XXIII
A GLANCE AT OURSELVES—CONCLUSION
A PROJECT FOR AN EXPEDITION OF ADVENTURE, TO THE EASTERN COAST OF AFRICA
The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States
I Condition of Many Classes in Europe Considered
II Comparative Condition of the Colored People of the United States
III American Colonization
IV Our Elevation in the United States
V Means of Elevation
VI The United States Our Country
VII Claims of Colored Men as Citizens of the United States
VIII Colored American Warriors
IX Capacity of Colored Men and Women as Citizen Members of Community
X Practical Utility of Colored People of the Present Day as Members of Society—Business Men and Mechanics
XI Literary and Professional Colored Men and Women
XII Students of Various Professions
XIII A Scan at Past Things
XIV Late Men of Literary, Professional and Artistic Note
XV Farmers and Herdsmen
XVI National Disfranchisement of Colored People
XVII Emigration of the Colored People of the United States
XVIII "Republic of Liberia"
XIX The Canadas
XX Central and South America and the West Indies
XXI Nicaragua and New Grenada
XXII Things as They Are
XXIII A Glance at Ourselves—Conclusion
APPENDIX A Project for an Expedition of Adventure, to the Eastern Coast of Africa
Sincerely dedicated to the American People, North and South.
By Their Most Devout, and Patriotic Fellow Citizen, the Author
PREFACE
The author of this little volume has no other apology for offering it to the public, than the hurried manner in which it has been composed. Being detained in the city of New York on business, he seized the opportunity of a tedious delay, and wrote the work in the inside of one month, attending to other business through the day, and lecturing on physiology sometimes in the evening. The reader will therefore not entertain an idea of elegance of language and terseness of style, such as should rule the sentences of every composition, by whomsoever written.
His sole object has been, to place before the public in general, and the colored people of the United States in particular, great truths concerning this class of citizens, which appears to have been heretofore avoided, as well by friends as enemies to their elevation. By opponents, to conceal information, that they are well aware would stimulate and impel them on to bold and adventurous deeds of manly daring; and by friends, who seem to have acted on the principle of the zealous orthodox, who would prefer losing the object of his pursuit to changing his policy.
There are also a great many colored people in the United States, who have independence of spirit, who desire to, and do, think for themselves; but for the want of general information, and in consequence of a prevailing opinion that has obtained, that no thoughts nor opinions must be expressed, even though it would eventuate in their elevation, except it emanate from some old, orthodox, stereotyped doctrine concerning them; therefore, such a work as this, which is but a mere introduction to what will henceforth emanate from the pen of colored men and women, appeared to be in most anxious demand, in order to settle their minds entirely, and concentrate them upon an effective and specific course of procedure. We have never conformed with that class of philosophers who would keep the people in ignorance, lest they might change their opinion from former predilections. This we shall never do, except pressing necessity demands it, and then only as a measure to prevent bad consequences, for the time.
The colored people of to-day are not the colored people of a quarter of a century ago, and require very different means and measures to satisfy their wants and demands, and to effect their advancement. No wise statesman presumes the same measures for the satisfaction of the American people now, that may have been with propriety adopted twenty-five years ago; neither is it wisdom to presume, that the privileges which satisfied colored people twenty years ago, they will be reconciled with now. That with which the father of the writer may have been satisfied,
