The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-07-21
The Negroes Mistake.


The grievances to be considered at the
next September convention of negroes,
called to meet at Washington, cover
good deal of ground. Formulated in
five counts, they are thus set forth:
]. Negro labor at the South is not fairly 70
munerated. The Southern negro is not pro-
tected by law in the collection of money due
2. In most parts of the country the negro
does not have fair show In the public
3. The negro is not protected in his civil
rights. notwithstanding the laws passed by
T. His political rights are ignored. Six and
half millions of people are without repre-
s. The negro does not get his share of Exec
utive protection and encouragement
What is not false in these five counts
is true because in the nature OF things
it could not be otherwise. The first
complaint is false. If the negro in the
South is not fairly paid for his labor,
why does he not work for himself? In
the whole world there is not spot
where less capital is required for man
to become a proprietor. The price Of
land is nominal; the climate is mild;
food products mature quickly; very lit
tie clothing and fuel are required, and a
thrifty or self-reliant man could impro-
wise shelter in few hours. The ne
groes have experience in the agriculture
of that section, and need no years of
trial and training. 1t is literally to pro-
claim themselves what, in fact, they are
-an incapable, dependent race by ma
ture-to say they are not fairly paid for
their labor. All the conventions which
may assemble between this and the
millennium viii not change the de-
ficiencies of the negro character by in
dulging complaints against others.
The complaint that the negro does not
have fair show in the public schools is
a misstatement of fact. He is not an
equal in the public schools of the whites
in any portion of America. 1t is, there
fore, misleading to apply the complaint
to "most parts of the country" But
that he has far more school privileges
in every part of the country than he
pays for, or is ever likely to pay for, is
a fact not disputed at all by any one
who pretends to know the truth. In
this respect he is far better off than
white people who have no schools they
do not themselves support. 1t is lack
of capacity and inclination that pre-
vents negroes generally from acquiring
all the education that is needful in the
ordinary walks of life. 1t is absolutely
certain that no convention will be able
to amend the status of negroes ma
terially in this respect by formulating
indictments against the whites.
AS to his civil rights, the negro is de-
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progress or add to his comfort. He is
not permitted to enjoy, on terms of
equality. the society of the white peo-
pie. He never will be accorded this
privilege, if he persists in regarding it a
privilege. 1t should be to him no priv
ilege. Unless the race, as q mass, can
be brought to regard their own society
as equal to that of other races in like
circumstances and with like advantages,
they will remain unfit for the recogni-
ton they pine for. There is nothing in
the third count but confession that all
that is true in it ought to be and re-
main true. The way out of such an
embarrassment is not to complain of it.
The fourth count, that six and half
millions of negroes are not represented
in Congress, is untrue according to the
American theory of popular govern
ment They vote and are counted in
the superintendent of political power
and are therefore represented. That
they do not send negroes to the popular
branch of Congress in proportion to
their numbers, that is to say thirty
seven of the three hundred and twenty
five constituting the National House OF
Representatives, is truth as fortunate
for them as it is for the rest of the peo-
pie of the country. Instead of it being
matter of just complaint that they are
not allowed to hold the balance OF
power in the Government of the Union,
their highest good is subserved by their
exclusion from duties they are wholly
incapable of wisely performing.
The fifth complaint is sort of gene
raj statement of those embraced in the
four preceding. 1t is not exactly plain
what is meant by Executive encourage
ment." If it means that negroes do not
get their share of the offices, the COM
plant is frivolous. Itmight be met with
demurrer. If it is true, it constitutes
no real grievance. 1t is not to the adj
vantage of any class to hold appointive
Offices, and most of all to hold offices for
which they are not specially qualified.
This meeting at Washington is called
by the foremost men of the negro race,
notably Fred. Douglas and George Will
Jams, author of a history of his race in
America The questions TO be consid-
cred to which we have alluded were
chosen by them. 1t it not difficult to see
they have made mistake. If they had
included among the objects of the con-
yention an inquiry into the reasons why
negroes do not more generally become
proprietors; why they almost universally
continue when in contact with the whites
to seek mental pursuits: why, initiative
as they conspicuously are, they do not
imbibe a stricter regard for marital
rights and honor; why they do not
develop some independence and indi-