The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-09-17
"what will become of him :,

fly to the "door of hope opened for them by
American philanthropy on the shores of his
ancestors"
The same class of men used to be troubled
on account of the prejudice against color. Not
that they ever said anything against such pref
udice. The colored man might be excluded
from schools and churches, put out of hotels
and cars, his dead body be denied a resting
| place among white men, and no word OF con-
demnation against that. But the poor son of
the tropics" was told that this prejudice was
so deep and ineradicable that he onght to get
out of the way of it by going to Africa!
Now, however, the tune is changed. The
colored race are indicating their manhood,
not only in the pursuits of peace, but on the
field of battle. Prejudice against color is fast
giving way in this country, as it has already
done in Europe. A few more battles like those
at Port Hudson and Charleston, where the
heroism of colored troops won the applause of
all, and decent men will be ashamed to exhibit
such prejudice, though they may still cherish
it. 1t will no longer be an available scare
crow" by which to frighten colored men out
of the country. Some other pretense must be
invented by those who are still anxious to get
rid of him.
The Mirror compares the increase of the
two races in this country; just as if the negro
had had an equal chance with the white man.
| A commercial, enterprising, indomitable, war;
like people begin the work of importing and
enslaving rude and peaceful race, in 1920.
The traffic is so odious that good men refuse
to engage in it, and unite together to oppose
it, For hundred years it is hardly known
as branch Of commerce. For nearly hum
dred more it is barely tolerated 1t is then
prohibited, and punished as piracy. And for
more than fifty years Europe continues to pour
its population by millions upon our shores.
But because, in 1860, the white population
numbers twenty-six millions, and the colored
only four millions, the Mirror concludes that
the negro, like the Indian, is going and
that soon "heartless politicians and romantic
reformers would look for him in vain.'
1t suggests, however, that the relative in
crease, exclusive OF immigration, is slower Is
not slavery sufficient explanation? Are the
cruelties and barbarities of that institution ia
vorabe to rapid increase of population?
| Where the children are born in concubnage,
and mothers can take no care Of them, is it
any wonder that so many die? Where the
average life of strong men in the riceswamps
has been admitted by Shareholders to be but
seven years, and the only way of keeping up
the number of hands on the plantations has
been by sending annually to the save-breeding
States, is large increase of population to be
expected? Many races would diminish in
stead of increasing at all, when subjected to
such trial.
1t is said that the rate Of increase among the
free blacks is still slower. OF this there is no
sufficient evidence. The census returns have
always been made in the interest Of slavehold-
ers. As the free blacks are mostly in the
| South, our information in regard TO them is
| by no means reliable. Nor has their condition
been favorable to an increase of their num-
bers. If it has been slow, as alleged, it must
presume largely upon the stupidity of its read
ers if the Mirror expects them to believe that
their freedom has been the cause fit.
Dut TIE ldCl anu lut inference SuOulu DOLn
be conceded, no sane man could thereby reach
the conclusion that the colored race would
become extinct" 1t requires process of
reasoning just like that which has SO often
demonstrated that the race could be "got rid
of by sending away to Africa a few hundred
year, while the annual increase at home is
from fifty to eighty thousand
A race actually diminishing might "de,"
even il nobody was impatient" for it. But if
it is increasing, however slowly, it requires
the peculiar logic of a modern defender of
slavery, to prove that "death is ere long to do
its sorry work for it."
No better specimen could be found than in
the article under consideration. The question
is mathematical one, and therefore not sub
ject to the uncertainties of metaphysics. The
Mirror states that, even with slavery, the ne
gro race in this country has increased nearly
three millions within the past forty years. 1t
nextquotes from the compendium of the eighth
census to prove that it will increase more than
five millions during the next forty years, and
In 1900 will number nearly ten millions-about
two millions more than all the white popula-
ton of the United States in 1920 1t then
triumphantly excaims, "Truly, at this rate,
before the lapse of another hundred years,
where shall we look for the man of color? Will
the 22d census mention him?"
race that, even in slavery, more than
doubles itself every forty years, is now, in spite
of its open enemies, and pretended friends,
just on the eve of emancipation; winning for
itself good name in all lands; about to earn
and receive the stimulants and rewards Of
freedom. In view of all this, the Mirror lifts
up its hands and cries out in anguish, "Alas
for the American negro, if his destiny in this
country is what these facts indicator This
writer does not forget to state that the free
blacks increase slowly. But he does forget to
state that they are peaceful and industrious :;
very seldom accused of crime; generally pros
porous and successful in the accumulation of
property. In the city of Charleston, South
Carolina they owned over two and half mil
lions of dollars worth of property. in New
Orleans, there were 5000 free blacks and the
men who were taxed, were taxed for an average
ofS1000 each, while the average for white men
was only 1882 each. Even DIR. Adams, in his
"South-Side View" did not omit to state that
ga nrosaoutiup oficpr who had civ or aiubt