Year: 1879

men is your assistance in the hour of
trial; SO it is the duty of every coll
orcd man to defend and respect the
women.


There is class of young women
who are laboring under very adverse
circumstances to tit themselves for
higher usefulness in life, and without
the aid Of the men they can never
reach that height Of respectability
which they have 50 earnestly toiled
to obtain. Women are not inferior
beings, and they demand respect.


The great fault OF the colored men
is, they allow the women to be
abused in every respect. They are
cursed and insultcd on every hand.
They are driven into second-class
placcs-it matters not if they are our
most cultured young women-iust as
though they were cattle, and the men
will stand and not open their mouths.
1t is hard 70 think that the colored
men have lack Of true manhood,
but the fact is plain enough in itself
1t YOU do not protect us and pay
some attention to our appeals, we
will have to defend ourselves. 1t is
a shame that men who have sisters,
mothers, wives and daugters should
allow them to be treated rs insignifi-
cant beings.


1t IS the prayer of our best women
that YOU will look after their interest
in every respect. Colored women
are looking to something higher than
servants. They have feelings, and
you must make known to the world
that YOU have respect for them. If
YOU suffer other men 10 trample
the,n under their feet, YOU are not
the ones to receive our appeals.


You are looking forward to the
time when YOU will have an elevated
society, but if YOU look over the wo-
men your aspirations will be exhaust
ed and expectations blasted. A man
who IS afraid to speak for right ought
never TO own his name.


There are fine and noble qualities
in woman, and society needs them
and welcomes them, and will give
them a place Of honor and power.
A true woman, one of intelligence,
has no need TO think of inferioritv.
If the colored man will lay aside fear
and stand in the defence of the wo-
men, their success will be abundantly
bestowed in lifting themselves to
higher standard in life.


The world demands men and wo-
men to do its work, and not girls nor
boys. But if the women are 10 be
cut up and knocked about, our peo-
pie will never, no never, get their
greatest need and want. Ii colored
men are seeking success in life, they
must remember that our best men
state that their success came through
the influence of their wives; so the
men must ia ke care Of woman, take
her part in every case OF justice and
right.


You are aware of the fact that
there is a lack of refinement and cul-
ture, and the larger number are ig-
norant; yet these are no reasons why
they should be made to remain in a
state OF degradation and sin. Col
ored people arc not only contemned
in travelling affairs, but in every pub
lie place. There are slurs thrown in
the face OF our women on the streets;
they are such as ought not to be al
lowed to be given to ladies. They
need protection in every place.


One thing | wish you to note is
the running Of excursions. They
are ruinous to the colored race. The
colored people work hard for six
months in the year, and then give
their earnings aWay'to the oppressor
to keep his expressing machine in
order to press him down. II the col
ored man does not think for himself
and practice saving his earnings, his
nose will forever remain at the grind
ing stone. 1t is the indispensable
duty or every minister to discuss the
subject of saving the daily earnings
from his pulpit. Let the men save
their money and put it to a more
profitable use. If the people wish
pleasure, SO long as they cannot en-
JOY their money justly, let them take
their baskets, hire vehicles and go to
the woods and enjoy themselves.
Support nothing that does not add to
your highest good.


Well, as | have before stated, if
you protect not the women, we will
defend ourselves by saving our money
and giving it into the hands of the