The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-02-15
A GOOD WORD FOR OUR STATE
Correspondents Views of the Negro
and the Cotton Question Invites
Northern Residents and Nc thern
Capital to the "GCm of the Pied.


Il and the Cotton Question Invite
Northern Residents and Nc ther
Capital TO the Gem of the Piet
nont."
Greenfield (Mass.) Gazette and Courier
\ Although at present o South Care
: llnian | have never forgotten my oil
, Franklin County home, and havin,
, been reminded of it very recently b.
, reading an inscription on marbl
slab in the Springwood cemetery a
Greenville, S. c., ] have thought |
possible that | could send you som,
matter that would interest your read
ers, and perhaps reach the eye of some
of the od-time friends who are still
living among the hills and may be
pleased to learn that am on top OF the
sod. The inscription is this: "Sacred
to the memory of Roger Lovelaud, who
was born in Greenfield, Mass, l4th day
of June, l793 and died in Greenvilis,
jan 3Oth, 1857, and in a residence OF
over ~ years in this community, be
had had habitually maintained the
strictest integrity Of character with all
who knew him, and it was universally v
true, that those who knew him best,
esteemed and loved him most. A true
friend and an honest man has died, and
be his memory cherished.' Whether
SO kindly feeling as the above inscrip-
tlon would indicate, exists in the hearts
OF the people toward the more recent
Yankee arrivals, | know not, out per.
sOnally have met with only most
kindly welcome and courteous treat
ment all throughout the South where
business has called me, and more espe-
cially has 1T been 30 in the Piedmont
region OF South Carolina, | will write
OF the country and people as | have
found them, and perhaps correct an
erroneous idea which is entertained by
some OF our Northern people as to the
| treatment accorded new comers of
political or religious creeds, differing
! from those in the ascendancy here.
No one will interfere in such matters.
One can be Republican, Democrat or
Popultst, Gold Bug or Free Silver:
seek his way to Heaven by the Baptist
Metbcdist, Presby yterian or Campbell
lite or any other route, to which fancy
leads or conscience dictates, and he
will be hidden Godspeed," but he
must not come down to the level of the
negro or affiliate with him as an equal,
unless he wishes to be very severely
let alone. There is not now, nor can
there ever be, social equality as be-
tween the races in the South, and all
education conferred upon the black
man with view OF bringing him up to
level with the white, and that is more
than Is needed to fit him for common
business associations, is an injury and
not benefit, unless it is Of that kind
by which he is taught some useful
trade. The colore6 Industrial schools
are doing a great work in elevating
the negro, and fitting him for future
usefulness, but the "Colored Classical
Schools are turning out men who must
be lawyers, doctors, teachers, preach
ers or nothings. In all these lines the
supply Is far in excess Of the demand,
and once educated the young negro is
looking to see the G. =. written in the
Heavens, that he can interpret Go
Preach.-never thinking its meaning
was or might be Go Plow.
The old-fashioncd Jackleg colored
preacher is still very much in evidence
all through the country, and eau not
be crowded out, and il will be many
years before intellectual preaching
will be satisfactory to the colorcd
masses or be supported by them. \
colorcd meeting icto which the usual
adJuncts OF shoutings, grOanings, clap
ping OF hands, shuifling of feet, Lose
ing de Strenf"--and "Rassling de
Debble," does not enter, would be by
the members considered most stale
and Improbable" TO illustrate, the
writer at one time employed gang of
5O negroes, among whom was one
weighted down with the name Of Gen
eral Harrison Young, who notwith-
standing the name proved to be
worthless, lazy, no account negro. Upon
round shiftlessness, he informed me
that he wasn't "no lOw-down, workin,
niger, but license preacher" Said
he had been " Licentious ofthe Me
fodis church Souf % year" chad reg
ular preachin' till de las year, and
preach cassional now" Asked him how
and what he preached, said : 81 takes
de passage OF Scriptur' and lucydates
from it, asked him il he ever preached
morality, chastity, honesty, virtuous
living, etc, he sai6, dats too rippicky
for me boss, "l,don' unnerstan wat you
mean - asked him If he ever preached
against chicken and watermelon steal
ing, being untrue to wives, drinking
boss, dat nebber do; deyd all tink Ise
pussonal and go right over to de Bap-
| tises but alas for the General, he
| fell from grace Notwithstanding his
| being Licentious," and wound up by
being sent to the chain gang for steal
ing clothing from the Office. A "little
| learning proved a dangerous thing to
him. He could Barely read and write,
but was looked up to by his less fortu-
nate brethren rs teacher and prophet.
| | only cite this experience as show
ing what education when misapplied
may do for the African brother. But
to return to our text Greenville is q
pretty little city OF some 10000 inhabi-
tants and with it's broad, shaded
streets, reminds one very much of our
Greenfield. 1t Is situated some &c
miles from the Blue Ridge mountains,
which serve rs a barrier to the bleak
cold, north winds Of winter, and help
in giving q climate unsurpassed 10 this
region. The mercury seldom be-
low 20 bove zero. and rare aches
90 above in midsummer, the. tenn
perature being about 6S The country
Is well watered bp the Saluda, EnOree
and lteedy rivers, and many small
creeks running into them, so that the
farmer can locate where forest, upland
meadow and bottom land can be Sc
cured, and can raise any kind of croI
he desires.
}, There are four colleges in Green
Vile, two for each sex, system o
graded schools fully equa. ling our New
England schools, besides several pri
vate schools, IL churches, u free libra
, rary, in fact, any advantage, social o.
, educational, that can be found in an,
OF our cities of similar size in New
England can be found here.
People coming South for the winter
, can bring their children and ente
! them in the schools here and not de