Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-21
WEDNESDAY. AUGUST II, 1895
The isr:ring Negro.


VIZ polk Niller's deineations Of negro
character ought to become more popular
1han ever in view Of the ABSURD letter 'ha'
was addressed last week 10 the man
,eemont Of the Chautauqua Assembly III
New York. by committee of the negroes
in attendance upon that assembly. II
Mr.. NIller's Gclinedtlons of negro char-
acter were not true 10 life. there wouid
be nothing ia them TO commend them 10
public favor. Il is because he represents
trlthfully the ante-bellum negroes as they
existed in the DAYS of slavery that ms
rictures are recognized as true. such
performances as those Of Mr.. Miller make
friends FOR the nosro Of to-day-not LOT
The negro boz whom the whites have edu-
Gated NJ high schools. nor for the "aspir-
ing negro" who would Ike TO sit side by
side with tie whites IN every public place
Int for the genuine negro. whether Of me
"ol9 issue" or tie new issue. VINO mas
sense enough 10 know that the whites
are never going 70 put themselves On 'he
same plane with tho blacks The negro
NAV do what he will. AMI VT he cannot
cbarre his nature nor the nature Of the
white man. II the negro chooses T. cam
o. lee as good as q white man. he VIII
not thereby offend the white nan. H.
deed II the negroes were to claim 10 Dc
the sYpe.iors u the white race. ana were
T. attempt 20 have an exclusive set ol
their own. into which no whites were 10
BE- admitted. the whites would only laugh
et sarho's ludicrous performances and
let him be as exclusive as possible. Ihe
difference between the whites and the
blacks viii always exist. The negro knows
his place and viii always know it.
The protests Of the negroes n the New
York Chautauqua ought to render Mi
Miller's delineatits Of negro character
more popular than ever These Gei'"e1-
lions are, in flct. so true 10 nature that
even the northern people can perceive
for themselves that Mr.. Miller represents
,he ulantation negro as he was. We ven
fure 10 say that Mr.. Miller is truer
friend If the negro than these Chautau-
qua protesters. and we are sure that L
the necro needed q service he would
sooner expect o. receive it from Mr. Nil
Ter than from any northern man. whether
the latter was engaged as the Chautau-
ava negroes were engaged or not.
Look II the negroes Of Virginia, say.
Why 10 they not settle in New York
Why is It that the negro viii work Tor
50 a month in Richmond rather than -or
$50 a month in New York. though the
latter city is only ten hours distant from
The former? Why. indeed? II j. because
n recognizes in the southern man a
sr,end-one who treats him as friend, so
long As he keeps his place-and finds
that the northern people treat him with
absolute contempt. stay In New YORK
city a week. and you VIII be bound u
adnit that Polk Miller and the people
whom he represents are the truest friends
Of the negro in the world. Nevertheless,
the negro can never become anything
more than he g.. Let him do what he
will. he VIII find in the end. as Fred
Douglass found. that his children are no.
thing but negroes and can. therefore
not be lifted to the same plane with the
whites.
We state these as facts. They ought
however. to serve 10 keep The negro in
his place. and convince him that bis
future welfare will be best promoted by
accommodating himself TO the circum
stances which surround him. II is use
less for him 10 fight against fate.