Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-23
"Dangerous Social Condition.

To the Editor OF the Dispatch
The editorial article. headed as ABOVE
which appeared in your issue OF yester-
day. is such an expression OF sentiment
and conviction about the basest OF out
RACES as should receive from every re-
spectacle negro man and woman IN the
United States careful. reflective thought
This editorial utterance is sinsulariy Tree
from any color Of prejudice or VlnhicllFe-
ness. and is more i'm the nature Oh
friendly appeal and admOnltloh un9et ~
provocation than reasonably could nay
been expected. Let every one Oh tHv
race read ii and heed it. At.
THE respectable negroes ought 10 JOIN
I'm with the whites In stamping out the
evil. II they do not DO SOL the ctiih.
continues-the peaceful relations thd1
have long existed between the treedHltl
and his former master will be serlousln
disturbed, If not permanently severed.
The negroes in large majority not atone
among the most intelligent OF them' pu'
among the ilhterate; would sIadiy JON
with the white people lin stamping out
the evil" but that the evil may not Dc
stamped out but in one way, ana that Is
by raising of the mass OF the race from
the dead level of degradation IN when
they are TO intelligent. moral citizenship.
The process is necessarily long ana
tedious one. and must be entered upon by
fhe whites because Of their superior IN
telligence and morality. with a divine
enthusiasm for humanity. and their Ell
fort would be seconded by the intelligent
and Christian blacks under the influence
Of divine sense Of race love ana race
loyalty. ..,a,,o,.
between my race and the former master
class Of the white race Is 'Of the trst
and highest Importance. and should be
of the most serious concern 10. not only
the negroes Of the South. bat 10 every
citizen I'm the interest OF the prosperity
Of the South. which cannot be a matter
Of Indifference to any other rart Of the
nation. if the highest good Of the nation
is 10 be the concern Of all as an imposed
obligation Of loyalty 10 the nation.
There is an indefinable relation between
tho whites and the blacks i'm Virginia.
and the South as a whole. which Is little
understood outside Of the South. and not
appreciated as it should be. for its true
value, by the young OF my race any
more than IT is by the whites in the
North. the East. and the West. Singular
and Incompatible as it may seem. II grew
with slavery. strengthened with its
strength. and under fair conditions has
descended to the negro race i'm the South
and 10 the kth and kin Of the
HonryS. IcnersOns. Lees. BraXtOns
Washingtons. Marshalls. Madisons, Mon
roes and all true southerners. II is
teTsely expressed IN the sentence. 1--WE
are the best friends Of the negroes" The
GlN TINS lflhilOU SNilI cease 10 exist
will mark the beginning Of an "irrepressi-
bic conflict for negro existence. be-
tween GO 1000 00O whites and 100000 blacks
i'm the United States As a negro Nir-
ginian from the bottom Of my heart
/ say. God forbid 81; God avert IL, May
peaceful relations existing between
blacks and whites never be disturbed
II ignorant. bestal negroes threaten this
peace let them die the death. and let
there be a universal. laudamen from the
surviving them
God has made no man worthless and
themselves so. and such beings are bet
ter out Of than in the world. and when
their lives are lawfully forfeited the
world IS the better for IT,
The duty rests upon the state "a
punish all infringements and violations
! Of its peace and dignity, and all negroes
without eXception-are bound by the law
! TO assist In its execution, when requested
so 10 do by the ministers Of the law, the
courts. and cOnstables Every citizen
white and black. thus ohcying the law,
/ every part of our country viii present
the scene of peaceful concern Of it.
citizens about their affairs ana vocatlonS
| that Richmond presented from the com,
/ mission Of the brutal outrage 10 the end
| OF the trial. when Judge Wit pronounce
Judgment and the prisoner was peace
/ fully lodged in jail without any "'her as
/ sistance than that required o. con-
SENATORS OF the peace. the excellent po'
| lice force Of this city, OF which every
! law-abiding man is proud who Is familiar
! with its splendid record. .,
JOHN II. SMYTH.