Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-05-21
COMMUNICATED
The Negro Question.


The Negro Question.
The REV. Mr.. Bragg" al Episcopal
negro preacher of Norfolk, Va, in q recent
communication to "the church Of to-day"
via Southern Churchman, uses the following
expressions "They, (the uegroes) are Deep
ly convinced that the white people, in past
years, have been their most cruel enemies
The reverse of this is the truth. Compare
the condition of the four millions Of negroes
in the southern States at the beginning of
the war, with that Of the same number of
the most favorably situated Of the race at
any other time, or in any other place, and
it stands out in bold relief that the servitude
in which they had been haid was the great
est boon that could have been bestowed
upon them. In all time, before they were
bought by the yankee slave dealers and sold
to their.southern owners they had been the
most abect OF slaves and their condition in
their native homes was SO utterly vile and
degraded that their enslavement by any
other race was promotion for thea. Take
the Rev. Bragg for instance. Suppose his
ancestors had not been euslaved by those
who were able and willing to instruct them
in the rudiments of civilization. at least
enough of it to make them useful as SER
wants, what would have been his condition
to day That of naked and degraded
savage, living upon the spontaneous pro-
ductions oil the earth upon reptiles and iu.
sects, perhaps cannibsl, or himself served
up as food for the beastiy apostles of his
relations and countrymeG. Bragg sass
further: THAT they numerically treat.
ed their forefathets, separating husbands
from wives, mothers from children, outraged
their women" &c. Negroes were treated
severely and cruelty By their masters about
as often as we hear end read now-a days of
the cruelty of husbands TO wives, snd pa.
rents to children, but such Instances were,
as now, the exceptions to the rule OF indui-
geuce and moderate discipline, which char.
acterized our system of servitude, and were
always condemned by public sentiment.
Their cruelty to each other, however, was
poyerbia, and the severest masters always
employed negro drivers, Husbands and
wives we're sometimes separated never
when 1t could be avoided; but circumstances
control az races, and frequently separates
other husbands and wives, and parents and
children, aud always will do 30. When We
remember that negroes we're rarely willing
ly sold, except as punishment for crimes,
for which they are now imprisoned in jails
and penitentaries, it simplifes and paliates
the whole matter wonderfully. AS to the
outrages of the women-we old men of ex-
perience and knowledge of the real facts in
yolyed, cannot believe that it was ever
praoticed, as it would have been Sin of
supererogation entirely unnecessary Later
on the Rev. Bragg pictures 1.-The long pro
cession of school boys, young women snd
young men, rehearsing the trials of the past,
and Keeping them alive in their bosoms"
That Is the fact! The white people, the
property owners, the respectable bona fde
citizens of our country, are taxing ourselves
to pay for the education of horde of bar.
barian enemies, in order that they may
learn more deeply the lesson of hatred to
their benefactors. Bragg boasts of the rapid
increase of his race. The reason is plain,
Who ever heard of negro old maid. Such
a specimen would be unique indeed. Fred.
erick Douglass has recently declared
that the negroes in the South have retro
graded In the last twenty years. Ofcourse
they have. Who that ever knew anything
of negro nature, or of their history for four
thousand years, ever expected them to do
anything else? AS the color line becomes
more strictly defined; as the separation be-
tween them and their late masters grows
wider and more complete; as the influences
of association, and the wholesome restraint
under which they so long lived, and which
gave them all the responsibility they ever
possessed, diminishes, and finally ceases to
exist, the negro will appear more and more
in his true character, that of a brutal and
irrecaimable savage. shrewdly suspect
that the Bev. Bragg's is similar case to
that of Fred Douglass, who poses as the
champion of the negro race, and also has
been heard to boast that the blood of Mary.
land aristocrats flowed In his veins The
anisnus OF Douglass's venom doubtless con
sists in bis strong sense of personal degra
dation In the taint of his negro blood. He
evidently has determined that his children
shall have less of it than himself, (for which
he deserves praise) as he married a white
woman. Ofcourse he had pick and choice
among the blacks and tans of bis own peo.
ple. but none of them were quite good or
white enough for him. But if the colored
women are all inferior to q white woman
who would marry niger, may the Lord
help them. H.
Hickory Grove, Prince William County.
ADVICE TO MOTHERS.