The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-30

portions Of the north is masked 10y an Of
iensive hypocrisy, it il idle TO speculate
about remedies. II we should dis
cover that il springs from natural
causes, then we must admit that leg
islatiye declarations, even in the form OF
constitutional amendments, or benevO-
lence. even when preached from New
England pulpits, can have but little power
against IL.
Our belief that this condition oiinequal-
it's between the negro and white race,
which will always exist in this country,
springs from consciousness of superiority
i'm the white man, and from conscious
ness OF inicriorily in the negro, enabling
the former To claim and enforce superior
rights and privileges, and compelling the
| latter TO recognize and acqulcsce IN tic SUI
penority oil the white race. The resulting
social exclusion with It's attendant dlsabll'
tiles. which would degrade and destroy
the self respect OF any other race, the
Negro accepts ms the natural outcome OF
the unequal relations between the two
rnccs. fixed and regulated by some law the
philosophy OF which is unknown TO him,
but whose operation he seems clearly to
understand.
Even II we could admit. with
out doing violence 10 every ira
| dition Of the negro race, that the negro ~
morally and mentally equipped 10 stand
side by side with The white man. aud bat
tie with equal courage and equal pride Tor
the cause OF social development and evil
liza ton; that he IL sufficiently equipped TO
share with the white man the political re-
sponsibility OF governing and that he
! should not be required Ia explain why u
is that, with the same physical advantages
possessed by other races, he has preferred
| 10 cnyelop himself, from time immnmOrial,
in dense darkness and revolving barbarism;
even ii we were to accept as correct the
theory 80 often promulgated, that the dit
ference between the white man and the
negro is merely difference in the color OF
the skin; vet, 70 long as the negro Is So
cinlly prescribed race, his position must
remain unchanged. Social ostracsm, ns
regards race, means social degradation;
this is particularly the case at the north.
At the south the negro Is accorded many
privileges in the family circle unknown at
The north. The relations Oi master aud
servant. Of black nurscs and white chill
drrn. have created camarndcrie De.
tween tho two rnccs which cN-
tends oven beyond the domestic
circle, and lr,ngs them in closer
sympathy The white inan at the South
! does not feel that lac isdcrrgating from his
SELF respect or personal dignity because he
| makes this concession Ia the colorcd man.
! At the North the relations between the
whites and blacks represent q cold, stern,
fOrbidding arrangement The Negro
seems To be painfully reminded of his in
/ icriority. Brought In daily contact with
an unsymplthclic white race az the North,
les. ms 10 have discarded his proyerbial
! hlhrily, aud presents the ludicrOus spec.
taclc of melancholy negro. Why should
| II not feel like n unwelconc stranger,
| when hc il surrounded by barrier that
constantly reminds him oi his social deg
relation and commands him 20 stand on
! the outside Of the white vans cirrlc2 Can
n race be happy Or progressive under such
conditions, living in an atmosphere where
the doctrines Of equality, fraternity. and
universal brotherhood are ~ Ostcntniiously
preached, and yet where Osiracism and
prescription In their most offensive forms
are so incXonbly practiccd against him by
virtue Of the unwriticn social edicts 81 the
white rncc2 when the terrible curse
Uf eternal separation was uttered
against the unfortunate lepcr his
| social isolation Was not more alb
rolutc OF degrnding than is the negro 4
\ today ~ the North. us m not allowed
like the people oi other rarcs, 10 r'st III
claims 10 social recognition upon his indi
vidual merits. lie ma, bc ~ well cdu
Gated. ~ polished, ~ well bred. ~ refine,
land We have known suchl a. tho Irish
man, the Chinese the Japanese. the Jew
the East Indian. the Portuguese, tho Amer
lean, or any other person Of any other
mce or nationality, yet he alone, bccaus,
oi his uicc, il subjected IN the disability
and insult Of social exclusion. The absurd
argument oi the right oi man to admit
whom he plcaScs into his narlor, docs MOI
touch the question. We arr discussing
the question Of the social treatment q
one race 10y another rncc, Of the trcl,mvn
Of the negro race by the white race.
Take the clsc Of the negro in Massa
, | chuscttE. We select that state fnr th
. sake Of Illustration, because the history {
! the negro mcc In Massachusetts, present
. some striking points ui contradiction
/. Massachusetts has always been the hot
2 bed Of agitation on this Negro question
/. At the very limo that the Puritan ll1s,o
/ ship-oWncn wcrr admonishing their ship
captains not 10 hil 10 invoke daily IN
. blessings Of God upon the prosperity am
success OF their ncgto-sicaling am
negotiating ventures and Nhci
slavery existed Va is WORT form for &c
curling Ia DR.. Bclknap, on carly writer Il
Massachusetts,, negro children were con
sidcrrcd an incumbrance in q family, an
, when wcnncd wcc gwen away like pun
! pics at the very time whom slavery ]
Massachusetts, furnished such an incx
, hausiiblc text writer's aud preachers !
! that state did not hesitate 20 lcciurr IN
I people ol Virginia upon the siniulnc's ,
+ slavery.
~ today tho Puritan preachers Of Mass.
uhuE.its, constituting themselves Ill
/. special champions Of the cause Ut the u,
. gro at the South, overlook the wrong an
. injusiioc that the negro rico suffers ~ m
l. North. aud bcstow all their sympathy o
5 the ncgru nj tlc South, who does not nee
= II. The negro nj the south, having bee
educated 10 ruat content With his nllottc
q rank, mas no aspirations 10 attain cqualii
u with The white r,cn. Tho latter has new,
- preached IN him the doctrine tnat the onl
y difference between him and the white ma
3. IL IN the color Vt his skin. What cru
10 mockcry, What shameless hypocrisy, what
b. satire upon human Justice 10 tell n,
10 gro Ia Massachusetts, that III the ~,
~ MUGS 10 wealth, professional distinction
;. and political fame are open 10 him, thl
d in the sight ol tod be- Is the equal u n
n white man, and nt the same time Ia bran
>. ndrlihly upon bis forehead the stigma
VI his rocal prescription and sOcial dcgrad
IN ton. " u surprising that, although cqu
u before the Law, be- is In Massachu@rt
10 what he va, fifty years ago, the waite