The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-09-01
THE G. GUEST.
Joseph Loftin at NevpOrt-Negro of
the Past.

O4-N- - $1,000 -'N7-' - -
Newport" the New York Sun publishes
the following dispatch from Newport,
r. L:
Newport is to be called upon in a few
days to entertain in some capacity one
Of the leading negro citizens and poll
ticians of North Carolina. He is COM
ing TO Newport on the invitation Of one
Of the society leaders. He is Joseph
Loftin. and his host Will = Mr.. and
Mrs. Pembroke Jones. Loftin has
charge of Mr.. Jones estate at Arleiga,
y. e. For several years ne has ar
ranged entertainments for some of the
social leaders there. LOftin IS one OF
the most prominent negroes in the
south. He has never been north, and he
has asked Mr.. and Mrs. Jones to al
range a trip for him. LOftin will arrive
in New York tomorrow and will remain
there during the yacht races as the
guest Of Mr.. and Mrs. JOne on board
the steam yacht Narada, after which
he will come to Newport. He piloted a
party of society people on a coon aunt
two winters ago., on which occasion the
coon was shot by Mrs. StuyVesant Fish
and stuffed. 1t nov occupies a con-
spicuOus place at CrossWays. Loftin
IS a real southern darby. He has work.
ed his way up from the cotton fields TO
the management of one Of the finest
estates in the south"
The Sun has also stated that Loftin
would be carried to Newport by the
Joneses and Mr.. Henry Walters.
This incident is being given wide
spread publicity as al. example OF
southerners entertaining a negro, and
will doubtless be used by certain ne
grOphile newspapers as an evidence of
the social recognition of the colored
man
Mr.. and Mrs. Pembroke Jones are
sOutherners born n bred, as is the
owner of the yacht Narada The idea
that the visit of LOftin TO them means
social equality in the remOt9St sense is
so absurd that it can only be accounted
for by the nOrtherner's total miscOn-
ceptiOn of the sOutherner's attitude
tOWard his former slaves.
LOftin is said to be an old family
negro of the JOneses. If he is like
many others, they are doubtless fond of
him as a faithful retainer, and he prob
ably is more devoted to them thai any
servant of a possibly equal race could
be. 1t is a custom among sCutherners
and has been for 100 years-to treat
with the greatest consideration these
devoted family negroes. What south
ern nan does not remember with pecu-
liar affection the old black nanny"
who guided his infant footsteps, curing
his hurts and bruises and many a tire
some day rocked him to sleep on her
gmnla hrao St . NVhnf cnIthnrnnr aan
forget the old negro uncle who had
been his indulgent guide and admiring
aid from the time he can first remem-
Der? To these old people h baby they
nursed and fondled is my own chile
to their dying day, loved as devotedly
as if of the same flesh, but w~orshiped
as a kind of superior being in which
they may take a fond pride all their
days.
Most of these have passed away and
a new generation of bumptious blacks
has grow up in their pIaces-a species
for which the SOutherner has no love
and slight regard. Totally different are
these pushing socialist equalists," who
regard the proud white man as their
enemy, who dream of some day
foscing themselves into a seat beside
the pale-face who looks down upon
them.
In spite of all that the south has had
TO suffer, the blOOdshed and terror that
some members of the race have brought
there is still there the highest appre-
citation of the fine qualities of polit@-
ness, consideration and devotion that
distinguished the best type Of the old
time negro.
The entire tone of the Newport view
is so foreign to the southern attitude
that 1t seems almost in a different
language. Few of the Ole ''mammies'
and "uncleS" are allowed to suffer for
anything to cheer their declining years,
and faithful servants, of which Loftin
Is probably a type, are rewarded with
every consideration. But social equal
ity is so far distant from the thoughts
of white or black man that it is never
thought necessary to call attention to
Its impossibility.
Loftin will probably have the time
of his life on the trip referred to, be-
cause Newport and New York are like
another world to the worker on "Airlie''
plantation, almost on the border be-
tween the Carolinas. His employers will
PROBABLY do all they can to make him
nave a good time in the ~friendliest way.
But If they are like the southerners
from whom they came, if Loftin would
presume to sit at table with them or
assume social equality, Mr.. and Mrs.
Pembroke Jones would be as surprised
as II a visitor from Mars had descend
ed upon them.-Baltimore Sun.
Opinion on the Jurisdiction of State
Courts.