The Portland daily press., 1863-07-14
COMMUNICATIONS.

PORTLAND, July l3, 1863.

OhthAsD, otAy 40 Aoot-
To the Editor Of the Press:
With many and in fact most OF thuse who
oppose this war, the chief reason assigned is
that it has become a war for the negro = in
other words, he is likely to be benefited there
by, for do not in all my acquaintance, In and
out of the army know a man so senseless as
10 regard negro emancipation in itself as the
ultimate object of the war.
Ii might be permitted to parodize Henry
WaA Beeeher little, would say that aphre-
nologist in examining the Uranium Of genu-
the peace Democrat Of the present day, would
find an organ located somewhere between love
of SELF and that Of the almighty dollar
called hatred of the negro. To be sure the
negro is in certain sense the cause Of the
war, which would have been impossible with
out slavery; but who is responsible for this
Certainly not the black race, who were never
voluntary emigrants. If ever their labor has
come into injurious competition with free la
Dor, it is not their fault Where then does the
senseless antipathy take its rise? Not in the
practice of the shareholders, who have never
made, as their Northern brethren have, the
discovery that the personal presence of the
negro is dsagreeablc. Its origin is disgrace
to our humanity. Bnllied out of the natural
exhibition of sympathy for the oppressed ne
groes, we have almost succeeded in making
ourselves believe them beneath the exercise
Of human feelings and passions. This as
sumption however, rather increases than re-
moves the difficulty, for animals have, in some
respects, more than human claims upon our
kind regards, simply because their want of
mind places them wholly in our power.
One little inconsistency slightly damages the
theory Of negro incompetence. We have nev-
er thought IL necessary TO prevent the impos-
sibility of oyer-educating our horses, cows and
dogs, by laws assuming that they could not
and therefore must not be educated. Nor do
think a farmer would be frightened into fits
at finding a spelling book hidden in his stable
or COW house. The fool, the man Of small
ability even, is not kept from too elevated po-
sitions by enactments. We at the North do
not find it necessary; and yet every menial
Office among finds its free, but none the less
willing laborers. With strictly equal oppor-
tunities for self-culture, men would find their
own levels; and laws as changeless as fate
would insure the proper grades of society as
inevitably as now.
There must and will ever be "hewers Of
wood and drawers of water" 1t does not fol-
low that a class must be enslaved for that pur-
pose. A human soul may sink beiow its true
sphere, by neglect or nisusage, but because it
is immortal aud limitless as eternity itself il
can never soar ADORE its place. The very high
est cultivation which 1t can attain, under any
circumstances, is but its birthright-
What then becomes oil the idea that slavery
must continue, or some disastrous dsarrange-
ment of the laws of God will ensue? 1t is at
once resolved with its two chief elements
blind selfshness. and adherence to Southern
interests.
once heard man declare that the negro
had no soul. demanded proof of his own
souls existence, which did not equally apply
to the colorei race. To that demand never
obtained a definite reply; but will here allow
the good man credit for consistency in deny
ing the being OF that for which his theory af
forded no adequate provision.
While would not have this war waged for
the benefit of any one class, would have it
speed on in its noble purpose, crushing il need
be, all chains in its progress. Not till we are
willing to have the Union saved, even il it
costs the price of some pet theory, will peace
again return. Is the present attitude of the
Democrats conducive to such desirable
result? S.JF.