The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-12-21

Il
and conform TO it. We can make nothing
IA The most beautiful theory OF human 20
eEnment must coEform 70 the actual movemen
OF society. Human nature 10 the great basis
social science and human nature, though fxe
IN IT'S ultimate elements, admits Of vsrio,
forms and measures Of development The tr,
statesman will learn the facts of society, AN
conform bis political economy to them Il
precisely here ttat the Southern Statesmen fai
ed. They ignored many of the facts of society
stoutly denied others and endeayored to d,
fsnd and extend system Of economy suitabl
only to the bcathen ages of Greece and Rome
~ Atate of society which had advanced tw
thousand years.. They have company, however
IN other countries. Sir Bulwer Lytton, in hi
speech, refers the people Of England to the OIL
commonwealth Of Greece, as examples of art
commerce and practical government to DO dc
rived from the "ep,ulation and rivahy" of frc
States speaking the same. language. .Nethinl
can De more contrary TO the facts; and if Their
should be among our readers any one who occs
sionally looks into Greek history, it may be
useful lesson to sum up the precise advantage
which the Greek States got BY being continual,
atw AZ war With one another-by having a confed
efacy which continually broke to pieces-ans
converting the mass Of its ablebodied men int,
slaves; and finally, with ali its mighty and glo
rious mind, to be crushed, under the Roman
ftst then under the Turk, and finally parcelet
out by the effete, monarchies of Europe. TX
trace the decline Aom SO much glory to so muci
degradation, may be aauseful lesson.,s ~ s.
The truth is that it was in Attica the mind
Greece dwelt; and it was in that mind, cult
vated by the disciples of Plato, that all he,
strength lay. 1t was IN spite ef Slavery, dis
sensions and confederacies that Greece erectei
her temple Of glory, aiming amidst surrounding
darkness. -. 80
The failure of the Southern statesmen was ir
making the facts of Greece their study instead
OF those OF tho present day. They forgot thai
the negro, Christianity and representation were
unknown in Greece. But they did worse thar
that. They ignore some of the living facts
directly applicable to their own situation
Among others were the experiments Of Liberis
and West India emancipation. The great pro
biem OF the day was " Is the negro capable Of
self culture and OF self.adyancement? ?" We
have already said, in Q former article, that the
question, to be considered is---what is to be the
focass and status Of the negro 81 And that re-
qu'res practical answer from those who pro.
pose to take away the Responsibilities of the
master by emancipation; and in any event il
requires positive answer, for wedoubt whether
the boldest and most eanguine advocate of Sla.
very WHO. ever wrote for DeBow's Review con.
template period (not in history very remote)
when, in the natural progress of population, fifty
mlliions Of African slaves shall be wedged in
among the whites, darkening every square mile
OF territory in the Southern States There must
be some answer to the question of locus and
status for the negro. stl Is E1t.s ,ja8s
6 1t is no matter what policy may be adopted
by the Government in war, and slavery can
make no exception to the laws of war-no mat
ter if it we're the law Of general emancipation
such mearures cease when the war ends. Peace
ful States must resume peaceful laws, and the
negro remains. What lies beyond? The same
great question remains, and the first thing is to
determine, II Ne can. whether we have any light
upon the subject. Suppose that Tropical Amer
ica, the Islands of the Gulf, or parts of Africa
were given up to the negro race, is the negro
capable Of selfsustaining and self-advancement
This is the preliminary problem, and our readers
are all aware that the Southern politicians de
cided it in advance, most peremptorily. They
affirmed most positively that the negro is some
branch Of the family of .SiD.ia, near or remote
perhaps the gorilla would be typical of this
nation-at any rate, an animal incapable of
maintaining civilized Christian State. Upon
this subject they have lavished great deal of
out, however, making any very sensible impres.
sion upon the opinions of mankind. The most
plausible argument, unquestionably, is that we
cannot point to great and preposterous politi.
cal society carried on by negroes. We have had,
however, for number of years, two experiments
going on, which, although not under the most
favorable circumstances, are entitled to much
weight-thet colony at Liberia, and the British
West Indies. In regard to the latter, the South.
ern statesmen have stood for the last twenty
years and manfully and furioasly denounced the
West India experiment as total faiure-the
islands impoverished, the people sunk in idleness
and vice, the semi-civilized African falling back
iato original darkness 1t was the 10 Iri.
unphe" shouted over the supposed failure Of a
great attempt to give freedom and happiness to
the slave. 1t had its effect for there were no
present proofs ready to expose what was really
the ct-that this was mere bold assertion =
What proofs did they offer? Simply this-that
the islands had ta2en.of largely in the exports of
sugar and coffee For ourselves We were lost in
admiration of such an argument in this age of
the world, and in this nation. 1t ignored the
comfort and happiness Of the people as having
anything to do with government 1T ignored the
rights of man to enlightenment ), it ignored
the whole life Of people because IL was not
exposed by coffee and sugar. These men who
have arrogated to themselves the title of states
men, were, however, consistent with themselves.
Years after they had uttered these things, they
attempted to break up the only free Government
on earth, caused the loss Of thousands of lives,
hazarded the rights and happiness of millions,
and did their utmost to bring all free govern.
ment into contempt, that they might raise more
cotton and enslave more unfortunate beings. II
was but q natural sequence to ideas and princi-
pies which had been long before advanced.
But we return, what was the true issue of
British emancipation in tho West Indies? Sew.
eral travellers have made it the subject of inoui.
ry, and among others Mr. Sewall, who saws he
went there imbued with the American idea that
African freedom bad been curse to every
branch of agricultural and commercial indus
try" But in spite of this opinion he finds the
yery reucrse. His statements are confirmed also
by the official resurn of the British Government,
In the four years ending with 1867, the islands
OF the British West Indies exported and impor-
ted to the aggregate value of one hundred and
eighty five millions of dollars, or fo,ty-sir mil
lions per an'.tns All the British sugar islands
taken together) exported t,osnty flee per cent more
sugar than they did in the days of forced labor.
In fact the experiment, even in the one sided
view in which the Southern Statesmen chose to
cite it, was entirely successful. IF sugar and
coffee are to be the tests, then free nrgro labor
has vindicated itself. But WE shall not measure
any great social or political experiment. by SO
narrow, selfish and sensual standard. The
great end of political reformation IS the happi.
ness and Improvement Of the people; vet il it
fails in this, it fails altogether. West India
euiancir alton was not made for the benefit Of
the masters, OF the export ofsugsr. The simple
question is, what effect had it upon the welfare
of the people The British West Indies con.
tanned nearly ten blacks to one white; and now
they are ed,ancipated and must work for them
selves. How are they? At Barbados, Mr..
Sewalli is struck by the neatness and tidiuess Of
the cottages, and by the orderly and industrious
habits Of the occupiers In Grenada, the hou
ses Of the old aristocracy are indeed fallen into
ruins for want Of capital, which is taken away
but the humble dwellings Of the peasantry have
exceedingly multiplied and improved. Nearl,
1000 persons areiiving in villages, built since
emancipation, Of whom 2,0OOs are owners !, q
land; andin the whole island but sixty paupers
dependent ON public, charity. In ST Vincent
5000 persons were living in 1857 in houses bull
by thsmeelves since emancipation and thea
sands Of acres Of land have been brought into
cultivation by small proprietors, who enjoy un
exampled prosperity. Mr.. Sewall states tina
the present generation of Jamaica crcoies are
no more; ia be lkened to their slave ancestor,
~ uae