George Weir to Frederick Douglass, January 30, 1856

For Frederick Douglass' Paper.

IS COLOR A TEST OF INFERIORITY?

BUFFALO, January 30, 1856.

MR. EDITOR:—You may be somewhat surprised at the above caption, emanating as it does, from one of the proscribed class at this late day. But, sir, even at this period, in this the nineteenth century, and, as we are wont to call it, age of Reform, there are some so blinded to reason and so utterly destitute of all those holy and Heaven-ordained principles, which constitute man, what his Creator designed him to be, as to question, not only privately, but publicly, whether or not God, in the economy of His wisdom, did not distinguish us by our color as a race of beings wholly unsusceptible of the attainments to which those of a less colored skin are daily aspiring around us; as ungenerous and ignorant—as this may be entirely regardless of every known principle of justice and humanity. Yet, sir, we find it prevailing in almost every department of society in which we are called to mingle; and were there not plain and abundant demonstrations to the contrary, had we not in the representatives of our race long since proved the falsity and absurdity of this abominable doctrine, then might we with partially sealed lips endure the reproach, and demand even at our own hands evidence wherewith to meet and counteract this tide of iniquity and prejudice of which we now complain. But, sir, we need not search for evidence, I need not enter your sanctum, to test your capabilities as an Editor; let me but read that noble sheet of yours, and if I then fail to acknowledge your ability, let the world denounce me as a brainless fool. You need not visit the office of Dr. James McCune Smith

of New York City, to test his ability as a disciple of Galen; his reputation has preceded him, and he stands firm; and when the patients, to whom he has administered and he himself shall have passed away, his memory will still live embalmed in the hearts of his many admirers.— Our doctors of divinity, our lawyers, our jurists, our merchants, our poets, and our mechanics, all help to swell the mighty tide of evidence that we are Men, capable of the development of every principle of justice, equality, and science, yet attained to by man. Then, if this be true, away with this ungodly, profligate doctrine of our inferiority. But my object at this time is to speak of a young man—a towsman of mine, and one whom, I think, bids fair to become an ornament not only to our city but to the entire country; and one to whom we might well be proud to point as a monument—living, breathing monument: standing forth as a bold and prominent refutation of that unparalleled falsehood which charges us with inferiority on account of color.

William H. Simpson is a young man scarcely yet eighteen years of age, who by persevering industry and steadiness of purpose has won and is still winning for himself an enviable reputation, and even now holds a position of which any young man (even though he may claim superiority on account of color) might well be proud. Some two years since he commenced the study of Portrait Painting, since which time he has made almost unexampled advancement in his new undertaking, and particularly might this be said when we mention the fact that not more than half of the time mentioned has been occupied in his study, the first year

having been spent, as is the case with the most of new beginners, in attending to matters not so immediately connected with their trade. Yet, though incredible as it may seem in this short space of time, he has pursued his studies to that perfection that he is now enabled to take as true and correct a likeness as one might reasonably expect from an old and experienced artist, and but a few years more of study, if increasing at the same ration, no master mind in this, or even the old world, will dare question his superiority to the vast majority of professional Artists, though their accomplishments and qualifications be ever so great. So, Mr. Editor, we have colored Artists; and, in fact, we have men filling, or at least, that are capable of filling almost any and every station in life of which it is the privilege of man to aspire. Hence, then, where is the inferiority? Our pulpits and our rostrums speak forth in thundering tones of eloquence; the fame of our orators is broad cast over the entire land; multitudes hang in breathless silence upon their lips, while our poets vie with the shepherds of Judea, in pronouncing anthems of praise to the God of the universe.

Yours for Equality,

GEORGE WEIR.