The national Republican., 1862-10-08
WHAT SHALL BE DONE WITH rHn
NR0ROS


This question troubles good many people
immensely; and the precise s'atus Of the coll |
ored population, after this war has ended, Is
question that admits Of different opinions The
solution Of the apparent difficulties surround
ing this question is not SO perplexins now as
many people imagine
If the ruling race Is disposed to deal Justly
by the inferior aud sub Of The people
of color, much Of the seeming difficulties which
environ the subject will disappear at once, and
| light will bIssk 10 upon tho national vision, |
aud tho way 10 a perfect adjustment OF lht
vexed question will bs elucidated by that over
| fuliDg Providence who never fails u Common
wealth disposed to act bumauely, any more
tban II fails to instruct the individual mind to
safe and Just conclusions. Some free States
have constitutional provisions which prohibit
free colored men from coming into their terri
tory; others have made laws 70 that effect. All
this lie absurd and wicked. These decrees are
iuhumsn, anti. Christian, diabolicsl. The col
ored man, born on the American soil, Is entitled
to all The immunities and privileges of an Amer
lean citizen; and any attempt to deprive him
Of this iudefes,ible right is wicked perversion
Of mere power, which cannot be justified in the
light Of Christianity nor Of modern civiliza-
ton.
The policy of this Government always has
been, to invite the oppressed Of all nations to
free homes and to all the privileges Of citizen
ship in our broad land; aud this is right. The
men Of every nation come among US and end,
or should and cordial greeting. This is our
boast Who that has true American heart 10
bis bosom, disputes or denies this right.
Now, why should We deprive the colored
American Of this same privilege, which we
agree to accord to the people Of other climes
1t is said that the colored man Is not CO.
equal, that he is an inferior, that there is a
strong prejudice against him, that the white To-
borer will not consent to labor by the eide ol
the negro, that there are other and inrupersble
objections to admitting the negro to this equal
Ity.
AL this we freely admit; but We are equally
certain that the notion is all wrong, that th'
prejudice iss wicked, unnatural, and unchris
tian prejudice, and can have no foundation IL
justice, and should have none in law ant
ethics
None Of the people whs contend for thes'
prejudices and for the exclusion Of the Negro
+ from these rights Of iocomotion and the fire,
y choice to 60 where he pleases to earn BIZ
= bread, ever raise the slightest objection to th
u negro's contf u'ty to the white race, while h'
is in slavery. The moment he 10 free, ther
! they cismor for his removal. He smells bad
he Is q nuisance; he should be removed iron
: the country
> Now oil this 10 shallow. 1t Is mere pretext
1t rests upon no just principle, and Is unworthy
9 a iree people.
1t will be said thst we ignore obvious die
+ tincuons among men aud races; that We are
u In favor OF negro equality; that we would In
truduce amalgamation, and all the evils wbict
. would spring from such an unnatural state o
7 society. We do 10 such thing, We ssk for NJ
other equality except equality of righh befor'
b the law. II We may endure the negro as slsv
II 10 THE country, we may and should accord Il
It him his rights as freeman. Why not
II Bot II Is said that the negro is ignorant, tba
hs will not work. and that infinite trouble viii
d grow out Of allowing him his freedom.
. II be be ignorant, slavery made him 50, An
1t be can never be instructed while 10 the servi
st tude that chattelism imposes But he will no
+ work! All experience shows TO the contrary
G, He does work where he is free, How 10
y with the emancipated slaves 10 this District
n Is not cash better than the lash
We do not undertake to say, of course, tha
= the negro is perfect, that none OF them ar
y lazy and thrittless, but we do undertake /,
say, that in this particular, all things consid
o cred, he is not unlike other people.
J, There are no rules without exceptions. 1
9 there are many lazy negroes, there srs slsc
many lazy white men, but 1t does not follow
+ from facts like these, that either are to be en-
shaved on this acc ount.
A nation disposed to do right, to deal justly
by the negro, to act up to the light Of christi
J sIiiy, and In accordance with the advancing
civilization OF the timts will find no difficulty
in sscertsining the negro status. The question
what shall we do With the negro will answer
itself.