National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-27
TIE NEGRO PROBLEM.

Prom the Pen of Ex-Uongressman
Robert t. Van Horn, Editor Kansas
city "Journal."
Recent events have brought the question
Of the colored race In this country once
moro to the front as an unso,ved problem.
And why has II not been laid In the grave
twenty years, since the war made the negro
freeY Simply because the negro has not
had the liberty TO take care OF himself, has
not had the practical accord given him OF
his natural rights. He is great deal bet
ter OIL In many places and has made mar
velous progress, but in large portions OF
the republic he is still prescribed and
down-trodden man. There lie not an intel
ligent citizen who knows his own rights,
but also knows that so far rs millions OF
negroes are concerned they are denied their
natural rights because they are negroes. In
certain large districts Of country, the life OF
negro is forfeit II he attempts to exercise
the plain rights and privileges OF citizen
ship with which the constitution and laws
endow him.
The practical question that faces the peo-
pie OF the United States is just this In GER
tain districts the negro must abdicate his
civil rights or the white man VIII kill him.
The massacre at Carrollton, Miss, Is case
in point ana It only differs from scores of
like deeds in that II was done in open day
IN court house, and In presence of the
court. II had the sanction OF judicial
presence, and was exceptional only In that.
Now, II will not do TO say this Is wrong
for Of course IL is. II will not do TO say
that they ought not to do so-for they
ought not. But the men are killed and
will continue to be killed. AS In the story
Of the fellow in jail, who was told by his
lawyer that they had no right TO put him
there, met the legal question with the
practical one-but l am In here. So It is
with the negro-they do kill him. And
what Is TO be done2 Are we TO abandon
him, or are we to protect him and remedy
the wrongY
II we abandon him, sooner or later our
Gin will find us out Thomas jefferson said
Of slavery that he trembed when he re-
Elected God was Just. But human cupldity
and cowardice refused to listen. Still the
justice Of God found expression at Apo
mattox. We may be deaf to the cry OF
these murdered men to-day, but some day
the same inexorable justice will vindicate
itself Men must stop long enough from
the pursuit Of the dollar to see that justice
is done to those who cannot exact 1t for
themselves. ..
There is movement on foot, however,
that unltes philanthropy with profit. We
all know what powerful MD the free state
move received In Kansas from the organiza-
ton Of the Emigrant Aid Society. The society
was q propaganda OF freedom and dealer
In quarter sections aud town sites. But 1t
made free state OF Kansas. 1t is now pro-
posed to organize company with q million
capital, to buy large tracts Of land In differ
eBt states and territories, to provide homes
for colored people who may choose to emf
CRATE from states like Mississippi, and from
localities where they are under the same
conditions of terrorism. Such movement,
managed by men Of as high character and
purpose as that which controlled the society
In the early Kansas days, would exert q
powerful and bene1cent Influence upon the
colored race problem in the south.
We have now change OF administration.
Before II we were told that 1t was because
Of Republican rule that these things were
II was alien to the Southern people, and
they were in fear Of 1t through the negro.
But II the national government was only IN
Democratic hands, these horrors would
cease. But they have not, only growing
worse. In remarkable speech on Eman
cipation day in Washington last week
Frederick Douglass referred to this in thu
following language:
Fellow citizens, / am disappointed The
accession of the Democratic party to power has
not been followed by the results expected
When the tiger has quenched his thirst III bloot
and when the anaconda has swallowed hi
prey they cease 10 pursue their trembling giant
and sink to rest, so thought when the Domo-
cratic party came into power, when the sole
South gave law to the land, when there coulC
no longer auy pretensc for tho fear OF Negro
ascendency in tile councils OF the nation, per
secutien, violence. and murder would cease
and the negro would be left In peace. But thu
bloody scenes at Carrolltou and the daily re
Jorts oflynch law In the South have destroyed
this cherished hope and told me that the ent
. Of our sufortngs Is not yet
For the time being, the ignoble In polite
may have the ear OF men, the greed o
power and spoils may make men deaf t,
these crimes against nature, but the Prov
idence that protects the weak is not seek
ing appropriations from the treasury, is no
looking for place, is not dealing in stock
or engineering corners in grain-but 4
listening to the cry OF the poor and the OPP
pressed and 1t is at work In the hearts O
men for their deliverance. The next few
years will see this question coming NOR
and more into the minds and conscience
of the people, and In its own good time tn
right will be indicated. II this emigran
scheme is put on foot, and II 1t can b
made to pay as we'll as deliver the peopl
who have made such policy the work o
humanity will be compelled to follow thei
vi Tins from land cursed with sucl
crimes. There is no industry In the shot
gun, and when 1t has driven out the labor
idleness must follow or starve. White mel
can rule, but II must be Justice and right