew
.ro1 color,d men who have heretofore
Oean looked upon as rather Intelligent
and safe leaders of their race. A gam
Hing hell is demoralizing at all umes,
not only to whites, but people OF al
colors and natiopalities, and yet some
of our colored men, who have been
looked upon as represep tative leaders, !
were pulled in by a squad OF poll'S
that politically could not be expeeIe"
10 have any feelings of spite or race ha-
tired. The place was raided because II
was a gambling saloon, where nSru
working colored en- with weak moral
virtues, were taken in and h'eceo oi
their labor earnings. Only day or TWO
afterwards, while the police were III
saarch of some stolen property, they ac'
cidentally came across more thah lhoS
had bargained for. In place nseu lol
1swd purposes, where colored men ana
women met to spend the hours IN ue-
bauchery and drunkenness, were founu
a large number of stolen articleS' 1Sk"n
from prominent citizens and worse
than all in political club room were
found a number of muskets, and Inc
fact that they were loaded, must leau
tn thu conclusion that they we're to De
used if occasion required, and II those'
in whose charge they were, were lntoxl-
Gated and excited, they might I've used
hetore required. This all has bad
looking aspect and does not prove thaI
the coIored people, however much pre-
eress they may be making in edncation
and general intelligence, are improving
in moral virtues and that honesty which
make good citizens. We are lu'ly
aware that the same kind of vice, leWu'
uess and dishonesty exist amongst a
large ola ss of white people. This is true
and lanep1able fact and we condemn
IL AZ heartily as we do the same crimes
amongst colored people, but after ell
angular as it may appear, better be-
baviour is expected from the colorec
people than from the whites. This II
rather a severe exactiou and yet ther'
are good reasons why It should De 80
The white race is supposed to have es
tahlished itself and to have well denne'
and permanent principles OF action an'
rules of life which give them proml
nence and character. The colored pee
ple have not gained this point, but haV
ing only lately through the help OF til
the strong military arm Of the govern
ment emerged from slavery to freedom
naturally though equality of citizenshl
WAS new thing to them, more was an
is expected of them than OF the white
It was generally supposed that the &C
ored people would have made every
fort to become good citizens and to COZ
pei that..respect held from them thfout
prejudice to their race. In short'
was expected of them that they Wou
avoid all those excesses of vice and II
morality that degrade and dlsgra
humanity. Having secured freedo
and citizenship at great price to t
nation, it was supposed they wou
have striven hard to show that they a
worthy of that citizenship.
This is why more is expected OF G.
ored than of white people, and our c.
Ored friends should look at it IN t
same light 1t is true that our color
peep have uch to contend with. L
prejudice of large portion of the VIII
race though weakening is still We
strong, and we are not surprised tt
our colored people chafe under ma
undeserved insults, but the poorest W
TO avenge those insults is to return 6
for evil. Forbearance, the practice
morality, Industrious habits and HI
esty will always win in the end
cOuuuer the strongest prejudice.
are pleased to believe and say that tn
colored bunko gamblers, these
uuenters of low dens of vice, these p
loiners of other peoples property, tn
mistaken men who contemplate Y
lence by preparing for it, compose, al
all. but a small portion of the colo
people. To them alone we have
dressed ourselves. The larger clas
respectable colored people conde
these things as heartily as we do,
it is that class that suffers from
misconduct of the i'll behaved.
hope Mayor Wales will instruct his
lice to make special effort to break
these gambling deDs of vice and infa
wherever fonnd, whether amongst
VII ite or colOred people.
rn.x ,Dr nar,oora+in baltimore