The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-10-08
A NEGRo,s ADVICE TO HIS RACE.

A NEGRO'S ADVICE TO HIS RACE.
One sensible negro, at least, can be
credited to his race. Rev. A. A. Mos
sell megro) has recently addressed let
ter to the Buffalo On. y Courier, in
which he discusses the negro question
most logically and most sensibly, and if
the negroes all over the South would
read his letter and conform their conduct
to his advice there would no longer be
any negro question to disturb the har-
mony of the relations between the two
races. Discussing the propensity Of the
negroes to look to the Federal Govern
ment for everything, instead of to their
State Government, he says:
"This is all mistake. Federal aid
cannot be given to protect one citizen
from outrages perpetrated upon him by
another The police power OF their State
has absolute and exclusive jursuictiOn.
Why then, should we vote to perpctuate
a Federal administration whose policy
does not accord with the desires and in
terest of that local sovereignty in which
we live and to which we must look for
protection!
sOundest sense and advice. Every cit-
zen must look to his neighborhood gov
eminent for protection in all his ordinary
affairs of life. Vain is the expectation
that foreigners and strangers can formu
late the rule which is to govern when
passers by meet each other on the street,
or the methods by which testimony is
heard in court, or the rules for distribu
ting estates, or the proceedings by which
rents are collected and notices to quit
served. All these pertain to neighbor-
hood government and are controlled by
neighborhood sentiment and opinion the
world over. The regulation Of the polls
falls also within the same category. The
negro must learn that if he would have
any voice in forming rules for these and
similar conditions of life he must qualify
himself to exercise an influence upon
neighborhood affairs, and he must learn
that he will never have any voice in
legislating for such matters until he has
qualified himself in information and by
character to affect them.
Discussing what would occur if the
negro were able to stife the vote of the
white people by force bills and send only
negro representatives to Congress from
the South, MOssell asks:
will not the Southern Afro-American
have TO look TO home for support and
protection then, as he does now, whether
his representative in Congress be a white
or black Republican,"
Why cannot every negro understand
and appreciate the wisdom of the sugges-
ton conveyed here? Suppose a negro
represented them in Congress- to whom
would they have to look for the employ
ment that gives them their daily bread?
Would it not be to their white neigh
bors? Would they not starve if these
should refuse to educate and care for
them? Why can they not see, then, that
their very existence depends upon the
white people amongst whom they live
and why will they insist upon appealing
always to strangers to come here and
stir up strife between themselves and
those upon whose support they must de-
pend for the very bread that they eat?
Finally Mossell gives this sensible adj
vice to his race:
rs not their citizenship common and
identical with that of the general citl-
zenship? Then why vote to enrich the
Northern manufacturer at the expense OF
impoverishing his own home? Does not
the prosperity of the South mean the
prosperity of all her people! Why, then,
vote for Northern Interference, when the
past history is but "a record of dishon-
esty. peculation and impoverishment?
The thing to do is to free themselves
from old-time prejudice and foreign In
huence Vote the ticket that assures
peace and prosperity 70 that sovereignty
that must protect them.
ITO hope TO be lcgislated into power
is absurd and foolish. Douglass has
well said that the Republican party has
played the fool in attempting 1t. for
everywhere is written the inexorable
law-the fittest shall survive.