The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-02
Justice 10 the Free NegrOes-Truo and
False Philanthropy.


False Philanthropy.
Owing to the revolutionary shape which
the anti-slavery agitation of the North
has lately assumed, and the consequent ex-
element produced in the Southern States,
proposition is made to the Legislature
of Maryland to enslave the 10000 free negroes
in that State, as may be seen by the memorial
to the General Assembly, printed elsewhere
in our columns to-day. Formerly it was pro-
posed to pass a Law TO drive the free negroes
out of Maryland. That proposition fell through,
and the present one, we have no doubt, will
share the same fate
An attempt was recently made in the Ten
nessec Legislature to expel the free negroes
from that State, or compel them to go into
servitude, when Judge Catron. Of the Supreme
Court of the United States, who is citizen of
Tennessee, denounced it in a strong letter, as
cruel, uDpatriotic, impolitic and unjust He
showed that 1t would react TO the prejudice of
the State, and operate against the interests Of
the South and tho peace and harmony of the
whole country. In the Tennessee House of Re-
representatives. the Hon. VIM. Ewing delivered
vehement speech against the BILL showing
from the constitution of the United States that
@ free negro cannot be enslaved unless for
crime.
We believe this opposition on the part Of
the friends Of the negro race, and of mo-
Iteration, has killed of the movement in
Tennessee, as ii is doing in other States
Of the South, where the folly and wick
edness OF Northern agtators are endaugering
the welfare Of the free negro population
and driving portion Of the Southern people
to extremes. The provocation is indeed great;
but the Union sentiment, profound respect for
the constitution and the fundamental laws, the
love Of justice, and true friendship for the negro,
which exists only in the South, will prevail
over the violence and rash counsels of the
few. AS an illustration Of the esteem in which
the negroes are held, and the confidence re-
posed in them at the South, we may refer to
fact mentioned by our Richmond correspon-
dent, that it is in contemplation by the promi-
nent members Of the Virginia Legislature to
organize regiment Of free negroes to repel
any future invasion like that of John Brown.
This is in happy contrast with the proceedings
attempted in Maryland and Tennessee.
In truth, the negro race are loved by the
whites OF the South, and the best proof of it is
that they are taken COED care Of In the North
there is vast amount Of negro philanthropy
ventilated in words, but there it ends, for the
African race is hated and the Northern States do
not take care of their negroes, but allow them to
die Of starvation. II is only few days ago that
a poor negro was frozen to death in Brooklyn.
Deaths of negroes by such heartless neglect
do not occur at the South. If any one.
turns to our list of centensrians who died
during the year, he will find the majority of
them of the happy negro population of the
South, but not single one of them Of the
colored people ofNew ngland.
Charity begins at home; and if the aboli-
tionists would just set good example, in the
shape of practical benevolenco towards the
negroes about their own doors, not forgetting
the oppression Of the poor factory girls of their
own race throughout the New England States,
hey might get some credit for their professcd
sympathy for negroes one or two thousand
NAVY AiSnA s<xSAAi' esi,S IA
pists OF Exeter Hall would only use the same
exertions to smeliorate the condition of suffer
ing humanity around them which they vainly
expend on behalf Of a happy race Of darkies
on this side of the ocean, they would pro-
badly be more successful, and The heastly
practices and horrid degradation OF the
mines would be abolished, and the vast
amount Of sqnalid misery and poverty and
hunger which exists in the British metropolis,
amidst boundless wealth and splendor, would
be somewhat diminished, and then this world
wide philanthropy might venture with some
consistency to talk to US across the Atlantic
about our negro slaves. Well would il be for
millions of whites, and all the blacks at the
North, and thrice happy would be the condition