Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-21
nIr. Breckinridge's Speech.

To the Fdt0r oflte Dispatch:
am 10th TO dissent from any part OF the
chasts and beautiful address Mr.. Breckln-
RIDGE delivered on Monday night OF the
Theatre. hut think we ought not 10 let the
charm of eloquence mlslead us INTO the
adoption of opinions which are Al war WIN
facts This, | respectfully submit, was the
case in one or two points OF MIR. Brecklh-
ridges address.
His picture Of the material condition
of Virginia | regard as being too highly
colored. Her general agriculture, like that
Of the whole United States, is greatly de-
She makes no money by raising corn
she reaps less wheat now than she sowed
before the war. Her cattle are brought
into injurious competition with the Cattle
OF Chicago and the west. her tooacC ,.,
product is less and of lower price now
than before the war; and only limited
area grows the sort which brings proht 10
The grower. Her trucking at hrst re-
stricted to the six counties OF Accomec,
Northampton. Norfolk, Princess Anne,
Nausemond. and Isle of Wight, occupying
probably much less than one tenth OF thelr
arabic acreage, Is extending at a snall
pace into the few other districts that are
suitable for it; whilst the character OF our
labor forbids the expectation OF large or
rapid increase of our tillage area in any
direction.
our cities. it is true, are better off but
they comprize certainly not more than ~
Der cent. of the entire population; and q
very large part Of their gains Is invested
in blooms" outside of the state:
/ As compared with her ante-bellum con-
dtion. whether positively or relatively TO
other States. Virginia cannot be SAID to be
prosperous; nor, as TO her prevailing IN
. 4 ~ nr0sneTlfX.
2. But much more mistaken utterance
was that 1.-THE duty Of the southern peo-
pie" is "to educate the colored peo-
ple.n An experience Of twenty years shows
/ that TO be impossible. Their industrial
condition, their criminal record, their So
/ cial, moral, and religious state, all show
/ that freedom is disadvantage TO them ;
/ that they are worse in all these particulars
! than they were before the war, and are de-
terioratiug every day. Yet they have had,
ever since November, 1870, the date OF the
commencement of the public schools. the
same proportionate expenditures LOT tui-
ton that the whites have.
The negro is incapable of receiving what
white men call religion and education, and
be is worse after PROCESSING 10 nave re-
ceiyed them than he was before. Inc rea-
son is that the psychology OF the Negro
I differs radically from the psychology OF
( the white man. And tins profound stu.
/ dents of ethnology-such men, for in.
stance, as Professor Keane, Of London-well
understand.
Such amicablc optimatio dreams as Mr.
Breckenridge INDUCES about negroes can
never be realized. And TO me il seems
that the part Of wisdom is to disregard
them and TO address ourselves TO the work
OF deporting our negroes to Africa. II is Q
stern and arduous task, but its execution
is necessary 10 our civilization, and 1t has
been proved TO be sttainable within rea.
sonable limits of time. and without such
a vast amount OF money as is commonly
thought will lie required. go