They were willing to work but the opportunity was denied them.

And the sole charge against them was the color of their skins.
They grew to hate a flag that would float in an undisturbed manner over such a condition of affairs.

They began to abuse and execrate a national government that would not protect them against color prejudice, but on the contrary actually practiced it itself.
Beginning with passively hating the flag, they began to think of rebelling against it and would wish for some foreign power to come in and bury it in the dirt.

They signified their willingness to participate in such a proceeding.
It is true that it was only a class that had thought and spoke of this, but it was an educated class, turned loose with an idle brain and plenty of time to devise mischief.

The toiling, unthinking masses went quietly to their labors, day by day, but the educated malcontents moved in and out among them, convincing them that they could not afford to see their men of brains ignored because of color.
Belton viewed this state of affairs with alarm and asked himself, whither was the nation drifting.