Arkansas weekly mansion., 1884-01-12
WE ARE READY TO DISCUSS.

In an editorial of the 29th ult. we charged
that Hon. Fred Douglass and ex-senator
Bruce were misleading the coiored people,
viz: They advised the National committee
/ to indorse Justice Harlan's dissenting
! opinion on the civil rights decision. We
/ are now ready to discuss that matter with
/ any reasonable and fair-minded man or pa
per, but We desire to do so i'll fairness and
/ love. There is no colersu man in the cOuH-
/ try who loves his race more dearly than we.
| But we do not think it wise or prudent to
demand impossibilities or expect too much
/ at once, nor make the ignorant masses be-
lieve that they are entitled TO or can get
! what we know the American white people
! are not ready and willing to give at this
time. We are gaining prestige in the coun-
try aud our influences are felt within the
lines OF the republican party, but as soon
as we forget ourselves and get outside of
| the republican party We will loose our pres
tise and neither side will care for us.
! There are great many colOred people
who harbOr the idea that if they help the
| democrats into power that they will divide
the spoils with them, but in our opinion
they never were worse deceived. The
democrats who have been out in the cold
many democratic pets and friends to provide
for. As we were freed by the republican
party and they have Graded aud nursed us
from our infancy up and are now trying to
put US upon equal plane with other
American citizens, it would be folly for us
to think of fleeing to the democratic party,
for the purpose of asking them to cradle us
again. Ifthey even promise it they will not
Il .
lection at all. 1t is hard to mix oil and
water, but when you turn two streams of
clear water together in one hour afterwards
you can not tell the difference, and all will
30 tumbling down the stream together.
just what will be the result when we
draw out and allow the white republicans
and democrats of the south to form u COM
bination; then our rights Will not be re-
spected by either. If any changes are
needed. let each man affiliate with the side
or party from whom he thinks his interest
will be best subserved, and let us n longer
90 like flock OF sheep tumbing over the
fence or down the precipice. just because
they saw one eve going fitting down.
AS to Frederick Douglass, we are his
friend. and entertain no mean opinion of
him. but As he thinks the ma ority of the
Supreme Judges erred, he must admit that
he can err too. Wethnk enough is enough
and too much of any one thing is Injurious.
An occasional convention is right and
proper enough. hUt TOO many causes them
90 lie Of Hou-t ::rct and RS sounding brass
ANA q ;inhling- csmbni. We have had our
say new let us keen our cs,,e in The hands
O! cur rcpreSciI.atiS We, IN congress. and if
they forget We only forget them
~ a.
aud let lis no, make mucI fu.s while
they are trying to remedy the wrong; il
only arrays opposition.
la their las. ISSUE thr Pine Eiuii i;ep,b-
lican pitrIe int" ii in the following Ian
gua.":
THE Mansion seems a htiIc anxious
about DouSi - ant! Bruce misleading the
rolOred people. and also s.orteuinG their
tDoUgla~- and Brure'-) political dnvA. IL
may he that Congress i:.> app.intei a COM
miltcc whose ,iu.y i; sh.'l le 10 zee what
advice E.!cr au' Douglass hi":: been Civ
iIt, t. IA, but We shall wait and see for
ourselves before We believe it. We feel
confident that il tn. editor of the Mansion
could have ~irfl :. GO nmittee AZ pointed, he
would do 80, aHd h.. The editor, would lie
the chairman Of sad committee. We, IA
cOlOred insn. i"ti proiIi OF our representa-
tive met, cspe ,i..Hy they men who
have the nuti'ieHc" Of the whole country,
botG white aai black. (rXrept the editor OF
tackled without adding our protest against
IL. The whit. race have their representa-
tive M Ii, -ii,h "s senators B ward, a. II.
Harl4ud. Geo +. EdmGnis and VI. Anthony,
and until thee men b-tray the trust con-
ided in them. they. the white race, will
not ALLOW them a'tacacd without entering
their protest. :, with us, cine editor OF
the NJ ans: or excepted
What :. need most, people, is CONT
deDce anu pride in Oiir own race. We have
4 hard road to travel. and If We ever become
people who would command the respect
of the world it VIII be when the country
. finds us united rs one man for the Wpbuild-
ing of our race. If the white race gainsay
us, we look for it. If they attack Mr.. Doug
lass and Ex-senator I}ruce--which we have
not heard them do--that Is all right, but let
us stand by them AS good and worthy rep
( resentatives of our people,
We are sorry to see that the Pine Bluff
Republican is not stayable in sentiment.
A few days ago they indor>ed our Views,
which was that wealth and intelligence
is the key TO the situation" and concuripg
! in the opinion of the majority of the Judges
and the very next issue they are on the
other side, but did not dispute our version
of their editorial, so we took it for granted
that silence gave consent. They take great
pains to say that Douglass and Bruce are
our representative men, That it may be,
that Congress has appointed a committee
to see what sort OF advice that Douglass
and Bruce have been giving us, but they
will not believe until they see what the
white men say about it. Why Douglass
and Bruce have spoken; their ulterances
have gone to the world through the press.
Pray tell us what you want with u COM
mittee to say what they have advised us to
do: We are afraid that the editor Of the
Pine Bluff Republican thinks that we are
of more importance than Congress does
We say let's have mere facts and reality and
less red tape, and We will accomplish
great deal more. When We were standing
by Douglass our Pine Bluff friends were
fighting him--they have got most too good
all at once. They say that Douglass and
Bruce meet the approval of all-both white
and black--except the editor of the Man
sion. Then if the assertion is true, the
casting that in the negative would not
change the result.
Then we take it for granted that the
Richmond convention IN July next is to
nominate Bruce for president, and Doug
las for vice-president. Taking the Repub-
, lican's view of the situation, they will have
| no trouble in being elected.
As to the editor of the Mansion making
/ himself ch airman of a committee of inquiry
/ to find out what Douglass and Bruce want
or desire the colored people to dc, don't
| worry us in the least. When the editor of
| the Mansion il chairman of any committee
| or assemblage, it will be when the people
want his services worse than he wants the
! place. We don't seek unmerited hOnors,
! because we can merit more honor than we
| can easily carry. To honor great men Tor