Martin R. Delany - The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States

M >> Martin R. Delany >> The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States

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"Improve your privileges while they stay,
Ye pupils, and each hour redeem, that bears
Or good or bad report of you to heav'n.
Let sin, that baneful evil of the soul,
By you be shunn'd, nor once remit your guard;
Suppress the deadly serpent in its egg.
Ye blooming plants of human race divine,
An _Ethiop_ tells you 'tis your greatest foe;
Its transient sweetness turns to endless pain,
And in immense perdition sinks the soul."

"CAMBRIDGE, FEBRUARY 28, 1776.
"MISS PHILLIS:

"Your favor of the 26th of October, did not reach my hands till the
middle of December. Time enough, you will say, to have given an
answer ere this. Granted. But a variety of important occurrences,
continually interposing to divert the mind and withdraw the
attention, I hope will apologise for the delay, and plead my excuse
for the seeming, but not real neglect. I thank you most sincerely
for your polite notice of me, in the elegant lines you enclosed;
and however undeserving I may be of such encomium and panegyric,
the style and manner exhibit a striking proof of your poetic
talents; in honor of which, and as a tribute justly due to you, I
would have published the poem, had I not been apprehensive, that,
while I only meant to give the world this new instance of your
genius, I might have incurred the imputation of vanity. This, and
nothing else, determined me not to give it place in the public
prints.

"If you should ever come to Cambridge, or near head-quarters, I
shall be happy to see a person so favored by the Muses, and to whom
Nature has been so liberal and beneficent in her dispensations.

"I am, with great respect, your obedient servant,
"GEORGE WASHINGTON.
"Miss Phillis Wheatley."

The tenor, style, and manner of President Washington's letter to Miss
Wheatley--the publication of her works, together with an accompanying
likeness of the author, and her inscription and dedication of the volume
to the "Right Honorable the Countess of Huntingdon," show, that she,
though young, was a person of no ordinary mind, no common attainments;
but at the time, one of the brightest ornaments among the American
literati. She also was well versed in Latin, in which language she
composed several pieces. Miss Wheatley died in 1780, at the age of 26
years, being seven years of age when brought to this country in 1761.

Doctor Peter, who married Miss Wheatley, 1775, was a man of business,
tact, and talents--being first a grocer, and afterwards studied law,
which he practised with great success, becoming quite wealthy by
defending the cause of the oppressed before the different tribunals of
the country. And who shone brighter in his day, than Benjamin Bannaker,
of Baltimore county, Maryland, who by industry and force of character,
became a distinguished mathematician and astronomer,--"for many years,"
says Davenport's Biographical Dictionary, "calculated and published the
Maryland Ephemerides." He was a correspondent of the Honorable Thomas
Jefferson, Secretary of State of the United States, taking the earliest
opportunity of his acquaintanceship, to call his attention to the evils
of American slavery, and doubtless his acquaintance with the apostle of
American Democracy, had much to do with his reflections on that most
pernicious evil in this country. Mr. Bannaker was also a naturalist, and
wrote a treatise on locusts. He was invited by the Commission of United
States Civil Engineers, to assist in the survey of the Ten Miles Square,
for the District of Columbia. He assisted the Board, who, it is thought,
could not have succeeded without him. His Almanac was preferred to that
of Leadbeater, or any other calculator cotemporary with himself. He had
no family, and resided in a house alone, but principally made his home
with the Elliott family. He was upright, honorable, and virtuous;
entertaining religious scruples similar to the Friends. He died in 1807,
near Baltimore. Honorable John H.B. Latrobe, Esq., of Baltimore, is his
biographer.

In 1812, Captain Paul Cuffy was an extensive trader and mariner,
sailing out of Boston, to the West Indies and Europe, by which
enterprise, he amassed an immense fortune. He was known to the
commercial world of his day, and, if not so wealthy, stood quite as
fair, and as much respected, as Captain George Laws or Commodore
Vanderbilt, the Cunards of America. Captain Cuffy went to Africa, where
he died in a few years.

James Durham, originally of Philadelphia, in 1778, at the early age of
twenty-one, was the most learned physician in New Orleans. He spoke
English, French and Spanish, learnedly, and the great Dr. Rush said of
him, "I conversed with him on medicine, and found him very learned. I
thought I could give him information concerning the treatment of
diseases; but I learned from him more than he could expect from me." And
it must be admitted, he must have been learned in his profession, to
have elicited such an encomium from Dr. Rush, who stood then at the head
of his profession in the country.

We have designed nothing here, but merely to give an individual case of
the various developments of talents and acquirements in the several
departments of respectability, discarding generalization, and name none
but the Africo-American of unmixed extraction, who rose into note
subsequent to the American Revolution. In the persons of note and
distinction hereafter to be given, we shall not confine ourselves to any
such narrow selections, but shall name persons, male and female,
regardless of their extraction, so that they are colored persons, which
is quite enough for our purpose. And our only excuse for the policy in
the above course is, that we desire to disarm the vilifiers of our race,
who disparage us, giving themselves credit for whatever is commendable
that may emanate from us, if there be the least opportunity of claiming
it by "blood." We shall now proceed to review the attainments of colored
men and women of the present day.

X

PRACTICAL UTILITY OF COLORED PEOPLE OF THE PRESENT DAY AS MEMBERS OF
SOCIETY--BUSINESS MEN AND MECHANICS

In calling attention to the practical utility of colored people of the
present day, we shall not be general in our observations, but simply,
direct attention to a few particular instances, in which colored persons
have been responsibly engaged in extensive business, or occupying useful
positions, thus contributing to the general welfare of community at
large, filling their places in society as men and women.

It will studiously be borne in mind, that our sole object in giving
these cases publicity, is to refute the objections urged against us,
that we are not useful members of society. That we are consumers and
non-producers--that we contribute nothing to the general progress of
man. No people who have enjoyed no greater opportunity for improvement,
could possibly have made greater progress in the same length of time
than have done the colored people of the present day.

A people laboring under many disadvantages, may not be expected to
present at once, especially before they have become entirely
untrammeled, evidence of entire equality with more highly favored
people.

When Mr. Jefferson, the great American Statesman and philosopher, was
questioned by an English gentleman, on the subject of American
greatness, and referred to their literature as an evidence of
inferiority to the more highly favored and long-existing European
nations; Mr. Jefferson's reply was--"When the United States have existed
as long as a nation, as Greece before she produced her Homer and
Socrates; Rome, before she produced her Virgil, Horace, and Cicero; and
England, before she produced her Pope, Dryden, and Bacon"; then he might
consider the comparison a just one. And all we shall ask, is not to wait
so long as this, not to wait until we become a nation at all, so far as
the United States are concerned, but only to unfetter our brethren, and
give us, the freemen, an equal chance for emulation, and we will admit
any comparison you may please to make in a quarter of a century after.

For a number of years, the late James Forten, of Philadelphia, was the
proprietor of one of the principal sail manufactories, constantly
employing a large number of men, black and white, supplying a large
number of masters and owners of vessels, with full rigging for their
crafts.

On the failure of an extensive house, T. & Co., in that city, during the
pressure which followed a removal of the deposits of the United States
Treasury in 1837, Mr. Forten lost by that firm, nine thousand dollars.
Being himself in good circumstances at the time, hearing of the failure
of old constant patrons, he called at the house; one of the proprietors,
Mr. T., on his entering the warehouse door, came forward, taking him by
the hand observed, "Ah! Mr. Forten, it is useless to call on us--we are
gone--we can do nothing!" at which Mr. Forten remarked, "Sir, I hope you
think better of me than to suppose me capable of calling on a friend to
torture him in adversity! I came, sir, to express my regret at your
misfortune, and if possible, to cheer you by words of encouragement. If
your liabilities were all in my hands, you should never be under the
necessity of closing business." Mr. Forten exchanged paper and
signatures with some of the first business men in Philadelphia, and
raised and educated a large and respectable family of sons and
daughters, leaving an excellent widow.

Joseph Cassey, recently deceased, was the "architect of his own
fortune," and by industry and application to business, became a money
broker in the city of Philadelphia; who becoming indisposed from a
chronic affection, was obliged to retire from business for many years
previous to his death. Had Mr. Cassey been favored with health, he
doubtless would have become a very wealthy man. His name and paper was
good in any house in the city, and there was no banker of moderate
capital, of more benefit to the business community than was Joseph
Cassey. He also left a young and promising family of five sons, one
daughter, a most excellent widow, and a fortune of seventy-five thousand
dollars, clear of all encumbrance.

Stephen Smith, of the firm of Smith and Whipper, is a remarkable man in
many respects, and decidedly the most wealthy colored man in the United
States. Mr. Smith commenced business after he was thirty years of age,
without the advantages of a good business education, but by application,
qualified himself for the arduous duties of his vocation. For many
years, he has been known as the principal lumber merchant in Columbia,
Lancaster Co., Pa., and for several years past associated with W.
Whipper, a gentleman of great force of character, talents, and business
qualifications, Mr. Smith residing in Philadelphia. Smith and Whipper,
are very extensive business men, and very valuable members of the
community, both of Lancaster and Philadelphia counties. By the judicious
investment of their capital, they keep in constant employment a large
number of persons; purchasing many rafts at a time, and many thousand
bushels of coal. It is not only the laborer in "drawing boards," and the
coal hauler and heaver, that are here benefitted by their capital, but
the original owners of the lumber and coal purchased by them, and the
large number of boatmen and raftsmen employed in bringing these
commodities to market.

In the winter of 1849, these gentlemen had in store, several thousand
bushels of coal, two million two hundred and fifty thousand feet of
lumber; twenty-two of the finest merchantmen cars running on the railway
from Philadelphia to Baltimore; nine thousand dollars' worth of stock in
the Columbia Bridge; eighteen thousand dollars in stock in the Columbia
Bank; and besides this, Mr. Smith was then the reputed owner of
fifty-two good brick houses of various dimensions in the city of
Philadelphia, besides several in the city of Lancaster, and the town of
Columbia. Mr. Smith's paper, or the paper of the firm, is good for any
amount wherever they are known; and we have known gentlemen to present
the paper of some of the best men in the city, which was cashed by him
at sight. The principal active business attended to by Mr. S. in person,
is that of buying good negotiable and other paper, and speculating in
real estate. The business of the firm is attended to by Mr. Whipper, who
is a relative. Take Smith and Whipper from Lancaster and Philadelphia
counties, and the business community will experience a hiatus in its
connexion, that may not be easily filled.

Samuel T. Wilcox, of Cincinnati, Ohio, also stands conspicuously among
the most respectable business men of the day. Being yet a young man,
just scanning forty, he is one among the extraordinary men of the times.
Born, like the most of colored men in this country, in obscurity, of
poor parents, raised without the assistance of a father, and to a
commonplace business, without the advantages of schools, by his own
perseverance, he qualified himself to the extent that gave him an
inclination to traffic, which he did for several years on the
Mississippi and Ohio rivers, investing his gains in real estate, until
he acquired a considerable property. For the purpose of extending his
usefulness, and at the same time pursuing a vocation more in accordance
with his own desires, a few years since, he embarked in the wholesale
and retail Family Grocery business, and now has the best general
assortment and most extensive business house of the kind, in the city of
Cincinnati. The establishment is really beautiful, having the appearance
more of an apothecary store, than a Grocery House. Mr. Wilcox has a
Pickling and Preserving establishment besides, separate from his
business house, owning a great deal of first class real estate. There is
no man in the community in which he lives, that turns money to a greater
advantage than Mr. Wilcox, and none by whom the community is more
benefited for the amount of capital invested. He makes constant and
heavy bills in eastern houses, and there are doubtless now many
merchants in New York, Boston, and Baltimore cities, who have been
dealing with S.T. Wilcox, and never until the reading of this notice of
him, knew that he was a colored man. He has never yet been east after
his goods, but pursuing a policy which he has adopted, orders them; but
if deceived in an article, never deals with the same house again. He
always gets a good article. The paper of Mr. Wilcox, is good for any
amount.

Henry Boyd, is also a man of great energy of character, the proprietor
of an extensive Bedstead manufactory, with a large capital invested,
giving constant employment to eighteen or twenty-five men, black and
white. Some of the finest and handsomest articles of the bedstead in the
city, are at the establishment of Mr. Boyd. He fills orders from all
parts of the West and South, his orders from the South being very heavy.
He is the patentee, or holds the right of the Patent Bedsteads, and like
Mr. Wilcox, there are hundreds who deal with Mr. Boyd at a distance,
who do not know that he is a colored man. Mr. Boyd is a useful member of
society, and Cincinnati would not, if she could, be without him. He
fills a place that every man is not capable of supplying, of whatever
quarter of the globe his forefathers may have been denizens.

Messrs. Knight and Bell of the same place, Cincinnati, Ohio, are very
successful and excellent mechanics. In the spring of 1851, (one year
ago) they put in their "sealed proposal" for the plastering of the
public buildings of the county of Hamilton--alms-house, &c.--and got the
contract, which required ten thousand dollars' security. The work was
finished in fine artistic style, in which a large number of mechanics
and laborers were employed, while at the same time, they were carrying
on many other contracts of less extent, in the city--the public
buildings being some four miles out. They are men of stern integrity,
and highly respected in the community.

David Jenkins of Columbus, Ohio, a good mechanic, painter, glazier, and
paper-hanger by trade, also received by contract, the painting, glazing,
and papering of some of the public buildings of the State, in autumn
1847. He is much respected in the capital city of his state, being
extensively patronised, having on contract, the great "Neill House," and
many of the largest gentlemen's residences in the city and neighborhood,
to keep in finish. Mr. Jenkins is a very useful man and member of
society.

John C. Bowers, for many years, has been the proprietor of a fashionable
merchant tailor house, who has associated with him in business, his
brother Thomas Bowers, said to be one of the best, if not the very best,
mercers in the city. His style of cutting and fitting, is preferred by
the first business men, and other gentlemen of Philadelphia, in whom
their patrons principally consist.

Mr. Cordovell, for more than twenty-five years, was the leading mercer
and tailor, reporter and originator of fashions in the city of New
Orleans, Louisiana. The reported fashions of Cordovell, are said to have
frequently become the leading fashions of Paris; and the writer was
informed, by Mr. B., a leading merchant tailor in a populous city, that
many of the eastern American reports were nothing more than a copy, in
some cases modified, of those of Cordovell. Mr. Cordovell, has for the
last four or five years, been residing in France, living on a handsome
fortune, the fruits of his genius; and though "retired from business,"
it is said, that he still invents fashions for the Parisian reporters,
which yields him annually a large income.

William H. Riley, of Philadelphia, has been for years, one of the
leading fashionable gentlemen's boot-makers. Riley's style and cut of
boots, taking the preeminence in the estimation of a great many of the
most fashionable, and business men in the city. Mr. Riley is much of a
gentleman, and has acquired considerable means.

James Prosser, Sen., of Philadelphia, has long been the popular
proprietor of a fashionable restaurant in the city. The name of James
Prosser, among the merchants of Philadelphia, is inseparable with their
daily hours of recreation, and pleasure. Mr. Prosser, is withal, a most
gentlemanly man, and has the happy faculty of treating his customers in
such a manner, that those who call once, will be sure to call at his
place again. His name and paper is good among the business men of the
city.

Henry Minton also is the proprietor of a fashionable restaurant and
resort of business men and gentlemen of the city. The tables of Mr.
Henry Minton are continually laden with the most choice offerings to
epicures, and the saloon during certain hours of the day, presents the
appearance of a bee hive, such is the stir, din, and buz, among the
throng of Chesnut street gentlemen, who flock in there to pay tribute at
the shrine of bountifulness. Mr. Minton has acquired a notoriety, even
in that proud city, which makes his house one of the most popular
resorts.

Mr. Hill, of Chillicothe, Ohio, was for years, the leading tanner and
currier in that section of country, buying up the hides of the
surrounding country, and giving employment to large numbers of men. Mr.
Hill kept in constant employment, a white clerk, who once a year took
down, as was then the custom, one or more flatboats loaded with leather
and other domestic produce, by which he realised large profits,
accumulating a great deal of wealth. By endorsement, failure, and other
mistransactions, Mr. Hill became reduced in circumstances, and died in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1845. He gave his children a liberal
business education.

Benjamin Richards, Sen., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, forty years ago,
was one of the leading business men of the place. Being a butcher by
trade, he carried on the business extensively, employing a white clerk,
and held a heavy contract with the United States, supplying the various
military posts with provisions. Mr. Richards possessed a large property
in real estate, and was at one time reputed very wealthy, he and the
late general O'H. being considered the most wealthy individuals of the
place,--Mr. Richards taking the precedence; the estate of general O'H.
now being estimated at seven millions of dollars. Mr. Richards has been
known, to buy up a drove of cattle at one time. By mismanagement, he
lost his estate, upon which many gentlemen are now living at ease in the
city.

William H. Topp, of Albany, N.Y., has for several years been one of the
leading merchant tailors of the city. Starting in the world without aid,
he educated and qualified himself for business; and now has orders from
all parts of the state, the city of New York not excepted, for "Topp's
style of clothing." Mr. Topp stands high in his community as a business
man, and a useful and upright member of society. His paper or
endorsement is good at any time.

Henry Scott & Co., of New York city, have for many years been engaged
extensively in the pickling business, keeping constantly in warehouse, a
very heavy stock of articles in their line. He, like the most of others,
had no assistance at the commencement, but by manly determination and
perseverance, raised himself to what he is. His business is principally
confined to supplying vessels with articles and provisions in his line
of business, which in this great metropolis is very great. There have
doubtless been many a purser, who cashed and filed in his office the
bill of Henry Scott, without ever dreaming of his being a colored man.
Mr. Scott is extensively known in the great City, and respected as an
upright, prompt, energetic business man, and highly esteemed by all who
know him.

Mr. Hutson, for years, kept in New York, an intelligence office. At his
demise, he was succeeded by Philip A. Bell, who continues to keep one of
the leading offices in the city. Mr. Bell is an excellent business man,
talented, prompt, shrewd, and full of tact. And what seems to be a trait
of character, only to be found associated with talent, Mr. Bell is
highly sensitive, and very eccentric. A warm, good hearted man, he has
not only enlisted the friendship of all his patrons, but also endeared
himself to the multitude of persons who continually throng his office
seeking situations. One of his usual expressions to the young women and
men in addressing himself to them is, "My child"--this is kind, and
philanthropic, and has a tendency to make himself liked. His business is
very extensive, being sought from all parts of the city, by the first
people of the community. It is said to be not unusual, for the
peasantry of Liverpool, to speak of Mr. Bell, as a benefactor of the
emigrant domestics. Mr. Bell is extensively known in the business
community--none more so--and highly esteemed as a valuable citizen.

Thomas Downing, for thirty years, in the city of New York, has been
proprietor of one of the leading restaurants. His establishment situated
in the midst of the Wall street bankers, the business has always been of
a leading and profitable character. Mr. Downing has commanded great
influence, and much means, and it is said of him that he has made "three
fortunes." Benevolent, kind, and liberal minded, his head was always
willing, his heart ready, and his hands open to "give." Mr. Downing is
still very popular, doing a most excellent business, and highly
respected throughout New York. Indeed, you scarcely hear any other
establishment of the kind spoken of than Downing's.

Henry M. Collins, of the City of Pittsburg, stands among the men of
note; and we could not complete this list of usefulness, without the
name of Mr. Collins. Raised a poor boy, thrown upon the uncertainties of
chance, without example of precept, save such as the public at large
presents; Mr. Collins quit his former vocation of a riverman, and
without means, except one hundred and fifty dollars, and no assistance
from any quarter, commenced speculating in real estate. And though only
rising forty, has done more to improve the Sixth Ward of Pittsburg, than
any other individual, save one, Captain W., who built on Company
capital. Mr. Collins was the first person who commenced erecting an
improved style of buildings; indeed, there was little else than old
trees in that quarter of the city when Mr. Collins began. He continued
to build, and dispose of handsome dwellings, until a different class of
citizens entirely, was attracted to that quarter of the town, among
them, one of the oldest and most respectable and wealthy citizens, an
ex-Alderman. After this, the wealthy citizens turned their attention to
the District; and now, it is one of the most fashionable quarters of the
City, and bids fair to become, the preferred part for family residences.
Mr. Collins' advice and counsel was solicited by some of the first
lawyers, and land speculators, in matters of real estate. He has left or
contemplates leaving Pittsburg, in April, for California, where he
intends entering extensively into land speculation, and doubtless, with
the superior advantages of this place, if his success is but half what
it was in the former, but a few years will find him counted among the
wealthy. Mr. Collins is a highly valuable man in any community in which
he may live, and he leaves Pittsburg much to the regret of the leading
citizens. Without capital, he had established such a reputation, that
his name and paper were good in some of the first Banking houses.

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