The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-16
NEGRos NORTHERN FRIEND
washington Post. }

washington G0St.)
In the Globe Quarterly Review fol
December, 1897, its editor, Mr.. William
H. Thorne, has an article entitled
Must the Negro Coz" Mr.. Thorne wac
an original abolitionst, conspicuous
agitator in the anti-slavery ranks, one
Of the noisiest and most enthusiastic
negrophileg Of that stormy period which
preceded the war of 1861. And yet
he writes of the objects Of his former
solicitude in these emphatic terms;
During the spring of the year 1895,
and after more than thirty years of sin
cere and old-fashioned abolition sympa-
thy with the negro race, / made two
visits to several Southern States, with
results as follows:
"First-All my old abolition sympa-
thies, which had been weakening for
over ten years in view Of the insuffera-
BILE self-assertion OF our negroes since
the day of their emancipation, vanished
like so many scattered sophistries, for
which | had no further use.
"Second-0n returning to New York
I published in the next issue of the
Globe Review my conviction that, spite
Of emancipation and our so-called edu-
cation Of the negro-and perhaps aided
by these absurlities-the negroes Of this
country were more than ever a shift
less, unteachable, immoral race, incapa-
bic of any true civilization in our land,
and unworthy Of American citizenship
"Third-That without mincing mat
tiers, or any longer writing or thinking
on the basis of sympathy with the negro,
/ was convinced that inside the next
b.A L., ,NhI;
to 're-enslaye, kin, or export the bulk Of
It's negro population F"
This is the difference between the abo-
htionist and the former Shareholder.
The Northern man does not understand
and does not like the negro. lie has for
him personal aversion and antipathy.
Here is Mr.. Thorne condemning the
whole race because of the offensive man
ners of few vulgar and pushing fell
lows who have assumed the airs Of
leadership, and who represent the masses
of the negroes in this country about as
faithfully as handful of snobbish pop
injays in military dress represent the
United States army. or course, these.
impudent and flashy darkies. with their
absurd pretensions and their clamorous
claims of recognition are nuisances Of
the most exasperating type, but South
ern men do not make the stake of ac-
cepting them as specimens of the race
and of issuing a comprehensive verdict
of reproach upon the strength of their
stupid antics. They think of the thou
sands of honest, industrious, well man
nered, and self-respecting colored men,
who are patiently working out their
own redemption, advancing themselves
as white men have had to do by means
OF legitimate efforts. and seeking no
short cut through the medium OF effront-
cry and impudence. They think or
these and they adhere to the old-time
sympathy and affection which in times
past bound the races so firmly together.
1t is as The Post has always said.
The negro has no real friends at the
North. We are willing to believe, for
we see something of it here, that the
negro does not show to advantage after
crossing the Potomac and the Chic. 1t
seems to us that the further he wanders
from the South the more bumptious and
offensive he becomes. But this is large
" due to the fact that lie realizes the
hostile environment in which he is
placed, and in his foolish way resants it,
The fact remains, however. The negroes
best and most genuine friends are at
the South, and it is among the former
slave-holding classes that he finds the
truest esteem and the most helpful
friendship. The issue predicted by Mr..
Thorne may come, but it will come only
in the Northern States. Southernefs
know how to handle their colored nuis-
ances without including the whole race
in their scheme of repression and re-
buke.