Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1864-06-23
Correspondence o, the Charles City Intelligencer
Destiny of, the Freedmen


this question. The first is to expatri
ate the negroes. The second is tc
colonize them in some portion of ouI
territory and the third is to settle
them as citizens upon the confiscatet
rebel lands in the Southern country.
As respects the first, it stares us in
the face with the stern charge of the
most heinous species of injustice. II
is strongly suggestive that, if eithe,
party, they or we, were to be expelled
from the American soil it would b.
ourselves for we have taken rude
possession of the lands expelling theil
rightful owners, the Aborigines, and
have held them forcibly, to the pres.
ent time, without the least shadow
of justice, shown on our part towards
them. They were our ancestors in
person, who dispossessed them and
we, have endorsed their action by
holding forcible possession of what
they forcibly seized. . .r -
But the negro has done no such
thing, that he should be dispossessed
and expelled from the country. 1t
was not from choice that he became a
resident Of the domain, and has con.
tinued his abode here thus far, in vio.
lation of the rights of the red man.
No, he has wrongcd no one, robbed no
one, dispossessed no one, or criminal
ly held that by force which in right
belonged to others. He is here, it is
true, but it is by acts of violence
against himself, and that on our part.
We have kidnapped him and brought
him from his native land to DO q chat
tel aud have retained him against his
will. Why then. or on what princi-
pie Of justice should we compel him
to leave and seek an abode in another
cline ! The present race Of blacks
are natives of the soil, and are as
closely attached to the place of their
birth as we are or any other race of
men, and why should we cruelty
thrust them from their home to dwell
in foreign lands against their choice /?
Justice cries loudly against SO high
handed and oppressive a measure. 1t
were in fact far more just that they
thrust US from the land than we them.
Expatriation cannot therefore be en-
tertained for moment. ...-.-.....-.
But the second mode Of solving this
question is that of colonizing them in
some part Of our country by them.
selves, say west Of the Mississippi, re-
mote from civil communities. .... -
The question however arises right
here, whether this would bc any i'm.
provement on the Justice of the former
measure unless it be devised and
prosecuted in accordance with the
choice of the colored race? Would it
be, as an arbitrary measure on the
part of Government, any less Unjust
and oppressive, to thrust them away
to an obscure place by themselves,
than to expatriate them I? 1t might
be in degree, but not in character.
But, suppose the blacks were all
agreed, and were to be thus coloniz.
ed, what follows? Why, that they
must have q Government. This grant
ed, and they are all citizens on An
equal footing with the rest of mankind,
and that with the most respectable
citizens Of the Union. And what is a
further event I When they are sufi-
ciently populous, and their wants re-
ally demand it, they will form State
Government, and ask admission into
the Union of States. If they are ad-
mitted, as they must be, they will at
tain the prerogative of representation
of sending members to the Senate
and House Of Representatives of tho
United States Congress, to sit in the
national legislature and make laws
for the government of the country.
They, too, as native born citizens, will
attain the eligibility of the candidacy
of President of the Union. These
things will follow as sure sequence
of the measure of colinization. .s.
In this no doubt many see things
which they would not like to endorse !;
and to avoid a state of things which
must prove SO unwelcome, the colOni-
zation scheme is abandoned aud the
more feasible measure of e
The settlement Of the Freedmen upon
the confscated lands is adopted, as
preferable to all others. This, howsv.
er, is subject to difficulties of a very Sc.
rieus character. If awarded with due
justice the Freedmen must be recog-
nized as citizens, enjoying the same
rights and privileges as all other
citizens and which, according to the
policy heretofore pursued must 60
very hard with men of high caste.
Add to this, that the white population
must either commingle with the color
ed, or have an entire separation. Ii
the former course is adopted then that
horrifying state of things SO long the
bans of the fastidious and the wall OF
sensation shriekers, amalgamation,
will be very likely to follow to a greater
or less extent and other nameless
evils incident to such state of socie.
ty will follow in the wake, much tc
the annoyance of that class who array
themselves 80 strongly against what
is termed ne egro,equality. But if the
latter course is taken, then all the
fairest aud most valuable portion of
the Union will be assigned to negroes,
. race which We have all been taught
to despise. as unworthy of the com.
mon right Of humanity and, to yield
to them. exclusively, the fair realms
Of the "Sunny South, to possess. as
sole lords of tho soil. must induce feel
ings Of the deepest modification.
But this is not all. The same philo.
sophical certainties stare us in the face
here as in case of colinization. The
negro, if he is dealt with justly. will
enjoy the election franchise and be q
civilian /; and he will stand up along
side, even ofthe +. +. VS., and despite
Of onr utmost efforts we shall be com.
PEELED to endorse the prevalence of ne,
gro equality.
But as we proceed step by step
in our enquiries. and look far ahead
Into the series Of philosophical
events arising as by fate out Of the