Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-04-06
Is THE NEGRO EMANCIPATED ,

based for him at the expense OF so many |
recious lives and such vast amount of the
ation's wealth. If his condition his not
een improved, has the negro been truly
These are questions which
demand the earnest consideration of the peo-
'le, for they arise from and are supported by
indoubted facts in the present condition OF
he freedmen at the South. The question is
not ms 10 the institution of slavcry-for that,
1l course, is abolished by the universal scnti-
ment Of m enlightened agc-but us to whcth-
or the negro has yet been thoroughly enamel
patcd in this country; whether there is not
yet something lacking in himself, Or in the ma
tons provision for him, which prevents his
being called truly free man and n citizen of
the republic.
Nearly twenty years ago the negro
was omanciratcd. Great was the
rejoicing among all advocates of
human freedom throughout the world,
and glowing predictions were made Of thcad-
vance of the negro race in civilization and IN
ill'iul oNilul 'litlllllNc, INV ilhe wv sur
ling yoke of slavery was taken from his neck.
But how has the negro succeeded, in this
probationary score of years 1t was not to
be expected that he would rise much above
his former condition in fvcycars, or in ten
but in twenty? Yes, the people thought that
in twenty years the negro might begin to en-
ter upon the advantages and privileges of
American citizenship. How is it to-day ?
According to the testimony of the South, the
negro stands intellectually and morally, just
about where he did twenty years ago, and
industrially, far below the standard of the
old slave days. The old colorcd sire
and his holpmcet, who well remember
the days Of bondage - 'thc flesh pots
and tue time when they did cat bread to the
full"-shake their heads when asked If all is
well with them. and talk of what now seem
better days.
The negro, in the days Of slavery, was at
least industrious, and probably much more
honest than he is to-day. Now that he las
the care OF himself and his family upon his
own shoulders, he is tempted to exercise
the privileges of freedom aud the
tendencies of his own disposition.
lie has grown lazy; he lives too
much by theft and hand to-mouth
improvidence. The negro comes of an in
dolcnt race. The tropic slothfulness of his
ancestors still fingers in his veins Now that
he has escaped the watchful eye and the
lash of the ovcrsecr, he is inclined to labor
and rest according to his own sweet will I;
and 10 his calendar Sunday, or rather fishing
day, comes six or seven times a week. 1t is
true that this picture does not apply to the
whole negro race. Those who have emigrat-
cd TO other parts of the country, and come
into contact with bustling northern and west
crn thrift, have largely thrown of the desire
for an easy, shftlcss life, and are munfGlly
and hcnorahly laboring, shoulder to shoulder
with their white brethren, for the good of
the general community. Even in the South
there are few of the cmancipatcd race who
have entered upon their new privileges and
responsibilities with an enterprise aud vigor
which has raised them high above the gen.
eral level of their people, and entitled them
to the respect and honor Of the communities
in which they live. But the great mass OF
the negroes of the South arc MS we have de-
scribcd them, shiftless dishonest and de-
graded, with no desire to help themselves,
or to be helped by others. So the question
is n pertinent one, when we ask, has the
negro been really cmancipatcd by the Ameri-
can people! Have We not stopped short of
our duty 10 the race that we have wronged;
Let us glance At one or two of the glazing
needs of the negro in the South, and ques-
ton whether it does not belong to us TO sup
ply them.
In the first place, the negro has labored
under great social disadvantages. His need
Of sympathy and friendliness has been in
tense, but lac has failed to find it. lie was
thrown upon his own resources suddenly,
among people not only at enmity with him
but who thoroughly dospised and distrusted
him. To succeed against such disheartening
aud unrelenting opposition, what superior
qualities of energy and perseverance ought
The cmancipatcd race to have possessed. But
hcse are precisely the natural qualities which
the negro lacks. lie had no sympathy; no
one lent him helping hand, and so he he
went down. 1t is SO to-day. The people of
The South will never get over their ranking
and hatred for the race. The ne
gro is kept down by the most cTectual of all
social dead. woights-a chilling and unrelcnt-
ing contempt. The North should do what it
can to encourage the dospiscd negro; to show
him, that there are those who value him at what
he really is, who appreciate his difficulties,
md who arc not ashamed to work with him,
and teach him, and show him the way out of
his troubles. This is the plain duty cf Nor
lhern residents of the South and OF Southern
people who sympathizc with the work Of the
North.
Again, the negro lacks industrial opportu-
mites, True, he eau send his children to
school, but by the time they learn to read and
write they must begin to earn their own liv-
ing. The boys have learned no trade, so they
must go to the axe or plow, or take their
place in the cotton field, while the girls CON-
mencc to cook, or wash and iron. Their
does them little good, what in
struc,ion they have received they are unable
to apply. The negro needs industrial schools
II