The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1889-06-29


stock. Nobody will ever accuse Gen.
Harrison Of political utilization with the
ruling classes of the South; but his social
sympathies run on parallel lines With
theirs, and near enough to exchange
friendly greetings. The president can
be wonderfully frank when it suits his
purpose, and he dealt very honestly
with a party of intelligent Southern
gentlemen who called on him some time
ago to dis cuss the race question in an
amicable and candid spirit. I only I'm.
dertake to give the spirit of his assur.
ance to them.
Perhaps I comprehend this rae
question better than you gentlemen
think, and sympathize with your feel
ings in regard to the Colored people
more than you know. Certainly, in
your place would feel as you do. Per-
sonal contact with an alien race in social,
political and professional life would not
be agreeable to me. would not like to
see Negro mayor or postmaster of In
and authority of the Uuited States in a
fgcal or administrative capacity at nv
own home. 1t would not be agreeable
to me to practice my profession before q
Colored federal judge, or to meet q
Negro at the federal bar as United States
attorney. lido not intend to impose upon
the people of the South conditions
which would think rather hard if they
were imposed upon me. It is my desire
to do full justice to the Colored people.
They have been made citizens, and our
equals before the law. They are an i'm
portant element in the party which car
ried the last election. They are entitled
to recognition in the conduct of the
government. They have right to ex-
pect their share of the official patronage.
[ have no disposition to ignore them.
But believe that all their just expecta-
lions can be satisfied without placing
them in positions where race instinct is
sure to brew personal bitterness and
social discord. There are places enough
in the public service, embracing as it
does thousands ofclerkships, and nearly
as many comparatively isolated fune-
tons, like those of the railway mail SER
vice and multitude of remote SPECIAL
agencies and inspectorships, in which
honorable service without involving that
thOrity over white citizens in their own
homes which you and your people find
offensive r..
This conversation is given on the an
thority and memory of listener whose
deep and grateful interest in the senti-
ments declared may have impaired an
unconscious emphasis and exaggeration
into his report. But it is certain that
the policy of the president in making
to Office in the South and
elsewhere is such as might have been
expected from an executive holding
these opinions. Qualified Negroes have
been given places in the interior
and other departments and special
agencies in the Northwest. Few
have been named for local offices in the
South, and not one such appointment
has been denounced as offensive by the
whites of the neighborhood interested.
Whatever the president does intend to
do with the Negro, it is pretty clear that
he will not cram him down the Southern
throat.-F. A. earle.
Of course. there may be no truth in
these statements, so far as being the ex-
act words or sentiments of President
and we most earnestly hope
there is not. But, the sentiments here
expressed run so nearly parallel with
the actions of the president in his deal
ings with the Colored people, that per.
feet storm Of indignation arose in the
breasts of every Colored person who
has read the article. And The APPEAL
voices the sentiments of the Colored
people of Minnesota, yes, and of the
United States, in saying that this is the
lnkindest cut of all, and one that will
have an effect that will be felt from one
md of this country to the other. The !
poor worm will not forever be trodden
1pon with impunity. Seven millions of
people with right and justice upon their
ide, can do more damage to the Re-
publican party than the recent breaking
# the dam did to persons and property
q the Conemaugh valley.