The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-18
INCoRHIGIBLE SECTIONAL blind

NESS.
w, have referred at fome length 10
the very notable address delivered by
Mr.. Cleveland quite recently at a ban
qIet OF prominent Boston merchants
Oa the same distinguished occasion
Mr.. Grady, OF Georgia, also spoke and
ma remarks seem to have excited as
much favorable comment as those oil
the Ex-President. Mr. Grady s speech
was confined in the main to a discus
SION OF the condition Of the negro at the
South. and while he brought forward
no new facts Of importance, he made a
very forcibIe and able presentation oil
his subject.
To Southerners the interest Of what
he said lay in his manner OF saying H.
rather than in its substance, for they
were fully informed before of the gem
sral facts which he stated. VINO
auoncst ne. for instance, believes that
the Southern people intend to re-epsisVe
the negro by indirect methods! VINO
"a not aware that his labor is volun-
tary. and not compulsory Who IS not
cogpizant Of the fac. that we are iur'
n;shing him with the amplest ed
ucational facilities, aud assisting MN
in his churches and societies, and ex
tending to him every chance OF earning
a livelihood and improving his condi-
ton
The Southern people also know that
tho negro, 90 far from being dealt with
severely and harshly when he violates
the law, i, only too often allowed to e'
cane even the mildsst form Of punish
mept. This 10 the true explanation OF
the fact mentioned by Mr.. Grady, thai
one negro in every 1875 at the North IS IL
iaiI. but only one in every 446 at Tho
South. III the criminal procedure was
enforced Ss rgidly against the negro II
our communities as it is in Northern
he proportion Of convictions would D'
the same.
One OF the most discouraging featurei
in the present situation, with respect t'
the negro. is the blind ignorance OF the
Northern people as to his real condition
in spite of ali the information which
they have received on the subject. How
many speeches resembling the recent
address of Mr.. Grady have been delir
cred at the North in the last few years
and vet when one such speech is made
it's facts. which have been stated and re
stated until SoutberneTs have grown
weary Of them, are accepted by tn
Northern people in spirit OF as mucl
surprise as il they had never heard O
these facts before. A new light SEEM
to break upon the local press, Judglni
by their comments, only to fade ava,
a, soon az the chords of sectional feel
ing are touched.
So far as the North is concerned th'
position of the South isthat Of Sysy
plus rolling his stone up the hill onl.
to Zee it tumble down again to the bot
tom. A thousand speeches as able anC
convincing as the one delivered ny Mr.
Grady would not make sufficient i'm
preston upon the public sentiment o
the Northern people to restrain thor
permanently in their determination L
crafty their sectional animosities. TIT
negro problem will be exhaustivel.
discussed in Congress this winter, bu
we venture to predict that the presen
tation of the condition Of the race b.
Southern members, which alone will b
the accurate one. will not have tn
slightest influence upon single vot
that will be cast by the Republican
Representatives IN that body.