New-York tribune., 1903-06-14
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE WAYS OF THE SOUTH.
How the Situation Appears to Northern
Negro.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In your issue OF June appeared article
entitled "A Change OF View the Negro Cues
ton" aud signed 'X.' Please allow me. in de-
fence of my race. to ask Mr. ". through your
paper, what is the better of justice in the
South TO dc justice to the negro?' Can any good
thing be expected from the South toward the
negro? Search the statute books Mr.. X, and see
II, during $50 years, when the South had absolute
control of the negro, there one law passed for
the benert Of the negro. During these 250 years,
While the negro lay PROSTATE and helpless. appeal
ing simply 10 the kindness and gratitude and
charity Of the Christian white man of the South,
not one single act designed TO ameliorate his con-
oltion or to brighten his hopes was placed on the
statute books of any Southern State.
On the contrary. the last days OF American
slavery were infinitely worse than the first. Even
the shTeds of privilege the slave had at first en-
Joyed were stripped from him, and the faint CLEANS
of hope that once had gladdened his eyes were
or to teach hm how f ea9 a9 and the 50
ter was forbidden 20 liberate him at will There is
the Southern people would control the course
OF the government to promote the interest of the
neSro u anandcned TO their care and nothing In
thelr present attitude or declaration to show that
they desire the elevation of the negro. -
Missssppi SAVING tbat four nagoes T had hee5 n,ir
dered By the whites for atemptins u to asssssinste
NIlte man, and one OF the four murdered was
Southern white mans sense of justice? Mr.. X.
again shows that he is either partial to the South
there is no disposition in the South to re-enslave
actual slavery in Alabama. How long II has been
gong on nc one can tell. Again. Mr.. y. believes.
with others that the granting of the elective fran
cIiSe TO the negro was mistake Let me ask
Mr.. X if the German, the Jew. the Italian and
other classes OF persons coming TO this coun-
try. not knowing the English language when
they land and not even knowing form OF gov
eminent, but by remaining here five years are
entitled to the elective franchise why cannot the
negro have the same privilege. when he has been
here some three hundred years? These immigrants
have never served the United States as condition
precedent TO their right to enjoy the elective fran
chise; instead. they may prove by witnesses that
they are worthy TO become citizens Of the United
States, which is easily done, and in addition swear to
support the Constitution in the future, while the
negro served his country before he had the right
of universal suffrage conferred upon him, thus
proving to the world his faithfulness well
ability TO defend the Constitution.
May also ask Mr.. Y. through your paper why
not clamor for the disfranchisement of the South
white man. Has he done 10 njure
the country than the negro has done will do?
Did not the Southern white man vote to destroy
the Union. and did not the negro give his life to
ii? Did not the Southern white vote for
free trade, and thus close American industries TO
American labor. and did not the negro vote for
protection and the Feopening of American in
dustries to American labor? If these are facts.
and there be dispute. whence cometh the
greater amount of ignoTance2
WILLIAM R. z. GRIGSBY.
Montclair, y. j., June 8, 1908.