The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-02-05
TaE RACE PROBLEM.
A West Virginia Colored Man Lays Hold
of the subject With vigor.

THE kACE PROBLEm.
A West Virginia CoIored Nun Lays Hold
ofthe subject with vigor..
To the Editor Of the IntelliEencer.
Sin: My attention was called to an ar
ticle in the INTRLLlGEScRR Of a few days
ago under the title Of "The Race Problem
in the South" in which one Prof. E. w.
Gilllm, attempts the solution Of the vexed
question, but, like all Of his illustrious
predecessors, fails utterly. A philosopher
who attempts the solution OF problem
hitherto unsolved, must lay his hypothesis
clear Of preconceived notions. Plato, at
tempting to inaugurate new system Of
morals for classic Greece, was wrecked
upon the same sand shore. 1t is hard even
for the philosopher to steer clear Of the
channel Of popular thought. A notion
peryades the Southern mind that the
man is licentious cuss, who must always
have q shotgun at his breast to check him
or a bull whip at his back to urge him
forward. Now, il this gentleman with
wig full OF lore, could only drop his pre-
conceived notions, and get out OF the
channel OF popular thought, conceive a
few new ideas, he might be well qualified
to offer suggestions. know the question
is troublesome one, and 1t gives intelli.
gent colored men no little degree OF con-
Germ. The Caucasian race everywhere
shudders at the notion Of NEGRO DONNA.
tom eH, s.'
But all this cutlery is more matter Of
moonshine than anything else. 1t is hardly
possible that the colored race will get DOM
ination in any section OF this country in
the next hundred years, and such scare.
crows have more existence In the nervous
fancy OF southern sophistry than anywhere
else. They know, however Ia guilty con.
science needs no accuser) that the South
owes her colored population millions oil
dollars, and no doubt their Imagination,
prompted by q sharp conscience, can pic
ture out almost any kind OF q fabulous
future. Buying futures is risky business.
II would be far more Christianlike and
philosophic, for the Professor, to suggest
that each State Legislature decree that a
special fund be created by leyying tax on
each former slave holder. Which could
be handily designated-if the Professor
please-as Niger dollars, in remembrance
Of special tax levied on free coIored men
before the war, for the privilege Of residing
in the territory blessed by the divine in.
sttution OF slavery. This fund to be kind
OF back pay for the millions the South owes
the freedmen, and to be used for the pur-
chasing OF small holdings for the same.
The conscience OF the South goads 1t, and
no doubt it would dump the freedmen
into Central America, or the ocean, either,
with its soft white hand Of charity. But
neither will cancel the debt, 1t will hang
about their necks like milestone in this
world, and as the God worship Is Judge
OF nations as well as individuals in the
world to come, the great Ocean Of Eternity
in its ebullitions will-like the iar.of Red
sea after the crossing Of the children Of
Israel and the destruction OF Pharaoh
carry up, here hand, and there, the frag.
ment OF a chariot wheel, as mementoes Of
the vengeance OF outraged justice, who has
already written with the pen OF fire on the
Intel Of their doors, "Pay your debts"
The Emperor Of Russia who was called
'The greatest tyrant III the world" made q
limited provision for the subsistence OF the
emancipated seris until by the aid Of State
loans on long time ut Q per cent they were
able to purchase small holdings. II the
greatest tyrant in the world could con-
descend to do this, much more should be
expected OF free Christian Americans. The
freedmen is the most pacific and harmless
element OF the State as will be eventually
demonstrated. The perpetrators Of lawless
outrages and authors OF mob.violence in
the South, whom the Professor seems to
intimate are so essential to the preservation
OF order and in laying wholesome check
upon the iorwardness Of the freshmen, has
been and is to-day far more dangerous
element to the perpetuity OF the social in
stitutions OF the South than the freedmen
ever can be. And the time Is fast coming
when 1t will require the strong arm OF the
law to hold this same element In subJec.
ton. Many schemes Of colonization have
been inaugurated, but they have all tailed.
Prof. Gillim proposes to send them to Cen.
tral America. l wish to. ask who is going 10
incur the expenses Of transporting six
million persons Not the Pro essor, GER
tainiy, ior he don't believe in paying debts
when a colored man Is the creditor, sec.
only are the authorities OF the several
Central American States, ready or willing,
10 receive so large an accession Of foreign
Again arc we to go without securing a
first equivalent for the property we have
been fortunate enough to accumulate In
the face Of immense odds. In the State OF
Georgia, which, according to the last cen;
sus, has n population Of 725,lSs colored
persons, we pay taxes on over S7,OOO,OOO
worth Of property, taking the circumstances
into the grouping, this Is doing quite wei!
since the war, and think such class Of
citizens are an advantage to any common:
wealth, be they black or white. would
like to say to the Professor, better let the
colored man live honestly, and to = ounto
his neishbor as he would be done by" by
paving him what you and your pater-
nal grand fathers, paternal and father owe
him, in order that he may have the meansto
bny a small home, educate his children
and make them good citizens, an honor to
and monument to Southern
civilization. Do this, and when the next
csntury, shall have closed much Of the