Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-08
Tho Negro Problem.
IFor the Dispatch


NJ. Harrison, II becomes US to consider the
subject In all its bearings and 10 threw all
the light possible upon II, snd when this il
done we Will h'rdly hold the negro accounts
BILE for the condition we find HIM In to-day.
How few OF Us, after long life OF training
and education, ave really fitted 10 govern our
felIow-mcn? How few 81 us can rise above
passion aud prejudice sufficiently to exercise
an impartial admlnistt alton OF public affairs 2
Then what can we expect from lie negro!
How has be been fitted for the grave respon-
sibility OF citizenship that has been thrown
upos bin?
suddenly emaucipsted from slavery he was
taken in hand 70 he prepared !or bis new du-
ties. lie WAS 10 be made the tool, the cats-
paw OF party. His presence in the South
was 10 solve the veXed question OF recon-
structiOn. II was embsrssSing to keep the
South 10 the condition Of conquered
province, and II sht be dangerous 10 the
life ~ the dominant political party TO re-
admit that section To the rights of state
hood. 1t was determined then tbat the
power and influence OF the white race was 70
he crushed and forever destroyed by con-
ferring the right OF suffrage upon the ignO-
rant emaucipated slave. a greater crime
was never committed against society; a
greater wrong could not be done the negro.
Ills iulurs life was he cast among the only
people who knew and understood him, and
the onlV proplr whom hp knew and under
stood. The safetv and we'll being OF both
races In their altered conditions called for the
the cultivation OF mutual good will. THIS
could not be permitted by the party in
power. That the negro might thoroughly
carry out the destructive work FOR which he
was given the right Of citizenship his pecu-
liar educltisn was begun. II was strange
medley OF alleged religion, politics, and
hatred for the south and everything south
ern. The FreedmPn's Bureau and lie
schools commenced 10 Inshll This social
poison into his ignorant, credulous mind
lie wss taught with his A, =. CO that the
people OF tue South were bis implacsbe enc
mics, who only awaited an opportunity to re-
turn him into slavery, and that that oppor-
tunly would come with Inc return Of the
Democratic party to power. The negro
schools endowed Dy northern "Dhllanthro-
pists," which blossOmed ont all over the
south aud took up the education Of the
negro where the schools Of the Frecdmqn's
Bureau left it ofI. continued his training
upon pretty much the same lines. The
teachers OF those schools have been northern
men and women who understood ss little
about the negro and his requirements as the
negro himself, but that maitered n0t-ihe
work thew were 10 do has been faithfully
done. The seed has been sown. We are be-
ginning TO gather the harvest. What can it
De under the circumstances? The writer
has before him the alumni journal, OF recent
date, OF Oue OF these schools. The principal
OF this institution il noted for his conserVa-
tive views. 10 his published writings there
Is little il ANYTHING that any fair.mluded
southern man could take exception to, and
yet IN this little paper that ia periodically
published by the negro students Of this par.
ticuhr school the feeling manifested towards
the south il brutal I'm the extreme, while the
fervid devotion exhibited towards the Re-
publican party would maze the paper an ex-
cellent campaign sheet for that faction.
The cry went up after the war " You must
educate the negro. Education will make
BIN good citizen" The South in mute
despair was willing 70 accent and try any,
thing. She accepted the constitutional
amendments and every reconstruction mea-
sure that could be borne. The impOycrsh-
ed white race taxed Itself heavily to establish
"A system OF public schools for blacks az we'll
as whites. II cO0perated with the negro
schools that were established after the war
by nOrtberu people by giving some OF these
schools liberal annual appropriations, and
unfortunately the South has been taking
teachers for the negro public schools from
these institutions.
The negro has had twenty-five years Of this
education. Is he good citiZenS is be as
good citizen rs he was at the beginning
Contrast the bearing aud conduct Of the
educated negro with that Of the old negro
now so rapidly passing away.
Let us put this negro question before the
Of IN 70 inh
Let us suppose that year or more ago the
South had majority in the councils OF the
nation, and that instead OF complying with
the demand OF the Pacific ana western
States Ior restricted Chinese emigration, she
had opeued the ports OF this country 10 this
alien race, which. taking advantage OF the
fact. had flowed in and settled in the more
friendly North until they largely outnum-
bered the whites OF that section. Then
seeking 10 perpetuate its political power, let
us suppose that the South had conferred the
right OF suffrage unon this swarihy horde
and by this unholy act il trsmpled under
foot the intelligence, the culture, the wealth
OF the North. Think YOU the son OF the
brave pioneer who titled the land with his
rife strapped scrOss his back aud carried
his gun to church to guard against surprise
by hostile indians would turn over bIs God
given heritage to these people and view
with folded hands the spectacle Of such
sacrifice?
Aud vet TO compare Asia, or any part OF
Asia. with Africa would be like comparing
day with night
China was the seat OF ancient ciyiliZa>
ton. at has language so old as TO dwarf
into insigrifcsncc the antiquity of the west
ern tongues. The Chinese system Of making
examinations the only royal
road TO posts OF honor aud emolument has
caused wider diffusion OF bo0k.csrning
among the Chinese than is probably found
among any other people," while her works
Of art ere the admiration OF the civilized
world. And Africa? The mention Of the
uSme conveys TO the MAD at once the his
tory OF that beuighted country. II IL the
one grand division OF the face Of the globe
whose people are but single remove from
the brute beast. Into the hands OF such .
people the fair South has been delivered.
We are asked 10 surrender our heritage to
this race without inquir.ng the reason. III
we murmur we are unciYiliZef. Ii we re-
sent such Iusolence we are disloya. Reli-
gion and her handmade. Education, are
going TO Justify this sacrifice. Virginia has
spent $4,000. 600 on negro education since
the war, while religion has been sup
pieu WIN equal loefality. Ihe result is De-
fore us. IL is food for reflection. Is this
education TO go on. II so, the first law OF
nature would suggest that IL should be on
lines laid down by those who pay for It.
TIE Stale educstes the child that 1t may be-
come a rood citizen; that II may become a
useful member OF that society OF which II Is
destined to become part. Then the state
should Sse 10 itit education is 20 be impaired, !
bat II be done IN accordance with this spirit. |
such an education cannot be given by 40 |
alien tescbcr whose every breath Is hostile |
10 the best Interests oithe whole people, and !
money appropriated 10 continue this dan. |
,erous system Is worse thaa wasted.
CAUCASIAN.
The foregoing is from northern man who |
'ettled In Virginia after the fall of Rich
nOnd.