The southern aegis. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1857-1862, 1862-02-01
NEGRO LIBERTY IN THE SOUTH OR
NEGRO SLAVERY IN THE NORTH
WHICH SHALL IT BE?


and passed. A house divided against itself can
not stand. believe this government cannot en-
dure permanently, half slave and half free. | do
not expect the house to fall but do expect it will
become all one thing or all the other. Either the
opponents ofsavery will arrest the further spread
oft, and place it where the public mind shall
rest in belief that it is in the course of ultimate
extinction or its advocates will push forward till
it shall become alike lawful in all the States-old
as well as new-North as we'll as South"
This extract, from speech of Mr. Lincoln, ex-
cept in the total misappcation of uords, truly
and fairly states the great issue before the country
There is no question freedom or slavery involv-
ed, or anything approaching them. 1t is, on the
contrary, purely and wholly question Of race
what shall be the permanent and universally re-
cognized relation and status Of the negro in Anne
rican society.
We are all equally interested in the question
the real queston-and as men and Americans,
should rise above the paltry and unmanly passions
and prejudices Of partzan politics, and with hon.
est and patriotic feelings strive to arrive at the
truth, aud to accept it, without regard to pre-
conceived opinions or party interests. Indeed, as
Republicans, every true American, North and
South should strive earnestly to get rid of the I'M
happy conflict now raging so fearfully, and to
show the upholders Of the old, rotten and
worn out systems of Europe that selfgovernment
aud Democratic institutions are abundantly COM
petent to solve all difficulties and our people su-
fciently enlightened to save themselves from the
bloodshed, debt oppression and misery so uni
versal among the corrupt societies and worn out
systems of the Old World. We are twenty-seven
millions of Caucasans or white men, and we
have four millions of negroes in our midst, whose
descendants must remain an element of our popu
lation .forerer, and the time has come when their
relation to the white citizenship and their status
in American society must be determined beyond
question.
it doubtless seems an easy thing to Garrison,
Giddings, &C., to dispose Of THEY say, "there
are thrty-one millions of men, four millions of
whom are slaves abolish this slavery, give them
all the same liberty, and the question is settled
We shall then have Republic that is constantly
based on universal liberty, and all the world and
especially British aristocrats, will cheer us hearth
~ OT Sioilouo uSb VI Juot$V niu
But ask Giddings and Garrison to live this out in
their own households, to marry their sisters or
daughters to the most pious and cultivated among
these four millions Of negroes, and they will
frankly admit that they would prefer to see them
struck by lightning or laid in their collins, than
thus to carry out their own doctrines! Why this
Inconsistency of those humane and unprecedented
'!friends of freedome' Simply because God AL
mighty has forbidden it-forbidden that His
work should he defaced and desecrated, because He
has created the negro different and inferior be-
ing, with different physical structure, differ
ent intellectual being, different moral nature,
and therefore designed him for different purpose,
for different social status whenever and wherever
in juxtapositisn with the superior white men.
Is this not SC? Twill any one, however anxi-
GUS to "abolish slavery" say that if in his pow
er to amalgamate the four millions of these people
with ourselves, he would exercise that ppwer?-
Ifthey cannot or should not amalgamate as we do
with the European immigrants that come to us,
is it not obvious that they must be different beings
and If different were therefore designed for differ
ent purposes, for different duties and different
social status from the white people2 To state the
case is surely sufficient to prove the truth we
started with These people are here; they or their
descendants must remain an element of American
society .foreuer What, then, shall be their fixed,
understood and universally recognized status in
American society? ri.
Mr.. Lincoln says that the present conflict must
cease-that American society must be harmonized
that Mississippi must place her negroes in the
social position that Massachusetts does, Or Mas.
sachusetts must recognize this status that 10 conn