Ethiop (William J. Wilson) to Frederick Douglass, December 20, 1851
From Our Brooklyn Correspondent.
Colored society in New York, has been the theme of every class and grade of men here for the last thirty years at least. Why do they not make greater improvement? Why not possess a part of the wealth? Why not do a part of the business? Why not possess a part of the valuable property of the city? Why is it that row after row of splendid mansions, interspersed with magnificent temples, rise up before their eyes, and the city swells out in its gigantic proportions, and they are not able to put their hand upon a comparatively respectable door-post, and call it their own? Why is it that others, both from abroad and at home, of the lower ranks, pass up to, and often by, the wealthiest in the land, while the colored people stand as it were in one spot; or in the zodiac of events, progress only in comparison as do the planets, whose orbits are farthest from the centre of the system, with a retrograde motion.
Half of a work is accomplished in believing we can do it - in believing we are more than equal to it. Now in what we attempt, there is a want of self-confidence - a nervousness that fails of success - an impatience to realize in a day, what is a year distant; and hence discouragements rise up before us, ere half our task is done, and we entirely despair.—There is, I may add, with us, an entire want of foresight - no penetrating the distant future—no grasp of enlarged thought from the past, for the direction of well-ordered plans for the future. We work, and work faithfully; but wholly without purpose. Hence our lagging feet tread no higher road to wealth. No temple of fame, far o'er the distant hill, heaves within our view. We are rather led into the petty by-paths, where are but the joy and hilarity of the moment. The first ebu-
lition of hilarity common after the unshackling of an oppressed people, the first sum of extravagances and excesses, should have been over with us ere this, and sober, earnest work—work with a purpose—should have succeeded. But with the thousand and one examples before us, we have pursued another course.
We have put the cart before the horse. We have believed that appearing well, would make up for not doing well. Hence, fine clothes, fine furniture, in highly-rented rooms and houses, and a goodly share of creature comforts, with exceeding lean pockets, we have felt sufficient to make us pass through the world respectably. This day finds us, amidst all the progress of the age and the country, about where we were thirty years ago. It is enough to cause a blush of shame to mantle our face, to witness the complete mastery these notions of appearances have obtained over the better classes of our people here, when the amount of sacrifice made in their dominion is considered. Wives and daughters of men, whose occupations are of questionable propriety, promenade our streets, laden with the richest silks of the Indies, and decked with all the gew-gaws of the wealthiest whites, often unrivaling them in the splendor of their attire. Go to their homes, and you will find them as elegantly attired, lolling upon their splendid sofas or divans, with a grace and ease, that the wealthiest of the land might be proud to imitate. Now, while I believe that we possess the elements for a high, nay higher state of culture and refinement, than any other class, still it is but mockery, nay, suicidal, to attempt it, with nothing to back it up. The truth is, the mountain of greatness booms up so high before us, that we despair of ever reaching the summit.
A little pastime by the way, a little petty enjoyment at the base, a few pleasant dreams of
to-morrow, make up the sum of each day. - These are all we ask; these are all we have been taught to expect. No higher aspirations, no nobler efforts pervade our bosoms. Checkered with these, a few pinchings, and few clouds we know not how to remove; and with us, life's fitful dream is over.
I have said, most of the occupations of our men are of doubtful propriety. Men may engage in any honest calling, but men may also outgrow their callings; and when such is the case, they should abandon them as they do their clothes, when they cease to fit them. - Many callings should be used only as stepping-stones to others that are more laudable and lucrative. They should be pursued no farther, unless they of themselves can me made such. It is almost worse than nothing to continually run around the same little circle, and never enlarging the boundaries of one's profession. We should extend them to their utmost limits, and raise ourselves to the highest place therein. Chester Jennings, I think, was once, less than a waiter, at the City Hotel. Subsequently he became partner, proprietor, owner and finally retired with an ample fortune. Sandy Welch, who retired with a fortune, some time since, once kept an eating cellar. Niblo was a waiter. Peter Harmony, who died here not long ago possessed of millions, was once a cabin-boy. Stephen Girard, of Pa., was a sailor. Astor started with the proceeds of an old Flute.—More than one colored man here, has been a waiter; more than one, a cook; more than one a cabin-boy; more than one a sailor; more than one has kept an eating-house; and yet we hardly boast of a Jennings, a Welch, a Harmony, or a Girard. More than one young man has been possessed of an old Flute, and yet we boast not an Astor. The best of our cooks, and waiters, and butlers of this year, should be the bakers, confectioners, small trader, and Hotel-keepers of the next. True, all cannot, from the sale of a two-penny whis-
tle, rise to an Astor; nor all waiters of first class hotels, to be keepers, and subsequently owners thereof; but a few on the high sea of wealth and progress would serve as beacons by which the well-disposed masses might get farther on than they do. Nor has the thirty years schooling here done much for our young men in the way of laying a business foundation. The difficulty is at the fireside. The lack of a vigorous fireside instruction, such as the white youth receive, no matter how humble be that fireside, is a serious obstacle in our way. A man among us in respectable circumstances, on the contrary, teaches his sons and daughters to move on a scale equal to that of one worth one hundred thousand dollars. Their thoughts are elevated far above their circumstances; they pursue the shadow rather than the substance. Hence the supineness of our young men. It is worse than idle for them to indulge the belief that they cannot get on here or elsewhere. They should feel (because it is true) that they can get on as do others anywhere, by vigorous and unceasing efforts, and nowhere without it. While I do not belong to that class who think that the colored people must colonize to become, I am equally far remote from that other class who think we must die out, drench out, fade out, before we can be raised to an equality in this country; since in either case nothing would be gained over its prejudice, nor nothing contributed to true Republicanism or pure religion, rather disturbing the beautiful harmony produced by the variety, so necessary to the perfect state, as an omission of some of the colors of the beautiful BOW in the heavens, indicative of peace, harmony, and good will among men. But I must drop the theme. I have already lengthened this paper too far; and
the press of other matters crowd upon me.'
If, however, these free expressions seem too harsh, let us remember, that when the patient is sick, the physician feels compelled to apply such remedies as will meet the case.—Surely our whole body here is sick, and the most stringent medicine is needed.
More anon,
Ethiop.
Brooklyn Heights, Dec. 20th, 1851.