Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-05-19
Negro Equality.


rows OF our day, to find in a Washington
daily such frank expressions Of the logic
of justice and common sense as the follow
ing-which we copy from the Chronicle /:
1.-The whine about negro equality is
worse than illogical; it is cowardly. The
men who are so afraid of being degraded
by tie fact that free competition in labor,
in morality and in progress which belongs
OF right to every man, is accorded to a race
that has hitherto been unIustly held in sub
lection, are not sure of their position. We
are reminded Of the aristocrats of doubtful
antecedents. who are afraid to hold even
the most distant connection with their
plebeian neighbours, for fear of losing caste.
Their claims to quality are so frail that
they must be fenced about and protected
by every possible guard, while the true
nobeman feus not that his reputation
will be compromised by any association he
may choose to form. So it is with many
OF those men who fear negro competition.
Conscious Of tn ir own inferiority to the
mass OF mank nd aud ecognizng the fact
that they exist and thrive only by the aid
of advantitious advantages, they look with
jealousy on any new rivals and competi-
tors and use every means, fair and unfair,
to keep them out OF the market.
"The same sort of opposition has been
made to the introduction of female labor
into any of the various branches of manu-
facture. Consequently, women have al
ways been Disseminated against. They
have been restricted to small range of
employments; their wages have been kept
down; and many, who would be perfectly
competent to perform the duties OF clerks
or accountants, or to earn good wages in
soma branch of manufacture, have been
driven by their necessities either TO suicide
or prostitution. Several years ago, the
proprietors of a large crockery manufacto-
~ in England, being short Of hands, be-
thought themselves of employing women
to paint the figures on some Of the rich
and more delicate articles. Before long,
they had become more skillful than men.
They did better work, and accomplished it
faster. AS soon as this became evident,
all the men about the establishment struck,
and refused to work Oh any terms until
the women we've driven from the work
shops and denied employment The pres
sure forced the proprietors TO yield, aa3
women who had been earning handsome
wages. and were looking forward 10 the
enjoyment of a competence in their old
age, gere turned penniless on the world
The same cowardly meanness was at one
time evinced by certain dry-goods clerks in
New York, when it was suggested to EN-
ploy girls in their places.
The fear that the people Of the North,
with all their sup rioritF OF race, their adj
vantages Of education, and their experience,
are in danger Of being oyerrun hv three or
four niilions Of freed slaves, is absurd
aud unnany. The negroes will do well
If, when they come 10 enter into free COM
petition with the whites, they can preserve
their existence. 1t would not be surpris-
ing if in the course of century they
should disappear from the face of the
earth, either wholly or partly. just as the
Indians have. TO be sure, they are SUI
perior to the indians, and have had no IN
considerable education 10 the arts of peace
bat they labor unoer disadvantages, when
brought into competition with the whites,
which might we'll daunt the stoutest heart
even beating under white skin. Instead
of whmpering about "negro equality" and
throwing up obstacles to the progress Of
the freedmen, we should lend them a help
ing hand, and try 10 discover, if possible
just what capacity for civilization there IS
in them, that their labor and their talents
may be preserved to the country, and that
we may make some slight repafation for
the awful sin and injustice to them wh:ch
lies at our door, Ii they can sustain them
selves, they will live. If not, they must
be destroyed. The unalterable law Of ma
ture and decree of God. that the weaker
animal must perish in The presence of the
stronger, is not going to be susp ended foi
the benefit Of the freed negroes OF Amer
iee