Savannah weekly echo., 1884-02-10
Ills MARRIAGE VENTILATED I!
THE GOLDEN EGG CRUSHED |
HIS STRONG GRASP ON THE NEGRO
RACE AS A PARTY LEADER LOST
ETERNALLY
BETWEEN TWO GIIlFs EE STAND!
I'd FACE THE COMING STORM /!
AN INTERVIEW.

Capt j. A. Sykes, one of the risino
young men Of Georgia and one Of the
most popular and favored son of Chat,
ham, being in the city last week, our re-
porter met him when the following in
teryiew was had.
I "CaPt- Sykes, what do you think Of
the marriage Of Fred Douglass ?"
i'll think It an unfortunate thing for
him While every man has the right
e marry whomsoever he pleases, that
does not necessarily make the union a
popular or respectable one. Then again:
the acts and doiDgs Of men are measur
cd by their prominence and cercumstan.
ces. If Mr.. Douglass was man Of
,ittle note, his marrying white woman
would not have been noticed. But he
who TOR years have posed as the leader
ot nationality, and the title of which |
has never been questioned or disputed
takes unto himself wife Of another race
when they are 50 many of his own rae.
that Is far the superior of the one he
| choSed II an unfortunate thing for him
as leader.
Do you think it Will cost him the
ltade ship Of the race I?
"I certainly do. He has lost all
claim upon that p, sition Let him be
leader il his new departure. He who
thInks hinsalf above a race of people
san MT expect to lead that people. If
i was necessary To hold National :
Convention Of Colyred men" it was alb
so!utely necessary 70 have National Col )
orcd men and leaders But in what
degree Of respect could colored men
hoId man AS their leader, who saw fit
to scoIn their race, and trust himself
upon the lower clements Of VIII te society.
i'or certainly no white woman of the
hlgher order OF American society would !.
marry lln, ed man, no matter to what
I xtent ms reputation and wealth ex- n
tended. He has said BY his marriage
that among all the daughters of Africa :,
none Of them are GOOD enough for my :
Wie. And who are these colored ladie, \
but the children Of the race from which -
he sprang, and Of which he was a leader.
II they are sighted, must not the race
De1 lie who is not for us, is against
n. Gould we, without loosing our self
'espect, recognize man as our leader,
when he thinks himself above us, and -
loes not even think enough of the race "
N marry one Of its number? Suppose, =
or instance, that Mr. Parnell, should U
reed wife aud goes and marries col ~
red woman, what do you think the !,
'ountry would think Of him? The u
rish would denounce him and burn W
i'm in etfigy, notwithstanding he is u
heir great leader | refer to the Irish.
'ecause they are engaged in the ea,ao
rand heroic struggle OF freedom as we ba
re II theslaW OF nature and of decen- 40
y, enioins upon the white man the 6,
uty 70 PR serve the purity of his race, n
hold, that it enjoins the same duty III
pom the colored man, for nature unlike
len makes no distinction in the en- e,
,rcement Of its laws A white man
ever marries a colored lady no matter 1
ow highly respectable, unless he is a.
lthout the pale Of society and respect T.,
his race and then it is seldom heard.
Scept the woman possesses more than
Dmmon wealth and he has desire to
II hold ofit. We'll, Mr. Douglass is in Go
II dota2e, and his Iate~t sun is sinking OF
ist, soon it will set to rise no more. liv
nen, perhaps Mrs Douglass will be the re;
ie VI some white man aud they will do
Ne ii Style off the fortune of Old Man Of
'ousla>s. This marriage Of his will
feet the sale Of the ''Life and times of ms
red Douglass Yes sir, it has covered 20
i declining years with shadow 1t cal
lay b. that she thinks it is better to be
le darling Of rich colored man than ca
" Slave ot poor white one"