The Washington bee., 1889-02-23
Editor of WASHINGTON BEE:

a vexed problem for more than
three hundred years. If 1 could
obliterate the word negro, I would
substitute in its place Colored Am.
ericans in contradistinction, to
white Americans. The term negro
has been the synonym Of obloquy.
and servlle degradation. But 1
hope it will yet become the brilliant
''Insignia' of regenerated man
hood and true womanhood, through
the channels of responsibility, edu.
cation, patience and lawabiding. l
would not attempt to write the his
tory of the negro, for l could not Ii
L would, that they have made long
strides toward education since the
hand cuffs and shackles have been
broken asunder is very evident
that they have retrograded much
since their former greatness is evF'
dent and that they have been
dwarfed by slavery is still more ev-
ident. The negro is race Of am al
gamated people, but not a nation
and can never be, from the fact
that a nation is people living In
one country one color and one lan-
guage. 1t is said that we came froeo
Ham, the Youngest son OF Moan
and that more prominent results
followed Ham through his instru-
mentality than through all the 9th
ers put together. His posterit.y peo'
pied, all Egypt one OF the most re-
nown Kingdoms of antiquity. The
women at that time were great atly
sought after, they being the de-
scendants of Ham for an instance,
Moses the great Hebrew Law giver
married an Ethiopian woman, the
ciYtl code of Moses by which he reg
ulated the children of Isreal was
very imperfect indeed until it was
revised and improved by his father
inlaw who was an Ethiopian priest
which revision has stood the test
for three thousand three hundred
years through the entire existence
Of the nationality of the children
of Israel, it being generally occept-
ed and Incorporated, slightly modl-
fed into the codes of the different
civilized nations Of the earth, in
cluding England and America.
But one thing let us remember: our
former greatness will not elevate
us unless we strive to be ele
waited and yet the fact of our being
set right in history, and the true
story told of us will save US from
a great many blows and kicks that
we receive from many so called sa.
cred and profane historians. Our
quota in this great nation, is a.
bout one seventh of her inhabitants.
We do not expect to become ma.
ton within this nation but it is our
struggle to become we'll developed
portion of it. And in order to do
that we must demonstrate our ca.
pabilities and develope our resour-
ces and contribute a part TO the
one great whole.-
In the first place we must edu-
cate ourselves, secondly get wealth
by houest toll, thirdly be temper
ate in all things, we'll did a good
writer say, honor and shame from
no condition rise, act we'll your
part and there ali the honor lies.
We have no right to be ashamed
of our dark hue but rather be
proud, for black is the most covet-
ed of all colors, among the enligh-
ened nations of the earth. And
furthermore just so long as we are
believed to be an inferior race we
can only repute the idea by doing
every thing that is honorable and
creditable, and in no other way
can we better demonstrate our ca.
pability than by teaching our own
children, and when we have capa-
BILE persons to represent US, let US
insist upon the true idea which is,
that all nations who enjoy equal
facilities will become equals up.
ou an average, and while we deny
the alleged constitutional inferior
ity we admit that we are, as any
other race would be, under the
same circumstances. I am not in
favor of continual reiteration of
slavery, as it only helps to give
growth TO hatred and prejudice.
[ would to God that we could as
readily let it pass by as an event
ofthe pass and everything tha has
tendency TO commemorate. Let
it pass, like the water that turns
the old mill wheel. That the negro
ls the truest of the true has been
shown by their strong love of the
country, their warm attachment
to the white people as evinced by