The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1884-12-10
WHAT THEY REALLY FEAR.
Not n Return to Slavery, But the Loss
OF Privileges.

Grcenvillc Railroad the other day DIR
chased copy of your valuable, or, rath-
or, invaluable paper, and found m en-
tract from the Palmetto Press concern
ing the treatment Of the colorcd people
IN the South and their being reduced to
slavery again in case Of the Democrats
getting in possession Of the National or
Federal Government, &c. The sub
stance Of the "commcnt' on the article
in question (ike many other things said
in your columns in our behalO is an cx-
ccilent article, but why may we not be-
lIevc that our case will be bad one if
left in the hands Of this party?
We don't believe that We are to be
placed in the same condition of seryi-
tude, but We believe that many of our
privileges will be taken from us, and
we'll may we believe so when We can
already hear white men of the party
standing on the streets planning ou what
they intend to do when Cleveland goes
into the ''White House,
Your humble correspondent heard
white man say the other day that the
loafcrs would soon be put to work now
that the Democrats had got possession of
the rcins. OF course he referred to the
negro. Let us occupy whatever position
we may, SO long rs it is not between the
plough handles, we are considered loaf
ers, and arc entitled to no respect by the
majority Of our white population.
1t the Democratic party would put
their most conservative men in office, We
could readily believe they meant to treat
us with fairness, but they send their bit
tcrcst men to the most important places.
We don't care whether we have colorcd
Representatives in the Congressional
and Legislative halls or not since We have
somebody that sympathiscs with our
condition but does Col. D. Wyatt Aiken
or Gen: NJ. Z: Butler care anything for
us? What did Col. Aiken say aboHt us
in Grcenville last year when he was in
vited there to make IN agricultural adj
dress :" He was SO anxious to get
hold of the poor negro until he could
not let him rest that little time.
Our confidence is not to be won by
abuse aud Misrepresentation. True.
many of my people do things which are
unbecoming, but we are not all to be
condemned for that. Place any other
race Of mankind in our former condition
| for 243 years, and then tnrn them loose
and see if they will be what they ought
to be in 10 or Is years. say 10 or Is
years. because it was 5 years, ut least,
| after we we're freed before the sbush.
whackcrs" stopped, and in many of the
more remote places, even now, they club
together and bent colorcd men whom
they call Saucy.
l said that we cared not whether we
were represented by our own race or not,
but In one thing particular we do care,
and that is on the boards Of school trus-
| tees. We are denied this privilege, and
in many cases, teachers holding certifi-
Gates and selected by the patrons, are
rejected by the trustees on account of
some prejudice Of theirs. Under Re-
publican rule the boards generally con-
sisted of two whites and one colored
man, and we think we might be allowed
one man on each board now.
In some of the counties in the State
the colored teachers are subjected to all
the partialty and insults possible by the
School Commissioners. Especially is
this the case in Grcenvillc and Anderson
counties, but even the white people have
shown such men that they are tired Of
them by calmly laying them on the shelf
and filling their places with mere con-
Scrvative men.
True the colorcd teachers arc inferior -
many Of them learnt what little they
know by lightwood knots, &C., but the
Commissioners just mentioned were al
| ways indiSpOscd to give them what was
really due them. The best men have
beer driven out Of the profession in
these counties by their partiality. lam
not in the business now and never ex-
pcct to be again, but speak for those
who are to fill this position. have
tried to teach in both Of these and also
in Spartanburg county, but there could
be nothing said against Mr.. Chapman.
We always try to treat our white
friends with respect and manners, and
especially those in places of trust and
honor, but we generally find the cold
shoulder turned to us in return. Gen.
Washington and another man were
riding in buggy one time, and they met
colored man, who raised his hat to
them. The General took off his hat in
return. why, General" said the other
demon in human form, do you. take off
your hat to speak to negro ?" "Of
course : do," replied the General, "do
you suppose J could allow an inferior be-
ing to have more manners than have ?'
Now, don't mention this action Of
the Father Of our country" and founder
Of our Government because think that
our white friends ought to do so now,
but do think that when we have bust
ness in the offices and with the officers
we help to support, we should receive
the courtesy due US. Nessrs. Todd and
Kennedy will soon have to do like other
selfish men have done-step down and
out-and let their Successors, who arc
regarded as better men, take thoir
places. 49,.
Let our white friends learn that the
foe is not to be converted into friend
by hard bio Ms and partial treatment.
Yours respectfully,