Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-01-29
Rev. w. B. Derrick (ColOredD on the Race
Problem.

# Staunton. His reputation is not very
savory, but he is smart, and says some very
sensible things, as all will agree who read
the-following report of his remarks. SPEC
TAToR.]
From the N. Y. Herald, Jan. 22nd.l
An interesting contribution to the discus
sion of the Race Problem in the South''
was made last evening at the Bethel Church,
in Sullivan street. by the Rev. W. B. Der
| rick, colored, of Flatbush. L. l., who has
just returned from trip through the South.
Mr.. Derrick spoke at meeting of negro
| citizens called toelect delegates to the forth.
coming oolored National Convention. which
| will open in Washington on February 8,
and the frequent applause showed that his
hearers were fully in sympathy with his
| IDEAS
SIT seems strange" he began, sthat any
| man with common sense should propose to.
send the American negro to Africa But
he fact is that Mr. Morgan does not believe
in the scheme himself. He knows it is all
talk and for multitude Of reasons must al
ways remain talk. If he thought it possible
that the negroes would really be sent away
from this land the Senator would be among
the first 20 hire men to keep them in his
State even with shotguns if necessary.
| ''For the negro of the South is its life
blood and the life. blood of great part of
the commerce of this country Through
| his labor are produced its greatest staples.
which bring millions into the treasury of
the Southerners and keep millions of spin
dies humming constantly in the New Eng
land States. And as the negro is the hope
| and the life of the South, 80 the South is
the hope and the life of the negro. l don't
believe ia emigration for him either to
Africa or away from the Southern States
1t is there where he has reached his highest
development, and it is there where be will
| continue to thrive best
| "POoR WHITE TRASH"
"That he is terribly abused at some points
at present. no one can doubt for a moment,
But his cppressors are not the higher class
es among the Southern people or the mem
bers of the business community. They
come from the very lowest element, the
people y bom the slave called poor white
trash before the war and who have not
forgiven him yet for that offence To work
out the race problem by sending the black
man away is the rankest nonsense. Let
him alone where he is and be will work it
out himself, as he has already done to a
very great degree.
Remember it is only twenty-five years
since the Southern negro was eufrsnchised.
Ia New York he has been free over seventy
yeals, bit it is idle to say that the prejud ce
here against him has died out. Lst forty
five years more pass and you will see that
the colorad man in the Southern States has
reached - position that will astoneh the
world, "a his presence SO far has already
done. Of course he is at present not on a
plane of mental equality with the Southern
[ md cf
freedom and civilization to make a good
white man. Gao you expect good negro
in one fortieth of the time?
"We n all of us help the good work
along doyn there by calm, reasoua BILE words
and actions. DON'T threaten the torch or
the musket It only begeJs more killing in
Dixie. Let US appeal to the chivalry aud
manlnes5 Of the Southerner TO protect the
helpless negroes agaiJst the murderous
toughs who have figured in all the GU RACES,
and the result will be ultimate triumph and
a peaceful existence for every black man
there.
FRIENDS EVERYWHERE.
| ALREADY the resenr ment of the better
classes against the brutalites that have been
committed is apparent On every hand The
leading ,uthern papers demand the pegro's
protection as a man and citizen, aud soon
|
OF the white people themselves that the
really desirable element will be the strong
esi guardians of their colored brother.
$50, y II see, that everything is not SO
black in Egypt. There is still lots of kill
ing down there to be sure, but it is not
nearly So bad as it was at one time, and
mark my word it will soon die out entirely
| if cfficous meddlers do not interfere too
much TIE immediate solu ton of the race
problem, 80 far as it can be solved except
by years, lies alone with the Southern color
ed voter The remedy for his existing trou-
| bes is at his very hand. 1t is ths:-Let
him com bipe where he Is numerous enough
to put liberal white men in office Let him
offer his suffrsges to respectable members of
the white community in whose manliness
be has fsi b, and his troubles are over.
Throw politics to the dogs. The Lord
knows re don't make much out of it at the
| BEST The few offices we hold wouldn,r
support ore than a handful of u.s. But
help to oil ct good white men irrespective
their political creeds, and they are bound
to grant all the negro asks-equality before
the law. h has no use for that n nightmare.
social eqlality' He wouldn't make any
use of it if he had it.
| LET US ALONE"
LET US beg OF Congress to let us alone.
| We don't want any special legislation for
cur race any more than the Germans want
| it, Or the Irish or any other people in this
country. |, for one, am tired of seeing my
self on the Senatorial dissectiug table every
| December, the mark for demagogues' dull
wit.
"The negro is esssntisl ly an American
| and needs no special looking after Go
| among the German citizens in this country
and trey wilt tell you of their fatherland;
the Frenohman will rave over La Belle
France, the Italian over sunny Italy. But
| the negro stands out and tells you, Anne RIGA
is my 'homs.' He has no other, and Africa
is as strange and foreign to him as Laplaud.
We have bsen principally instrumental 10
piIpg mp The billions that lie in American
coffsrs, and we intend to remain right here
with our white brethren to enjoy them.
Mr.. Morgan and his vaporous schemes to
the contra = Notwithstanding. M. Morgan
has just as much right TO go to Africa as the
negro has. But neither wants to go, and
| guess, that being the case, both will stay
where they are and things will move along
tbe same as aWays.p
Resolutions in conformity with Mr. Der
OK 8 sentiments appealing to the manhood
Of the whites If the South were adopted by
the meeting, and then e list of delegates
for the Washington Convention was ap
pointed.
PROPHECY THEN, HISTORY Now.-The
| truth of nat Dauiel Webster is reported
as having laid a half q century ago, when
speaking of the results Of protecting differ
ent branches of industry, is now being il
Illustrated in a most palpa BILE manner by the
bearings betore the committee of Ways and
Means at Washington. What was prophecy
then is Vel itable history now. Webster is
reported as having said half century
ago.
"Hence perpetual contest carried on be
tween the different interests of society.
Agriculture taxed to-day to sustain m anu
factures-commerce taxed to morrow to
sustain northumberland then imDositions
n<a.buoao NJ, hotb N, cs,,, fuo 1nI