Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-04

a widespread impression that the conduct
of the negro during the war between w
States of the Union was the result ehtlreiy
of love and respect. The statement - III
part true, and their conduct was Sel.a, III,
commendable, but the chief motive was
fear Of the action OF the Confederate SOL
der.
They knew that stern justice would De
swiftly dealt to them ana THIS Is the e hIei
solution and explanation Of their acuOn.
'rhis statement may destroy the glamour
OF a beautiful fiction, but II IS the unpidseu
truth of history, and II cannot be SUI
cessfully controverted
After the negro had become free he ha1
an idea that education would open up 70
him a world hitherto unknown, ana that
in books ne could find the Key ana an
open sesame" to a grand prosperity,
With lavish and uneXampled hperly tns
States of the South fostered TINS ldea' anu anu
the white people generously voted milllOns
upOn millions of dollars 70 promote ana
advance his education. and the same thlhs
Is to-day being continued. what mas Dteh
the result? Has it been failure or sue
cess?
| can state with truth and fairness that
IL has been neither. Bitter and humul-
ating has been the disappointment or me
negro and the intelligent ana pIeJuulceu
white fanatics who expected what W.
impossible at the meagreness or the result
while those OF us who have always hdl
better appreciation of their character
think that on the whole the money mas
not been misspent ana that naH 20
productive of good and we are VIKING ~
continue il for another decade, or even
longer in order that the experiment may
have fair and impartial trial, 50 mat lhe
world cannot taunt us with injustice III
this respect The reason OF the compara-
tive failure OF the attempted educatioh
arises from the singular want OF analysis
I'm the reasoning power OF the negro.
He Is almost wholly lacking in It, ITO
learns the alphabet and 20 read ana Wfl,v
with extraordinary readiness. lie Is tull
OF imagery, and many OF them are natu-
raj orators, but when the necessity comes
for mathematics or analysis he is lost ana
helpless. o,,o,,
like H. following to stump and conIound
their so-called trained scholars: II
can do a piece OF work In one day. IS
the same work in two days, and = the
same work in five days, how long VIII IL
take them TO do II If they all work TO-
gether? As simple as this IS they can
not. as a rule, comprehend II. Ii seems
that there Is a well-defined limit 10 thelr
ability to learn, and II appears 10 pe III
grained i'm their very nature.
The consequences IL that as class tney
do sloyenly work and make sloVeniy me
chanics. Their greatest weakness IS their
utter lack of ambition. NatuIdIy Oh I'm,
small amount OF property sunless Tor their
wants. and, generally speaking they NH
not work except under compulsloh, ne
Great hattie for supremacy Is practlcaly
eeter and thew have fallen into a mediocre
statS which seems to content them, anu
never again as class is II propaple that
they will attempt to overdue the Ahsio-
Saxon race. .,.,.. ,..
rlemented as IL is, by immigration, as
shown BY the last census, places them
more and more in the background. and
IL behooyes US TO treat them with justice
Ii
undoubtedly are so treated.
Their rights Of personal security. per-
sonal liberty, end private property are
EVERYWHERE respected In the South, and IL
Is done from a feeling Of kindness which
is the result Of association The negro
loves TO wait upon the southern white
man. and the feeling OF kindness IS re-
ciprocal We know him. and he knows
that we know him; we are disposed To
condone his petty violations OF right, and.
as a rule, we always help him when he
Is In distress, aid we do II from true
principles of friendship.
He has many lovable qualities. He Is
not vindictive by nature. and easily for
gets and fOrgiyes a wrong, the memory
Of which tho AugiO-SaxOn would remern-
Der all of his life. lie is initiative in the
highest degree, ana copies the virtues
and the vices OF those with whom he
associates. He Is superstitious beyond all
mankind and the thin veneering OF edu-
cation does not conceal his natural In
grained partial FNO4OD HOlSliD
Indeed, superstition Is the chief source
OF his unhappness, and all efforts 10
eradicate IL appear 20 be vain and futile.
A great amount or pleasant literature has
been written about the negro and the
family OF his former master, showing the
cordial relations THAI existed between
them and II IL true, but the truth has
often been sacrificed.
The entire South heartily and sincerely
rejoices that the negro Is free; this senti-
ment Is practically unanimous, because
we feel that burden has been lifted from
our shoulders. and we wish him well. and
II LED alone we feel confident that we can
work out the problem TO the satisfaction
OF all parties.
There Is some se.nshness In our reJoic-
fng that the negro is Free that event has
unlocked the dormant energy OF the
southern white man, and we can now
work out our own destiny on a higher
and nobler plan snfettered by the incubus
OF slavery and It's attendant consequences,
AS a politician the negro has been
phenomenal failure.
To this day be cannot understand why