The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-12
AS BLACK AS EVER.
Was Emancipation a Misfor
tune for the Negro?
Ihe. Whole Race Placed in a
False Light.


Recently there died an Englishman in At
1anta who, in his time, had been shining
light OF abolition. He had spent fortune in
aiding the cause of emancipation, and after
twenty-three years of freedom, he came over
from England TO see what effect it had on the
'colored race
he went down to his grave declaring that
emancipation was a failure in results, and that
he was disappointed man.
This conclusion suggests subject for in
quiry.
Slavery borrowed horror from distance. To
one who knew nothing of negro character, who
only read of slavery as existing in distant
land; who pictured to himself people with re-
fined and sensitive natures held in bondage,
while their owners were painted as heartless
-desperadoes, there was enough in the thought
TO make the blood boil and to call forth the
most severe denunciation. The opinion of
such a man must be explained by his surround
ings. The opinion is creditable to his heart
but it is built upon false premises. If his facts
were true, then his conclusions would have
been unaSsailable.
A scene is recalled in the little town of Bell
vile, In Canada. 1t was in tho winter of 1859
Night had fallen, but the deep covering of
snow reflected light which suggested day.
The tavern stood on the crossroads, in the sit
ting room of which were gathered dozen
young men. The door opened, and coored
man, armed with banjo, was brought in. He
was a fugitive slave, who told thrilling stery
of persecution and escape His mother and his
wife had been sold from him, and every fami-
iy right had been disregarded. He had been
aided in his fight by abolition agencies and
for the first time, as he crossed the Canadian
line, he could feel that he was free. Is it any
wonder that the young men who listened to
his story should have been fired with indgna-
Gion, and that resolves should have been made
to aid in the abolition of human sorvitude?
And yet there was another side to that story
There were people of the same blood and line
age, with hearts as kind and true, and with as
firm devotion to the principles of human liber-
Ty. But their lives were intertwined with those
of a dependent race. Raised on the same home
steads with them were people whose destiny
and preference, as well as necessity, it was to
serve. Had their owners been heartless they
could have accumulated a wealth
never before known in the history
of the world. If the policy of
Pharaoh toward the Israelites had been
adopted, there would have been cruelty of
which to make complaint. But the fact was
shat slavery implied less hardship than hired
labor; that it carried with it the care of the
sick and the preservation of the healthy, both
as matter of humanity, well as fnan-
eial interest But slavery is abolished, and we
are brought back to the declaration of our de-
ceased English friend, who saw nothing but
disappointment in the changed condition.
Speaking to an educated lady the other day
one who had been the mistress of slaves, and
who has travelled extensively since-she said:
"The question as to whether the negroes
have maintained the civilization which they
had attained under slavery, is one not easy to
decide. There were slaves from many differ
ent tribes in Africa, and that fact will have to
be borne in mind. There are the same degrees
between their descendants here as there are
between the African tribes from which they
are descended. This was impressed upon me
while child, by conversations between my
father and mother which overheard. Mother,
In looking about for for suitable girls to take
into the house for training would be governed
by their apparent brightness No. father
would say, she belongs to such and
ouch tribe. She is incapable of eleya-
zion, and you had better leave her
alone In every case where the experiment
was tried, fathers opinion proved correct.
Those who have risen and maintained them
selves, are simply exhibiting the same superb
orty which their ancestors possessed over their
fellows in Africa, toned up little by the ex-
ample of the whites"
My companion, who seemed to have studied
out the question, continued wherever you
And negroes accommodating, or educating them
qelves, you will invariably find that they are
descendants of those slaves who were either
house servants or personal attendants, and
these slaves, as ] have indicated, were chosen
In accordance with chronological laws, from the
superior tribes. For generation or two, un-
der the order of freedom, they will get along
all right, but in time they will be lost among
She great black mass which belongs to the
lowest order of African races
"Do you think they will fall back to their
African standard?"
II certainly do. Whenever they form into
communities by themselves, relieved of the
presence of the white man, they will simply
become themselves again, without q single re-
deenling trait"
"It is popular to educate the negroes" she
continued "and that idea will have to run its
course And yet if you only knew the misery
caused by it, you would admit its serious side
The argument is that those who are educated
will go back as missionaries to their kind,
forgetting that but few people possess the mis-
sionary spirit. My housemaid, whom had
taught to read and write, and who was gentle
In her manners, got married. She now has a
daughter aged twenty, who has been educated
In q northern school. Recently l returned to
the old homestead, and was greeted by
none more warmly than by my
old servant. She told all her
troubles and her joys. One thing doesn't
like said she, Susan is so ashamed of her pa
There is the whole difficulty in anutshell You
take one or two out andSeducate them, and
then throw them back into the very barbarism
from which it is impossible for you TO rescue
them. There was the family and the sur
foundings in which that girl had to live Left
on the same plane with them she would have
been happy in her rude way But taken out
and placed in position which she could not
return home and occupy and without single
epark of the missionary spirit, she was
ASHAMED of her people. Of course, she will
cry awhile, and her sensibilties viii be finally
destroyed, and she will sink back into as hope
less impotence as that from which it was
sought to elevate her."