The Washington bee., 1886-09-18

waged warmer and warmer among
the once would be leaders, until
today we can hardly point to two.
who entertain sentiments of honest
friendship toward each other. So
that it seems that the only ser
vice (?) which our old so-called
leaders were, was that of doling out
the lOaves and fishes to those OF
their personal acquaintance. This
at least seems so, If there is today
any need of leaders; for we find
that each of them has folded his
tent and silently stolen into the
shade, to await the return of the
sunshine of republicanism. They
have left their constituencies, their
friends and their homes and are
foraging in strange places and
among strange people for those ar
ticles which insure ease and CON-
fort.
They have fed from the people
who, when they were able, confer
red upon them all the honors and
profits which they could bestow.
These so.called leaders are
now in Washington, New York,
Boston and Detroit, resting behind
the prejudice-proof bulwarks of
the north and boasting in the light
of an already liberalized sentiment,
while there once deluded followers
are left to stern the tide, to fight
their battles, without leaders and
to liberalize sentiment without ad-
vice and cooperation. 1t may be
that those leaders believe that there
is no need of leadership just now.
Ii so, they may be excused in so
far as 1t relates to their disposition !;
but there can be no excuse for so
gross an error of judgement. If
there ever was a time when the
colored people needed a bold, wise
and great leader, that time is now.
There is a great revolution going
on among the colored people. 1t
is confind entirely to that of
thought and manifests itselr at ev.
cry point. The mind of the color
ed people is under-g going a peculiar
growth, one fostered by social and
political currents and counter cur
rents which if not carefully trained
will make union and race pride
among the things of the past.
New isms are being hatched, new
societies are being formed, some
looking toward universal enlight-
ment and progress and Others to-
ward universal chaos all possessing
forms and Offering inducements
more or less attractive to the col.
ored people.
To give impetus to revolution
and at the same time to throw it
into the proper channels aud drifts
requires master mind. MOreOv-
er the work of advancessy the ma
terial and political interests of the
people of the south remains to be
accomplished. The old leaders
have thrown down their arms and
skulked away into the sanctuarys
of miserable le neutrality, while the
facilities for organization are the
same as ever. The question now
is, who lis to take the places of
those who have fed from their
posts of duty? Are we to drift
along, Until a change of admins.
tration induces those who were
once our leaders, to buckle on
their armOr and wage doubtful
warfare until the Federal pap again
gives out? Or, can we not now
find leader or a number of them.
who have the manhood, the wis
dom and moral influence to success
fully lead US against those Oppos-
ing parties and institutions which
stand in the way of our full citizen
ship and manhood? Should such
a leader appear on the scene? Let
it be understood that those, who
was the badge of honor in times of
prosperity and were not brave
enough to honor the bage i'm times
of need shall receive no support
but be ever met with the combin-
ed opposition of the masses.