The national leader., 1889-01-19
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.

THE sCHOOL-wEATHER AND SOCIAL
WORLD EARLE TAXES
ISSUE WITH THE NEW YORK WORLD
AND REBUKEs THE WASHINGTON
CORRESPONDENT OF THE ST. LOUIS
REPUBLIC.
Special Correspondence of the NATIONAL
LEADER.
NEW YORK, Jan. II, 1889.
The holidays are past, public schools
are again in session. remarkably fine
weather has continued so long that
people meet now without mentioning
the elements at all. The tide of ever
varying gayety rushes swift and strong.
at present no one of a social turn need
NOPE in loneliness, urless sorrow and
aff1ictlon happens to be present. During
the past five weeks many church affairs
have absorbed the religiously inclined
while the fashionable world has found
"dolce far nente" In many brilliant
receptions, dinners, theatre, parties
etc.. all following in quick succession.
at this time Denman ThompSon's
"OId Homestead" and Mrs. Burnett's
''Little Lord Fantleroy" attract those
from among us who know how to love
home and appreciate any scene drawn
from a chaste fireside. Those discus
sions emanating from the race question
however attract the most genuine
interest. The letters from well-known
negroes published in the Neeo York
World few days ago, have given
rise to great deal or earnest
inquiry, with the motives OF that paper
for securing their opinions concern
ing the Negroes eligibility tor a cabinet
position, the worlds motives may he
perfectly bona fde but 1t has ever been
a weake rule to judge by workings
alone. And the very fact, that Cen
eral Harrison's letter to Magnus l..
Robinson, dated Decembr, 18th, 1883.
heads the column capped THAT
EBONY PANEL" is suggestive, most
particularly as we, in this section be-
Iieve tits done togive particular notorie-
ty to clause contained in that letter
viz: "You have shown great patience"
''under several trials, land there may be-
''yet further calls for the exercise Of"
''this homely virtue. 1t is quite pos"
'ssible that the high expectations OF"
''Our friends may not at once be"
''realized, but we can at least keep"
"things moving in the right direction. !"
Also those contained in Mr.. MOrtOn's,
letter to the same gentleman, concern
ing the progress made during the past
twenty-six years, by the race generally
viz. "There is in the progress made"
''cause for sincere congratulation but"
''you must accept this progress as"
''only the lrst step. and as an incen-"
''tiVe to further endeavor In cultlva-"
''tion and intellectual advancement"
Now such sentiments leading the
letters of many well known Negroes
advocating the Negro's right to be
represented in the Cabinet, justilies the
Washington correspondent to the st.
LOUIS Republic in saying "There is''
mot Republican here willing to ex-,'
''press even a sign Of sympathy for''
''the promotion OF any Negro Repub-"
''lican to the Cabinet or other office"
"of distinction in the federal govern"
.'ment. When they are not"
'Iaughing at his aspirations, they are"
"denouncing his lmpudence."
Now the simplest can understand
that the correspondent above referred
to, has violated the laws of legitimate
''newspaperdOm" by forcing has 0acn
opinion on the public as the sentiment
of men generally. But the question
presents itself: Why should Negroes
whom we repose confidence in. hasten
to rush into print upon a question
given with no general utility basis;
given for no reason other than a specu-
lative one, and by the shOrtsightedness
of their replies, put the race In a posi-
tion, exposed to contempt and ridlculep
just because 'a prominent NeD York
Daily requested an opinion in writ
Ing for print" does it necessarily fol-
low that men should respond in sentl-
ments that common sense would never
dictate? Are we, who are endeavor-
ing to foster race pride. entitled to no
more consideration. than thatp Should
we be forced to chastlse our leading
men, in order to force them to realize
the dignity necessary, and the duties
attendent upon the true leading man?
Do the gentlemen with all due respect
to them who are in favor of cabinet
position for the negro, realize that the
progress made during twenty-six years
by our people, was not accomplished
by "sky.high" aspirations. or ambi-
tious talk? This far in our history we as
a people have escaped that nerve, brain.
and honor, destroying hunger for Office,
and we have progressed. No greater
calamity could befall us than such an
Infection engendered in our midst. No
sadder sight can be seen, than magni-
ficent tree, strangied and stifed by its
own roots.
VICTORIA EARLE.