The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-05-18
A CoIored Orators lNis,ake.

A negro citizen OF Massachusetts the Hon.
GEORGE W. Williams, favors us with a
copy OF an Grafton which he has recently
delivered In Washington on Tine Negro as a
Political Problem" He thinks that the
BLAIR Educational bill is "the grandcst
measure OF our times"
"whst we want 10 more light In America. The cleo,
trlc light In the Of washinstoa than your
police force. Light In this country 10 more than
army stretching from Lake Iasoa to where the Nisss
sipi mnges his golden thread In the deep bue Of the
Gulf Of Mexico; more than navy ovsrshadowng
the ocean"
He thinks that the negro voters must Or
ganize for self-protection, but not to wreak
vengeance for the injuries Of the past:
"Revenze has been suggested by some mndcsps. Con
forbid! We are hut handful In this country. and
must not destroy our reputation for sentsnesA The
has taught the world the gospel Of forgiveness
Seven million may not hope to strike at forty
three million whites"
The Hon. Mr.. WILLIAMS reminds bis col
ored fellow citizens that Gen. GRANT owed
his election In 1868 and In 1877 "to the patri-
otto fidelity OF tho negro voters OF the South"
that tho negro members Of tho Returning
Boards In Louisiana and Florida Saved tho
Republican party In 1885," and that GAR
FIELDS election was duo to the colorod vote
In the Northern States What tho race needs
now Is now leaders:
SHOT the time serving lnksplttle not the sefseskius
parasite not the obsequous, erinsins gobstween, not
swagxernG insolence skulking cowSrdlce In leader
ship. nor any who 10 either ashamed Of being or
enough to deny that he H. negro We want, we
demand Leaders, hrst OF al. who ashamed Of the
who are possessed OF brains character courage
zea and tact We want leaders who know the history
- NvtsI
who can from that history. draw inspiration for the
great work to be accomplished. We demand leaders
who viii neither touch taste, aor hsndls put to
their ncshbors lips In private public, at home or
abroad on laad or sea the seeurssd cup Of drink"
It Is somewhat discouraging to find that
an orator 80 eloquent, so fully convinced Of
the value Of historical knowledge. so for
bearing In his attitude toward tho forty
thres million whites, and so hostile to rum,
may at the same time be exceedingly mac
curate In his presentation OF facts. The
Hon. Mr.. WILLIAMS informs his readers that
In ton Northern States, namely, Connecticut,
Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts,,
Michigan. New Jersey, Now York, Ohio, and
Pennsylvania, there are nearly ono million
colored people" "We have" he adds. "at
least three hundred thousand votes In these
States" Now, as matter OF fact,
| the census shows that In 1880 the
entire co!ored population OF the ten
States was only 443,439. The Hon. Mr..
WILLIAMS figures from the census colored
population Of 935, sis, or more than twice the
actual number With astonishing careless
ness no has credited New York State with
53l,277 negroes. There were, In truth, only
| 65,I0i, and the larger number belongs ia
Nortn Carolina. He has aiso nearly doubled
the colurci population ~ New Jersey.
F.. A. to his 1Oo.0JJ n,sro votes in the ten