Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-06-11

officers had been replaced by white
ones would be nothing more than 90
many Loltroons who would desert in
the face of the enemy. No white Of
hcer who cared fig for his reputation
as a soldier would risk il in assuming
the command of such men.
Let us look at the matter philosophi-
cally. Every race and nationality
even the Spsniards. against whose
country we are fighting. would be per
mitted 20 enlist promiscuously in any
company or regiment in which white
men are enlisted. But the c0lored
man is debsrred He is compelled to
enlist in organizations which are sole
ly OF colored men. He is even given
an armory of to himself as il he be-
longed to another country, and yet
when it comes to fighting for the hon
or, glory or preservation of our coun-
try his colored officers, who have had
all the trouble of training him and in
whom he has implicit confidence, must
stand aside and let the infallible hite
officers take his place leave it 60
the judgement OF all candid minded
men il the colored soldier is not right
in contendiDg that, having been separ-
Rted by no fault Of his own from all
the military organizations of the State
in time of peace, he should remain
separate in time of war
As to the implied threat thrown out
by those papers in their hint that the
colored people are on trial, we do not
care three straws. We know that we
are en- trial, but before different tri-
bunal from any they hao in mind when
they made the threat. God is the
Judge and the nations of the earth are
the jurors of the tribunal before whom
| the col0red men of this country are
arreigned and they need have no fear
of the verdict.
hope, sincerely, that Governor Ty-
Ter will not be influenced by the clam
or of these newspapers. But that he
will rise above prejudice in this mat
ter and DO justice instead. The color
ed battalion OF this city was the first
to respond to the call OF the President
for troops and volunteered to 60 any
where they may be sent. Neverless
they were overlooked and white or
foundations given the preference. They
are still willing to go and fight fol
their country but they will draw the
line at going under white officers. The
mouths of these colored officers and
soldiers are sealed. Mr.. Editor and i
is our duty TO speak for them in nc
uncertain tones
We know that every man o
them il ready and willing to lay dowT
his life in defence of his country bu
they will do this only under circum
stances wherein their manhood is re
Icognized, and the sooner our whit,
friends take this in the better it viii
be for all concerned.
There is a class of people in thi
lcountry who seem to be incapable o
ItreatiRg colored men as though the,
Iwere grown up people. They sppar
Iently regard us all as children. The,
love to patronize us; and expect us {.
lcringe to them with much gratitud,
therefor; and if We do not they ar
greatly disappointed, their feelings ar
hurt and they prophesy dire conse
lquences to US. They are prone to re
gard US as the same Old Negro OF
years ago. But they make q grea
mistake in this. One of our honore
military men laconicslly remarked th
other day. that "this in not the sam
old Negro of 80 years ago. He ha
been shaved up and had his hair cut
: The Negro of to-day has great respec
for the honorable white man but b
has earned to have greater respect fc
himself than for any body else o
|, earth.
All we ask is that the Governor wi
treat our colored Battalion precisel
as he did the white Battalion TIL,
J will be fair and will give entire sati
faction.
Yours for the success of the arms
, the United States, EVA.