The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-12-26

The Presidents Colonization scheme. ]
The abolition pack-Blanehe, Tray,
and swsetheart-are after the Presi.f
dent in full cry. His humane proposal
for colonizing slaves emancipated by
the war is commented upon by the La,,
dependent in this amiable strain. l..,,I 81
"But while shrinking from the vital
question of suppressing the rebellion !
by crippling the slave-power in its main
resource, the President proposes an ul-
terror scheme for the disposal of such
slaves as may be liberated in the course ,
of the war. That scheme is, to hold
all such persons as the government may
acquire through national or state aess
of confiscation, subject to deportation
by the government to some remote and
4" congenial'' territory, to be purchased
for their occupation. This scheme is
opened to many and grave objections.
The Message is thoroughly tinged with
that colorphobia which has SO long pres,
vailed in Illinois, and was so long de-,
veloped in the odious black laws of that /,
state. It insists upon making color q
basis Of distinction in the rights and
privileges of citizens under the governs
ment. Instead of recognizing all men /,
at the South who shall espouse Our
cause as citizens entitled to the protec-e
ton of the government, the Message ,
would inquire into the antecedent local
relations of such persons; and if they
have heretofore been unjustly deprived
of their personal liberties by states now
in rebellion, the Message would make;
that reason for receiving them not 40
persons, but as medium Of exchange
to offset the taxes which those states
have incurred by the rebellion! And
having thus come into possessian of
the bodies of these loyal persons, the
President proposes to punish their
loyalty by enforced repatriation.
Under the frivolous plea Of ga necessi,
ty for its own existence" This Chris
tian nation of thirty millions is urged
to the inhuman act of banishing four
millions of her industrious poor, be,
cause they are black !''-s1s@ ''''. f''ii.'''i
The Independent wants the emanci-s
pated slaves to enjoy the glorious pri-o
vileges accorded to free negroes in the
Northern States, of blacking white,
mems boots, trimming white mems
boards; currying white mems horses,
cooking white mems dinners, and fid-:
ding for white men to dance, while
they are excluded from respectable
seats among white worshipers On the
Sabbath, from the schools to which
white children are sent, from all civil
offices and all social consideration.
The free negroes of the North IRE
menials or vagsbonds, aud are prsclud-.
ed by their color from rising 10 . posi-
tion Of equality with their dominant
race. A white man whs marries ne
gro wife-no matter how worthy and
virtuous she may bs-is an sbjsot Of
contempt or derision, while . white
man who should give his daughter in
marriage to a negro would be consid- =
cred an Infamous brute. This may be
a very unjust prejudice, but it neyerths-
less exists, and it is eradicable. 81 hfa''
In view of the social barrier created
by color, and which is as impassible-
as the great gulf which separates Dives
from Lazarus. the President has pro-
posed the humane scheme of colonizing
colored freedmen in some congenial eli--
mate, where they will not be subject to,
these degrading disabilities. In Q self.
governed negro community every man
would be able to End the level to which
his talents and character fairly entitled
him. There would be no odious social
distinctions to crush him under a ds.-
pressing sense Of inferiority. Every
man would be eligable 20 serve on ju-
ries, practice the learned professions,
and hold all grades of civil office, and
the race would acquire the full devel.
opmcnt of its moral and intellectual
faculties. Colored judges, generals,
senators, artists, scholars, merchants,
and railroad managers, would lift the
whole colored community out Of that
debasing sense of inferiority which res
presses its energies and prevents the
pansion of its faculties where inter-
mingled with the white race. It is only
as separate community that the ne-
groes would find the career open to
talents" in which their self-respect
would be developed and their energies
stimulated into the fullest activity by
worthy objects of political and pocial
am mbition.- World, -S.iif 81.
snI