The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-23

I emnncipated class than this American
| example" Liberty came 10 the freed
| men Of these United States not IN
mercy, but in wrath. not by moral
choice, but by military necessity, not by
the generous action Of the people among
whom they were TO live. ind whose good
/ Will was essential to the success OF the
measure; but BY STRANGERS. aliens ana
enemies OF former system Of slavery
The very manner OF their emancipation
invited to the heads Of the freedmen the
Interest hostility OF race ana caste
They were hated because theg had been
slaves and hated because they were free
and hated because Of those that freed
them, Nothing vas 20 have been ex-
pected other than has happened, ond he
| is poor student OF the human heart
who does not see that some Of the old
master class would naturally employ
every power and means In It's reach at
that time to makejthe great measure OF
emancipation unsuccessful and utterly
odious. 1t was born In she tempest ana
| whlrlwind OF war. and has lived IN
storm OF violence and b1oOdshed. When
| the Hebrews were emancipated, they
| were told to take the spells OF the
Egyptians. When the serfs Of Russia
were emanclpated, they were given
three acres OF ground on which they
| could live and make q living. But not
so when our slaves were emanclpated,
| They we're sent away empty handed,
| without money, without friends, and
| without a foot OF land TO stand upon,
| Old and young. sick and well, were
turned loose to the open sky, naked to
their enemies. The old slave quarters
that had sheltered them before, and the
fields that had yielded them corn, were
denied them. The old mnster-class, In
Its wrath, said: "Clear out! The YAM
KEGS have freed you: now let them feed
and shelter you'll" These are true words
from wise man. When Richmond fell
and Appomattox surrendered, and the
roar OF death-dealing cannon ceased TO
Teverberate. and the black smoke OF
battle arose from hundred COREY fields
an almost understandable scene appeared
| There, stretched full length upon those
fields, lay colored soldiers, weltering in
their own blood, whose lives had been
cheerfully laid down to save their coun-
try from disruption and themselves and
loved ones from slavery. The nag which
they so gallantly defended, hitherto, had
offered them and theirs but its stripes.
Industry, frugality. prudence. intelll-
gence and religion will so Ye:Y far TO-
ward settling. n they do not settle the
vexed negro question we hear so much
about OF late, will open tho way to
wealth, happiness, sociability, pleasure
and happiness here and hereafter.
Whatever spirit has sustained and ele-
waited other nations must characterize
the black man before he gets all that's
coming to him.
SOME STATISTICS.
1t must not be inferred that We for a
moment entertain the thought that the
people, Of the better sort, have not been
observing these things at all. not trying
| to work, to save or be prudent; for the
thought would be gain-said bY the tess
timony Of facts that are now notorious,
viz: The cOlored people in this country
to-day own In their own name property,
and real estate valued at nearly $780,.
100000, or which they pay taxes. They
own in the south 10000 900 acres OF land.
they have bought in the last quarter OF
a century. Own and edit 5000 newspa-
pers; have 2l.OO0 schools In which there
are millions OF colored children. There
are now 2St normal; go secondary; 40
deaf, dumb and blind; 2SS colleges ana
universities, 40 schools OF theology; 10
law, and % medicine schools. school
population, 100000; enrolment l,2OO.-
900; whites. 4 per cent higher only; 70
per cent, or 2,5OO.0O0 OF the race, can
raod and write: 1G,5OO OF these are now
In the schools OF higher grade than the
common schools. while 100000 profess
n hone beyond this vale OF tears. They
nre beginning TO teach their children,
girls and boys. some kind OF trade.
| practicable and profitable as well as
| theoretical, Installing into them, II
| girls, not to accept the hand OF Croe-
| ans. or IL boys. not to take to wife We
nus, II she or he has no visible means OF
support. When we say prudence, We
simply mean that they are learning to
be more careful than TO put money into
| the hands Of others for safe-keepfrg. I'M
less they give them good security. The
failure OF the Freedman's bank.in which
millions OF their money was squandered,
] mas. unfortunately, scared some from
patronlzing banko at all. They are be-
| ginning to learn that National banks
are more secure than the best friend,
unless that friend gives them security
| beyond the bare word OF mouth. Again,
in buying property, they are beginning
10 make black and white alone talk fer
them; when paying debts, first set a re-
ceIpt, and then only are they safe.
The breach between the better ele-
,nents OF both races in the south is not
Widening, AS the colored man becomes
more asslmIlated and refined, he be-
comes less repuisive as free man and
MS a citizen. II this be true among the
children of this world, and 1t is, we can
not expect less among the children OF
the light, We believe as those two ele-
ments get further away from the et-
| fects of slavery and more and more un-
| der the effuIgent rag OF the Son OF
| righteousness, and therefore, nearer
! The reekinE cross, their shadows viii so
| FAR shade the line OF caste prejudice as
/ 10 make II all but Invisible. It Is true
| TINT there are but few. II my efforts
being made by either element TO crcss
! this rublcon at once. but they are
coming nearer. To-day between these
| two elements there Is a mutual SYM
| pathy budding that will vet bloom into
The true friendship that is usual be-
| tween different civilized and Chr'Sisan-
| lied people or races upon the same sou.
| substantial bridges have been built
I across this brcech by the spellinS-book'
nick. shovel and mechanical and profess
| sIonnl Instruments. Neither element
seems anxious to rush pell nell across
| n to the disgust o. the other, but an
| association, wise, prudent, helpful, ana
therefore safe. has sprung up that VIII
cease onlV with the sound OF the last
trumpet. This element Of the whites Is
beginning 10 grow tired Of longer re-
malnIng under the cloud of prejudice
! that hitherto mnde them the laughing
stock OF the world, and ARE gradually,
cautiously. but nevertheless substantial
\ ". we believe, building nearer the