New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-06
New-York. Dec 2 1895
MISUNDERSTANDING THE NEGRO

New-Tork Dec 2. 1895.
MISUNDERSTANDING THE NEGRO
HIS HEROIC CONDUCT IN THE WAR SAID TO
HAVE STIRRED THE SOUTHERN PRESS
TO RENEWED SPITE AND
HOSTILITY.
To tire Editor o. The Tribune
Sir: do not desire newspaper notoriety either
as an attorney otherwise. but there are so
many misrepresentation heaped upon my race by
the newspapers published by white men in the
South. feel II my duty TO correct some o. the
misrepresentation so made
In The Florida Tines-Union and Citizen" a
newspaper published in jacksonville. Fla. which
has large circulation appears an editorial on
November u entitled. "A Threatening GU. ook.
While the editor OF that paper not have In
tended 10 do so. think he has greatly misrepre-
scented and sandered the negro race the brave
black men who gave up their lives at FL Caney and
San Juan HI for their countrys safety and honor
and those who escaped Spanish bullets at those
places.
Mark what the Editor OF The Tmes-Unon and
Citizen" says:
The negro given ar opportunity o: hshtns
for the country. and re fought well against spain;
it would have been en- accorded him & ne had been
patent Cnforupately II msde nm n, srs - ha
race and the result has been written IN booi III
many Southern States.
He also charges the negro troops with much law
lessness in camp. When and where was this az
gressiveness or arrogance the part OF these
heroes or the negroes generally History records
the fact that the black man fought in the ReNo-
lutionary War. IN the War o. lsl2 and In the wal
OF the Rebellion nearly two hundred THOUSAND
negroes fought most CALAMITY 10 restore TINS
glorious Union. and bring peace and happiness "
our then distracted country. We have had our
colored and mixed Grand Army posts throushou'
the South FOR thirty years, and we have only peeh
accused o, aggressiveness in obtaining education,
the accumulation OF property and by peacefui ana
conservative means trying TO secure our s''' am
political rights
nu.h about the deeds o. those black heroes as
, the negroes in any other State. and YET 90 mo-
believe that our white fellow-citizens VIII cha'se
US with having the big head" aggressNehess OF
arrogance. 1900,
Rrave men are hard 20 arouse and are always
modes, about showing their bravery or talking o.
IT, Whenever a negro and a white man nave
iaial personal difficulty these Southern papers Cum.
out-and especially Just before an eecuo", III
startling scarehead lines: "A Race W ar 49,
these phrases only intensity the preJunlre % ~
ignorant white men against the negro ana o'''
nerve the average negro to meet such an uh.o' ~"
nate Issue +, ever forced upon him. ana 10 oe'e"-
himself the best he can from persona! Nioehce' a
die II necessary. but as only brave men wiz orc
Then I: the shedding OF blood IN many Southe'"
| at IL
hecoms aggressive and arrogant 10 snch uesieo
IN. ,be,r conduct has become unGearaole by the
unue nnulation and X this b.oodsned rea"y o0
Cured ~ sef-protection the most prejuaeI n fb
r. left inevitable ana ioe.vas 80 tbrse black
Sa,oas where lvucning has become HflsNla'..-
as part OF white man ciH%a, aims O, murder
the Southern States, are the 10 nero Was
arson and other outrages because my ~
given an o9poF5nny q Tbis 10 enttled him to an
ceased respect so his enemies ~ conn
oroftbirp must be done and that GuicKl!, 10 w.
teract me good influence that la 80 nnsurpassed
country and the civilized WoIA-o .t 80 ~. ono
DIE I'D nrophesied when he ast made free 'Hat
he would be a failure as a 49,, instead OF
henfsctor and now the record OF the ne-Ip ~ 20,
them TO desperation and hey st naTg
pa sl rsded in Florida since iSt 1nc nave pesh
bona nde resident here since ih1s,eaen a. IN heeet
-, sscrf mat in ali my RESIDENT heie nave ne
seen the Southern ne"spape'ss, ~ Ganev and san
I - lin They remind me Of bees swaImlhs pre-
paratory TO taking nm IN bia V solder in camp has
-, bonn az areat as that OF the white soliiIr e.
not , Deg, a. nlnbers for nowhere have read tnai
,oiGG,eo on anv ore: and yet, right here IN la.s
CIV nHI hr Two white soldiers o. southern ell
Ioa1,u ,re arrested ,or an assault on a $50. .,
eight year old '0 and we're dned 81 each and the
anns were paid. They we're not S1uH d n ne stribe
IN ne cnd 70 st-iEe her II this had been
negro soldier who aitempIe ean brandcd as piss
whoie e. for soldiers do not mean 10 excuse ,d%
iesiness in soldiers or any 0tasr
"aIc ioval ne5pe o. this country shoula mo sol.
way to bring the dsoya esme3' 20 a Isi citizen
they iran'pIe Oh q, this country Will ever stand by
and fgh for The rag and a. op fdSs and ndas
ana ANUS ozen here least afiy million sac Tg
men III tt.s 49,, holorgs 70 American Citizenship
rSeTero4 do believe the enemies S 81 toi IN
government ~ -aoas The clrcumstant'al evidence
is seoncasve xhs We zee sd hf aF csp6 fo
eogue bssn-,h Garol,ra and other Southern states
9 AN ,be race cry is raised to sohdiy ne
formed whites o. '"' JOHN WALLACE.
election. go ~, xov - iSas