The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-29
A DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR ON
THE "AMERICAN NEGRO.-

Professor Shaler, of Harvard uni
versity, Massachusetts, is a noted
teahcer and writer on chronological! and
other questions. In Popular Science
Monthly for June last. he discusses
THE Future of the American Negro"
We noted the article at the time and
intended to have referred to it COM
ing from a northern source. The Char
lotte Presbyterian Standard, Of 20th,
inst, has a paper upon it. The inter-
esting part of Professor Shaler's paper
is that the settlement of the important
question must be left with the south.
He says:
Experience has shown the imprac-
ticability of the project of helping the
negroes with the long arm of the fed
eral law. The only chance OF lifting
the black man to the full stature of
the citizen, is by leaving his future
essentially in the hands of the mas
terful folk who alone can help him."
IL is gratifying to know that all
northern writer's who touch this sub
ject are not fanatics and fools. Pro-
fessor Shaler and some others SOW
that they nav observed and stuffed
the situation and the negro and have
come TO the conclusion that thera is
neither wisdom nor judgment in he
north's essaying to deal with the So
luton of this pregnant and ever fate
full question.
No other people but the whites of
the south ever blessed and elevated
the negroes. Under every other mas
tership they have decayed and gone
back into the very depths whence they
came. Professor Shaler links the
"old motives" of the old Shareholder
will 'ibe continued in his descendants
at least for some generations" Very
likely. The present generation, is
carrying out we'll the kindness and
sympathy and help of their faith
ers. The south is ~txpending morey TO
educate the negroes with as much lib
erality as the veterans of the war
voted. Some So ZOO, 900 in the sourh's
white poverty have gone to educating
the children Of the very slaves wrench
ed from the whites by the ruthless,
savage a We agree with the fol-
Ing LLSlOTlC IeSuIllS from the SIIQQ-
ard as both just and true:
The negro is not here in America
by his own fault. He did not invade
oud soil and become the captive OF Ou:
bow n spear. He was brought here
against his will and with such horrors
of massacre and cruel captivity as. we
can read of today in the slave trade
hat Arabs still carry on.
I'VE know also that he south resist
ed his coming at first, and then well
coined him and under the beneficent care
of the 'maSterful folk our fathers, he
thrived n increased in numbers and
grew by a degree of civilization such
as a b~arbarous race had never attain
ed in so short a time, and to a decent
n often genuine observance of the
precepts OF the Christian religion.
Nor was he in the least responsible
for the agitation that shook the nation
n it was split in twain.
Can we blame him if when invad-
ing armies swept through the and like
a flood, his emotional nature was at
last wrought upon and he followed
the army? Can we blame him too
severely that he turned for awhile TO
the flattering promises of his seducers.
and gave himself into their hands?
He was ignorant. He knew no history
and believed what was told him Sen
t~imentalists fondled him. Politicians
fiattered him"
AS the Messenger has some times
shown the confidence, good feeling and
~forbearance of the whites have been
greatly shaken with the progress of
years. After SO much schooling, so
many acts of kindness and friendship,
after so much expenditure of money in
education, building asylums, churches,
etc, and after thirty-five years of ex-
perience. the negroes appear TO learn
nothing, still cherish the old dislike
of the whites, still delight TO vote
against them, and TO countervail their
efforts in behalf or good and honest
government and are as much welded.
Ephaim like, to their idols as ever they
were in the dark, devilish days of car
pet-baggery. The negroes were duped