The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-10-21
The Negroes and the Democrats.

The Negroes and the Democrats.
Give the negroes seats In the theatre TO
themselves. Let them have hotels and
boarding-bouses OF their own, rs well as
churches. Let them have eJcn places OF
amusement OF their own II they desire
such. Let them have schools and manage
the same themselves. Let them have all
their rights. No white man wishes TO do
any wrong 90 the negroes lie asks
them TO treat him rs he treats them
Let the negroes be as exclusive
ne they will. They have the same
right to refuse to lei white men come
into their theatres, churches, &C., that the
white men have 20 refuse to let negroes
come into theirs. There Is NJ difference
whatever between the rights of the negro
and The rights OF the whites. Why, then,
should the negro be all the time trying to
force himself into white peoples COM
pany ?-into association with m(n who do
not desire negro society? How does it
happen that The white men never ask for
laws giving them the privilege O. meeting
with negroes in hotels, churches, theatres,
railroad cars, &C.?
Let the negroes ponder these facts well
and learn lesson Of seli-rospec. They
have. we repeat, every right which the
white man has. All that they complain Of
is in effect that the whites regari them
selves as superior to the negroes. so they
do. Even Yankee ALLEN in q recent
speech told the negroes Of King William
county that he did not consider then as his
equals morally or mentally. There is no
harm in such a delusion, ii ii be delusiOn
to suppose that white men are bette than
negroes on the other hand, there is no
harm in saying so if it is the truth; and
consequently no harm in acting upon that
truth. The negro has the full perm ssion
al every white man to he, if he chooses,
even more exclusive than his white neigh
bOrs.
what the southern people objected % in
connection with the late civi-rigbts law is
well stated by the Atlanta tGs.) COns.i!u-
f;on in the following paragraphs:
For years this bill hung as menace
over the peace Of our people. They Lave
said but little about it. because it was a
subject on which but little could be said
with prudence and wisdom. But, without
words, they have determined that the So
cial equality contemplated by this infamous
and malignant bill could never. and should
never, be put into practice. This deter
minatiOn was n fact that did not need fp-
neal, and did not admit OF argument. The
people quietly and solemnly made up their
minds that at no cost and at no haZa'd
Should the provisions OF the bill be carried
out.
"At no time was there any purpose 10
do the negro injustice. We have always
argued that he should be treated fairly AMI
honestly. The accommodations offered him
should be worth the money he is asked 10
nav for them. II was against the mischiey-
Gus intrusion Of the negro into places SCI
apart for the white people that we pro-
tested.
at now behooves the South TO show to
the world that she is capable OF doing the
negro fullest and amplest justice without
the fear OF any impending statute"
We second this last suggestion. Indeed,
thc Democrats Of Virginia, as il by lucky
hit anticipating the late decision OF the SUI
prcme Court on the uhiect OF civil rights,
did, in their State Convention assembled,
make last July to the negroes more liberal
proposition than has ever been made to
them, so far as we know, in any other
State, North or South, Republican or Demo
cratic. The proposition stands open await
ing their acceptance Of it. II is that the
negroes shall have the management Of all
the negro schools in Virginia upon condi-
ton that they allow the whites to manage
the white schools, 1t is that the whites
will pay ninc-.euths OF the cost of all the
schools, white and black, il the negroes
will but content themselves with negro
trustees and negro teachers for their own
schools.
We call the attention Of the northern
people TO the facts above recited. If Ni-
Cinia Democrats are BOurbons," what
are northern Republicans and Virginia ne
groes! Was there ever such blindness as
these negroes manifest in refusing to close
in with the terms offered TO them by the
whites OF Virginia?