The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-26
THE NEGRO QUESTION.
4ls coNOlTION ~ THE soOTH
Inprs,i.r sosly-E.a,si, for Giving him ii,
BliIOt-La rstsr,stisr Talk with CoISr,d
Baptist Prsaehsr-Aa Ershisg Of
Negro lsIOdI lsd Ihsolosy.

CAntrell, oil Southern llIlnols-Who, along
with Judge okey johnson, Judge Coch-
ran, and Others, had been attending
the Grand Lodge Of the Knights Of Honor
at Galveston, Texas, and who in the course
Of conversation put this question to me,
among others, viz-"Would you, after what
you have seen in the South, vote to give
the negro the ballot II it was now an
open question or original proposition" ?"
replied that would unquestionably do
80, and for reasons that TO me are para
mount 10 all questions OF party connected
with the matter. NO s,l.l.
"What are these reasens?" he asked with
some apparent astonishment.
Well, said l, in the fnt place for the
protection OF the negro, and in the next
for his development and advancement.
What would the negro be here without the
ballot? A virtual peon, with nobody in
terested any more than in slavery days TO
secure him the benefit Of schools and the
rights OF person and property. While !
admit and deplore his ignorance and pres
ent untitness for the exercise OF the elective
franchise, yet it is moi, q whit more pro-
nounced or Objectionable than that OF tens
OF Thousands OF ignorant whites at the
North-many Of them fresh from other
countries and without even the negro's
crude comprehension Of the character OF
our institutions. 1t Is 9 fearful job to
grind and assimilate all this white and
black ignorance, but so much the more
need OF assisting libarally the cause
OF education and OF getting good
newspapers into their hands. The Negro,
like Shy lock-. "hath ducats," in the shape
OF votes, and hence he is recogaiz I'd and
respected by the legislators OF the Southern
States, and he, for this reason, gets his
share Of school money, small as it is, and
Is otherwise cared for in q way that he
would not be il he was only q disiranchlsed
person. True, he has TO take the shot guns
and tissue ballots along with bis citizen.
ship, but this is the wine press process Of
squeezure and elimination through which
he must pass, asd like the hundred and
forty and four thousand, In the book Of
Revelations, who came up to their fnal
estate through great tribulation," he must
work out his destiny through the disclp-
linary agency OF affection.
have frequently said that the prejudices
OF the negro in favor OF the Republican
party are not more unreasoning than those
OF very many-in fact, the bulk-ot the
Irish Catholic voters Of this country
against 1t. The latter remember Know
lNothingism as tradition connected with
the origin OF the Republican party, and are
still Opposed to II because Of that tradition,
while the negro remembers that his old mas.
ters were Democrats and that through. the
auspices Of the Republican party he was
called into the light and Gbertyot Citizen
Iship. Hence, the one class are sill Demo.
crais and the other Republicans. Which
day is the most natural prejudice
Which has the greater excuse Ior blind
partisanship7 Let intelligent and candid
men answer. s .-+f
TALK WITH coLoRED PREACHER.
Speaking of the negro had conver.
sation with Tyler Frierson, local light
OF the colored Baptists along this coast.
He was here attending meeting Of the
Baptist Association ot the coast, and
went round to the Court House, in which
the sessions were held, to witness the pro-
ceediugs. An old slaveholder and ex,
Confederate Captain in the war, and a
rigid Democrat, introduced me to Frier-
son, and told me that he was first.class
mana good dman-who was doing good
and wise work among the colored people
barring his politics. Frierson is a full.
blooded negro and has had no assistance
whatever Of race mixture, like Bruce,
Lynch and Hill, three Of the noted mulatto
politicians Of this State, to boost him along.
He has had to paddle his own canoe from
the outset sgainst every obstacle OF wind
and tide, but he has made success OF his
career and has done. as much II not more
than any colored man in Mississippi to In.
spire hope and belief in the fnal capacity
and outcome OF his race. He could not
read when he was married, neither
he nor his wife, but they both
had ambition tn get on in the world, and
consequently on the second day aiten their
marriage they contracted With Q teacher
who came 10 their cabin after night-aiteF
the DAYS work was done aud taught them
10 read and write. Frierson has good
face and head and good address-aud his
gifts as church member, both Of heart
aad head, commended him to the atten.
. ton Of the white Baptists TO such an extent
that they supplemented bis own earnings
with an appropriation and enabled him to
get very fair education at Leland U niyer.
sity-a colored Institution At New Orleans.
asked him in regard TO the colored people
Of his diocese, as 10 how they were doing in
all respects, and could not but appreciate
the sensible and modest account he gave
me OF their record good and bad. He says
that they are improving slowly, like chill.
. dren who have much both 10 learn and
unlearn, but he can see the car otdsstiny
beginning 70 move slowly In the right
direction, and for this he thanks God and
takes courage to go on in his good work.
WHAT THg CoLoRED MAN OUGHT 10 DO.
Frierson belongs tothe category of the
!. Preacher Of Ecclesiastics, OF whom it Ia
said, Moreover the Preacher was wise and
!. still taught the people knowledge" He
i. follows the example Of Bishop Ireland, oI
! Minnesota, the practical Catholic Prelate
! Who looks 80 sharply after the material
interests Of his constituency. Het tryinl
to show them the way not only into
I. higher lite spiritually, but also TO induc'
| them to save their money, buy homes and
! become tillers Of the soil instead Of mert
!, nenials and servitors around the town
r and public places. gave him all the en-
!, courasement knew how, and among othel
things reminded him Of the trials and per
secutions OF the Jews all through the darI
/ and middle ages, even down 10 modern
times, and pointed out to him that they
had Il least conquered their unparalleled
fate through Ithelr great financial ken, In
, that way compelling the respect and con
ouering the recognition Of their rights al
. the hands Of power. So, said ], it may
possibly be with your race, II you are con
tent 10 wait and work-to let the white
, people manage the politics Of the State, q