The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-07
Tm Wesselwer.
RACE PREJUDICE IN THE WAR
In THE NORTH.

9EF 81 -
: Among other troublesome things in
war is the question Of negro troops IN
The northern states that always
vote republican particularly. Accord
ing to so staunch a republican organ
as the Philadelphia Press is there is an
~tangli alliance in this negro SOL
diering business. It recently said
that 1.-The question Of enlisting colored
soldiers in the army to fight against
Spain, is becoming a little tangled and
should be Strengthened out" This in
digo-blue organ of republicanism next
praises the unquestioned courage Of the
boys in black, and then gingerly ad-
vances to the complication by saying
that there is some danger that indis-
Greet friends and over-Zealous enemies
may mislead the colored man, check
his enthusiasm and prevent him from
taking advantage of the present oppor-
tunity to show his loyalty to the gov
ment and his owe for his native land"
That looks like a case Of distress. The
gallant and willing negroes who are
hot for a fight may become discour-
aged, and refuse to fight and die for
Cuba. But it does not rest here. It
goes on to censure the southern whites
for delay in volunteering and COM
polling a draft to raise the
quota of the southern states. And all
this because of white southern praju-
dice in not being willing to fight with
Josh and Sambo in the same ranks. SO
the negroes are now advising, accord
ing to the Philadelphia luminary,
against fighting unless they are COM
manded by negro officers. We merely
note this to show how an administra-
Ion organ up north yie,.s the negro
soldering situation. 1t points to a Mas
sachusets colonel of a negro regiment
forcing equality upon the white soldiers
at Lakeland, Fla, in joining with the
white soldiers in athletic sports.
Where did the whites come from?
Were they also Yankees? Now so far
as we ave heard among southern
white troops no such question has
arisen as TO serving with negro
troops. 1t is we'll known that such a
thing could not be. 1t may be race
prejudice but it exists and is ingram.
There has been no such question that
I'VE are aware of as to accepting or de-
clining negro regiments in the Outh
The Charleston News and Courier, that
has been foremost in the discussion Of
the question if negro troops perhaps, is
GonJ ;Dt@ ILy H.. DL;1oJ III Iii ~rr,,IJ
can organ. In Il part of it's reply it
plainly and directly tells its critic that
<it was not expected, and not to be eX-
pected, hat the white southern soldiers
would mingle with the colOred soldiers.
NE trace prejudice" exists here in all
it's force, and is avowed, and acted on,
without denial or excuse on all occa-
sions. We have often ami often, how
ever, had the assurance of the Repub-
lican press, and of all it's companion
organs, that such prejudice did not OBJ
tain in northern states, especially not
among republicans in these states.
Does the Press know of amy instance
of a colored regiment being accepted
10y a northern republican governor?
Does it know of any instance in which
.colored volunteers have been accepted
to fill the ranks of northern White COM
panies, and to 'tmingle with" northern
white soldiers? If there have not been
any such instances, why not?" The
Philadelphia paper will dodge the issue.
The Charleston contemporary, asks
the republican paper as to the actual
uniting of whites end blacks in Massa-
,chusetts in companies n regiments.
If good enough to play at sports in Flor
ida with the whites, it wants to know
why not good enough to be formed into
companies at home in Massachusetts.
Yes, why not? The News and Courier
very pointedly drives home the question
in this wise:
: 'FWhy vas the point which Colonel
Clark carried over raised in his regi-
ment? And to what extent is the
same principle recognized in PennSyl-
wanna, and in Philadelphia. AS We
noted yesterday, on the authority of
IAN Ohio newspaper which represents
the colored race, cOlOred volunteers are
excluded from white companies in that
state, or assigned to mental positions
in them, and in Pennsylvania 1t
was added, the first artillery regiment
mas an 'Afro-American as bugler, who,
I'm order to go, had to agree also to act
as an aida servant-'at headquar-
ters,' and about the same position is
occupied by another Afro-American in
another Pennsylvania regiment"
This race sentiment or prejudice ex-
lists in all sections, and it is sheerest
poppy-cock when republican blowers
essay to show otherwise. Take a re-
cent case in Ohio. It shows in strong
Tight the color line among the Buckeye
soadiers. &C. b. Young is the only negro
officer in the United States army. He
Ewas educated under great difficulties at
West Point and most unpleasant. He
WA ostracised by northern cadets. He
SHOWED a good mind, but was not al
lowed to graduate upon some techni-