Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-14
THURSDAY MARCH IA. 1885,
A nen,orable Observation-Disclosures.

A Deplorable Misunderstanding
The northern people have formed in their
minds theory as 10 the negro which Is not
true. II IL impossible 10 believe that they
would seek 10 force negro rule upon their
southern brethren II they knew what we In
the South understand by the phrase " nero
rule.v Infinitely better for the South wonid
be A government established and Offered by
white women and by white boys from ten TO
twenty years old. The negro Is not quail
fed TO carry on a government OF any sort.
He Is as unfit TO be the king Of hereditary
monarchy as he is TO be ruler OF free peo-
pie.
IL is most unfortunate condition OF
things that copironts us. Our northern
brethren are many Of them in a frame OF
mind which renders them absolutely inca
nable OF coming 10 correct conclusion In
regard TO what Is styled "the negro pro-
blem." or "the southern problem" They
assume that " the negroes constitute ma.
FORTY of the voters in any county or district
they have the right TO elect the officers In
that county or district. Our northern friends
refuse to be convinced that they are
mistaken as TO the character and
characteristics Of the negro lace, and
insist upon what they term an enforcement
OF the new amendments to the Federal Con-
siitution and OF the laws passed In pursuance
thereof. The more reasonable Of them admit
that there may be some doubt rs to the sue
cess OF their experiments, bot all the same
they cry out "Grest is DIANA OF the Ephe-
SLAMS" and in exactly the same spirit which
animated the men who The New Testament
tells us raised that cry about two thousand
years ago. They advise The President Of the
and enforce the law as means OF
securing its repeal II II shall be found
10 operate badly; totally ignoring the Ger.
taiuiy that TO Try the experiment would be
30 Iuin the southern States, and turn them
over TO the moies and bats.
The negro's mere presence as freeman
desolates the whole region 10 which he re-
sides. Forty years ago California had no
population and no wealth worth speaking OF,
whilst Virginia was much richer than she is
at present. To-day California has more than
a thousand millions OF real and personal
property, whilst Virginia has not one third
ss much. What has produced such results |?
Too large q nero population In the one
case, and q white population In the other
case. There arc Chinese 10 California. but
ehey are not rulers nor even voters. Cali
lorna is not naturally better country than
Virginia.
We were led into this train Of thought by
an article ia the Religious Herald OF this
week. The Herald has goodly number OF
negro subscribers, we think, and has always
been careful TO treat the negroes with much
kindness and 10 speak OF them in the most
favorable language consistent with the truth.
II Is IN that paper that we find the following
extract FROM private letter written to a gen
tleman in this city from portion OF South
side Virginia twelve or fifteen miles from Il
railroad. Tire writer OF the letter is vouched
for BY the Herald as a lady who rs laborins
voluntarily without pecunisry compensa-
ton TO instruct and improve the negroes.
Read her despalriDg utternnces
81 think, with you, that the moral de-
prayity Of the negroes is not at all realized
by the northern missionaries that come TO
them. / see the church magazines full OF
enthusiastic articles describing the negroes
eagerness to learn, religious zeal. &c. &c.
All this Is true. Mr.. - aud | could write
similar articles; we could tell OF the great
growth OF his sunday school, OF annual re.
viyals In the church; we could quote pious
and fervent expressions from one aud an-
other-and all that Is just what makes the
situation so hopeless In this church OF
about three hundred members do not
know one free from gross deprayits; in
most eases proved beyond the shadow OF
doubt. This fact has not ths slight
est effect upon the enthusiastic manifests.
ton OF religious emotion. MIR. Rice has
worked faithfully; | preach daily aud
hourly upon this one subject, and we see not
the smallest fruit The old people encour-
age aud countensnce the younger In their
sins. and they all assert that conversion
q. G., the physical. abnormal excitement
which they call by that nsne.) having once
taken place, no ain Is possible! They have
no faith In white mans religion, because
hiscouyersion is not conyulsiou or trance
hence we have no Influence whatever.
Then, there Is not even small nucleus OF
healthy public opinion as raIlying point,
Preachers, elders, parents, grandparents
all are stepped In slough OF unspeaSable
deprsvity
"Where can missionary take hold oil
these people who cannot be excelled in
Christian profession, who have no faith
whatever IN ethical Christianity, and who
believe that after a certain physical excite
nent all sin Is sanc,ibed 10 them! Que doe;
rot grasp the existing state Of thugs at once
II has taken ne ten years to realize that
moral purity siRpv does not east among
the negroes IL is subject which al
rIc,s and burdens us more and more.
am glad 10 help make Il known, because
greatly fear that much done fol
The negroes Is futile, the real eyi
among them rot being recognized. Theil
wel-meaning beneiae'ors are like physicians
,rseticng on a man Ia danger OF his life and
vet having no knowledge Of The nature OF bis
disease. ssy sometimes in my despair
sLst US lock up the churches aud burn th,
Gibles, aud let The people be al least honeStll
heathenl' Aud still We work on, because
II Is certainly our plain duty, whether we sc,
Sesults or not"
How can such race be compared with tn
Csucssian-the masters OF the worldf How
can anybody fail 10 see the gross injustice
toe mspeskable crime, OF leyeiiing the whit
men down TO the low standard OF the ne
groes!