The Baltimore County union., 1884-01-19
WNsIsi3sgfO2a's COIOTed
People.
SELECT SOCIAL CIRCLES SEPARATE FROM
THE WHITE SOCIETY OF THE CAPITAL.

THE WHITE SOCIETY OF THE CAPITAL.
Washington Correspondence Ne,O York San.
There are 65, 900 colored people in
Washington. In no city in the United
States, not even New Orleans, is there
a larger colored population. Many of
them have settled here since the civil
war ended. A better opportunity can
be nowhere found for studying the effect
of freedom and the legislation SUBJ
sequent to it than here. The colored
people here enjoy all the social and
political rights that law can give them,
without protest and without annoyance.
The public conveyances are open to
them, and the theatres, the jury box,
the spoils of party power, are theirs
Many of these men are wealthy, and the
aggregate wealth of the colored property
| owners in the District amounts to mil
lions of dollors. Hundreds own com
Portable homes, and some handsome
residences their churches are many,
including three or four buildings that
are ornaments to the city. AS class
they are industrious find plenty to do,
and are beginning to show capacity for
thrift and saving.
But the color line is rigidly drawn in
what is known as society. Wealth,
learning, official place, give no colored
family the right or privilege of entering
the best or the commonest white society
on terms of equality or endurance. In
| this respect the colored race lives as
separate and as exclusive life as in
the days of slavery, and, as q drop of
African blood was once held to make a
man negro, so now it taints him and
makes an insurmountable barrier against
social recognition The most striking
| illustration of the tendency of the race
to initiate the white people is seen in
their own social rules, classes and Gus
toms. First of all we find that in this
large colored community social lines
are as rigidly drawn as they are be-
tween themselves and the white society
of the West End. There are three
recognized social classes among the
colored people. Neither acknowledges
the others, and it is the ambition of
those in the lower to be received in the
higher circles, just as among the whites.
The upper crust, SO to speak, consists
of men of wealth, learning, and high
political place. These people exchange
calls, with all the ceremony of the
whites, some of them driving in their
own carriages, leaving cards with
scrupulous attention to etiquette
They dine with each other, and are
waited upon by colored servants with
whom they will permit no other rela
tions than those of master and servant.
Probably the leading family in the
highest colored society here is that of
ex Senator Bruce, who is now the Regis
ter of the Treasury. Bruce is light
complexioned, intelligent looking man.
| thousand dollars. He lives in hadsome
house that he owns on M street. 1t is
richly furnished A superb piano
stands in the reception room, and
choice collection of books lines the
wall of the library. Mrs. Bruce is
handsome woman, with not suggestion
of her race in her face, and whose man
ners are regarded as the consummation
of ease, grace and courtesy. She dresses
as richly and handsomely as any woman
in the city, In official circles Mr.. Bruce
is always received with courtesy, and as
political equal, but there the line is
drawn. Mr.. Bruce entertains his friends
handsomely, and his wife pays and re-
ceives calls from those of her select set
with unvarying regard for prevailing
etiquette. Another member of this
social circle is John I. Cook, the col
.lector of taxes for the District. He
lives in excellent style and entertains
handsomely. Prof. ]. M. Gregory, pro-
fessor of Latin at the Howard University,
and John NJ I.angston, the Minister
of Hayti, with their families, are recog
nized members of the best colored
society, while Dr. Charles B. Purvis's
society and that OF his wife are eagerly
sought.
DR.. Purvis is very busy man, being
the surgeon in charge of the Freedman's
Hospital and the Professor of Materia
Medica at the hospital school Nearly
all of his scholars are white. DR.. A. /.
Augusta and his wife also are received
in the highest circle of colored society,
while q. Augusta as a physician COM
mands the respect of his white brethren
in the profession. Mr. Henry Smith,
for many years the Librarian of the
House of Representatives, entertains
great deal, and his wife calls in her own
carriage. r. T. Greener, member OF
the District bar and graduate of
Howard, and his wife, who is an accom-
plished musician, are much in society.
The Rev. DR.. Alex Crummel, rector
of the leading colored church of the
Episcopalian denomination, is always
welcomed. He is regarded as the most
learned colored man in the District,
and is highly respected by the white
clergy of his denomination. Of course
Fred Douglass ranks as the leading
colored man of the District, but he
goes but little into society. He lives
on his fine estate on the Eastern Branch
of the Potomac. Douglass is worth
about 5000, 900. While his wealth and
ability make him easily the foremost
man of his race he is not popular. He
is regarded as guilty of the same sins
toward the colored men of which he
accuses the whites, namely, refusal to
recognize them or have personal rela-
tions with them.
Mr.. M. M. Holland, who is an officer
in the Postofice Department, is said to
be the best classical scholar in the Dis
trict, and his attainmentS bring him the
HIGHEST social RECOGNITION of his people.