Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-12

OF THE FITTEsr THE UNcHANGEABLE LAW OF
HUMAN NATURH-soME PLAIN srArKMENTs.
The lecture room Of the Metropolitan AN.
E. Church was well filed last evening, the oc-
casion being the meeting Of the Bethel Literary
and Historical Association. Prof. James
Storum, president Of the association. presided.
After the opening prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Rich
ardson Of Cleveland, Ohio, and the reading of
the minutes of the last meeting, Mr.. George
W. Jackson Of Indiana was introduced.
By request he read his paper: "Has the
Negro Proven Himself Capable Of Self-govern-
meut?" He said at 10 with no small degree
Of reluctance that discuss this subject, ap-
pearing as do in the role Of censurer and
assuming the unenviable position of critic.
To my white brother this would be pleasure.
To me it is a task. There is latent germ
among the possibilities Of all races Of men,
which when subjected to the proper nourish-
ment and influence should be able to develop
them into a people capable OF taking upon
themselves all the responsibilities Of self-gov-
eminent. Let us hope that its failure of ex-
pansion in our case is not lassitude, but rather
the result OF circumstances in large degree
beyond our control Cat least in the primeval
era) and has thus far rendered US
INCAPABLE OF sELF-eovERNMENr.
''By self-government desire to be understood
as referring to modern governments of en-
lightened people, representing the same brains
and intelligence characteristic of the English,
French, German and Spanish speaking people
of the world; that kind of government which
points with pride and admiration to its achiev-
ments, &c.
I'm a nomadic state man could devote the
major part of his time to serving his maker,
furnished him with all the neces-
saries Of life. Which of the two
is the more important-the joys which we
know in this life or those in the unknown be-
yond. Whether or not it the intention of
the great creator for man to reach his present
state of civilization or to be content with the
fruits of a nomadic life are interrogative coup
lets for our earnest consideration and solution.
i shall take the positive stand that progression
or retrogression are strictly in accordance with
the eternal fitness of things, both general and
particular; that a high state OF civilization and
Its antipode (nomadism) are relatively normal
conditions in whatever age the state exists"
After referring to knowledge, justice and
power the essayist continued: IF, then, we as
race, find ourselves crowded to the wall or
crushed beneath the iron wheels of modern
civilization. or used as tools to accelerate the
velocity of progress, we find but faint echo in
that sentiment in human nature which lends q
listening ear to the tale of oppression. Parties
and factions of parties, DESTROYS of enhancing
their own political fortunes, will listen to our
story OF suffering and woe and then use us as
stepping stones to power and position. And
that law. The survival of the fittest' though
trench,ng upon certain principles in political
and social ethics from which we may deduce
right and wrong, will forever be q barrier be-
tween US and them"
... RACE PRIDE
The speaker then dwelt at some length upon
race pride and referred to the writings of Mr..
McCauts Stewart of New York and Hon. c. H.
Il Tavtp xuhn ,,N,,. l.
also made reference to the African colonies
Then a history Of the race during the ante
bellum days and Of the war period was given
The negro who is 30 fortunate Cd" he con-
anued, 'as to secure a white wife prides him.
self upon having won q much-coveted prize
though it usually turns out that she is not his
equal nor does she hold the relative position in
white society which he holds in the colored
He then puts,a premium upon his wife's COM
plexion, and acknowledges its superiority over
that of the women of his own race. The man
who selects a white wife or the woman who
chooses a husband on account of his or her
striking resemblance to- or being part of, the
Anglo-Saxon race. utterly disregards that
psychological affinity 80 essential to happy
union; entails upon our race a class whose
complexion is by NO means q sign post for the
student Of moral philosophy; adds another
graft to the tree OF prejudice; clogs the wheels
of race progress and entails upon our young
men an unnatural ambition whose fruits will,
as has been seen, be hatred by the whites, and
should be contempt Of all loyal blacks"
cowARDIcE THE SECOND REASON.
CowMdice was the second reason given for
the negro races incapacity, and the speaker,
after referring to the negroes possession of
other good and bad qualities Of the white
races, said: 1--WE lack bravery unless led by
one OF them No other people under the sun
would tamely submit to the persecution and
outrages to which we are daily subjected with
out using the same means by way OF retalia-
ton. Our women are outraged and degraded.
and our meu lynched upon the slightest
pretext, and this in localities where
the blacks predominant two to one. Not few
months ago a coIored woman was murdered in
open court while giving testimony against a
white man who had outraged her daughter.
negro was taken from Jail in Kentucky and
lynched for having shot white man who had
outraged his wife. In Washington city two
white men take key Of beer through the
front door OF a neighbours house into his back
yard and when the latter demonstrates with
them one Of them shoots him to death. The
murderer is arrested. A coroners jury is en-
paneled and the murderer is acquitted. 1t is
estimated that
THIRTY THOUSAND NEaRoEs HAVE BEEN SHOT,
lynched and burned to death since the war,
while hundreds Of others have been driven out
Of the country. Would the Irish have sub
mitted tamely to these outrages? They would
have applied the torch to every infiammable
substance within their reach"
The negro was then described as a producer,
but not consumer, and his religious convic-
tons were referred to. The speaker then dwelt
upon the requisites Of a negro government
and gave Hayti as an example. The remedy
followed, and in conclusion Mr.. Jackson said:
II wish to state that the past and present
state OF things have been the result Of certain
causes. You may claim that q certain principle
was and ID morally wrong; that another was
and Is right; In proportion as the calcium light
of reason and experience is turned upon it. but
turn and twist them as you may, the law of the
survival Of the fit.est never will be repealed,
II We do not profit by the civilization We
see around us; if we fail to enter with spirit
and zest into anything and everything akin to
modern development, the same wall which
went up In southe astern Africa; in the colonial
days OF this country, and which is now going
up from the black man Of the south will 20 up
lOO years hence, until the race is either exter-
minated or swallowed up by absorption. You
may say 1t Is wrong for the strong to triumph
over the weak but it il the Interchangeable spirit
Of human affairs over which our moral nature
has control"
Following the reading Of the paper was q
lively debate, in which five and ten minute
speeches were allowed. The paper was criti-
cised by some and sustained by others.
The meeting was q successful one and Mr.
Jackson's reading was highly appreciated.
TRINIDAD, Col, is said to be attracting the
sttention Of some of the leading glass manu-
facturers OF the Pittsburg. Wheeling and other
glass manufacturing centers in the more east
ern states. They have an immense deposit Of