The colored American., 1900-06-02
ISSUES OF The HOUR.
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DecL an unanlmOus aCcSptAnCS u Inc
opinion which | shall advance. But
however falIacious my opinion or un
sound my conclusion, the effort will
not be in vain If in some way | can ss
slst in directing more attention and
thought TO whatever errors the past
may hold up to our view, and through
such study, prepare ourselves for the
fewer errors and the greater triumphs
Of the future.
EHFRAEOaISRMENT NOT CRIME.
| believe iE is the fashion to speak of
the enfranchisement Of the freedmen
as the gigantic crime OF the century
as the blunder without parallel in po-
lltical history. But in this matter, L
must confess that L am mol fashionable.
To my mind, ignorance Is not tae
greatest obstacle in the way OF proper
exercise OF the rights OF enfranchlse"
ment. In the great cemetery OF the
nations OF the world, net ignorance
but corrnptioa hiding its hldeous de-
formtties beneath the splendid attire OF
intelligence and opulence, has dug the
grave, and pronounced the funeral
Obseuuies of nearly all past national
greatness. OF the ole, untutored ex
slave many of whom long since have
been gathered to their peaceful graves,
some of whom still linger upon the
shores of time, [ confid' ntly asserS my
unWavering conviction that no OJdy OF
men ever marched to the ballot Dox
with purer motives ana noDler IN
tentious than, when with all the re-
i0ion OF their souls, with charity for
ali and malice towards none, they cast
their ballot for that great party which
thew sacredly and Relig1ously regarded
as Cots instrument "a Ghelr emanc1
patiOn. The hand of violence Is being
laid heavily upon the Negro In some
parts OF the country. State legislatures
are grinding out with dlscouraglng
ranidItv legislation which tends to hu
initiate the Negro, and to crush his
ambition, but these untoward events
must not be attributed 10 the blunders
of the unsophisticated eX'slave, who
usually contented himself as a citizen
with the privilege OF casting his 0allot
without re gard so much as to which
way it was counted. Eos HIM despite
his voting. the friendliest relations ex
isted and do now exist on the part OF
the az STAKEHOLDER and his children.
In those parts of the South where the
relations between the whites and the
blacks have been strained, where racial
prejudice has been Intensified, where
the oppositiOn OF the white man has as
sumed its bitterest form, 1t is easy DO
trace these conditions to the activity,
the ambition and aspiration of the
educated Negroes Of q youngeF gene
ration.
What means the ory against Negro
domination - for "White supremacy"
whloh has been heard N every south
ern state? 1t is the protest OF the whites
against Negro office holders, and Negro
politicians. 1t is the announcement
that wealth and intelligence have de-
termiaed that ignorance and poverty
must take back seat. 1t Is oeciaFa
ton to the educated. ambitious young
Negro that the question OF ofnclai
prominence and power cannot be set
tied by aD ignorant aud helpless ma
jority adversely to the wishes OF
wealthy and intelligent minority. lt Is
the announcement that ntelligent men,
whether White or black, must not aspire
to positions of prominence and petit
cal prestage uuless they nave the aP-
prOval Of the wealth and intelligence or
the community they represent. 1t Is
re iteration OF the WORLDS hsartless
oreed of q survival of the iltest."
In my native city Of Wilmington,
North Carolina, have seen q govern
ment supported by majority OF voters,
too weak to protect its clClzens or even
20 project itself. have seen the mayor
and the sheriff fugitives-fieeing for
their lives from the wrath OF an 1ntell1-
gent. wealthy and we'll organized mi