If the millions of dollars given by Northern philanthropy, and the noble lives of sacrifice in teachin’ and preachin’, had been given in vain.
He might be pardoned if he said:
“Give these young colored people new doctrines or new laws; teach them less Christianity by book and a little more practical religion and justice by object lesson; give these law-abiding, native-born citizens of this Republic a tithe of the rights and privileges enjoyed by the lowest criminal foreigner newly landed on our shores, or else let this addition be made to their creeds:
“‘Merit has nothing to do in determining a man’s future life.’
“‘Injustice shall conquer in the end.’
“‘Fraud shall be victor over honest and Christian endeavor.’
“‘The colored man, by reason of his dark complexion, shall be forever deprived of all the blessings and privileges of the Government he risked his life to save.’”
Put this into the creeds you teach the young colored men and women, and they will at least respect you for bein’ sincere and truthful.
Felix felt all this, and more too—more than I could set down if my pen wuz as long as from here to the moon, and longer.