Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-03-07
An Advance on the Negro question


1t bas been but a short time since the
rebels began seriously to agiiate the
question Of arming their slaves.
Now the Richmond Eaquirer, lead
ing paper, earnestly calls on Lee 70 arm
them without waiting for the slow sction
Of the Senate This marks an erh Of
advance which must be rather startling
70 Northern sympathizers, who have
steadily dseried the negro as a soldier,
and which they would do well to study.
The supporters of the present Adam
istration have been accused Of fanAiieism
in regard to the negro May there not
as well be ianaticism Of unbelief. which
obstinately denies him all the elements:of
good character, which would make him
out utterly unteaehable where any good
IA concerned, but remarkably subtitle
and quick Of intellect where evil Is to
be learnedf
Ii is hard for strong partizans TO see
their own ineonsisteneios. The same
class which was so ready 10 pronounce
the negro worthless as soldier saw
sgely demanded that he should DO sent
at once TO the front, 10 the thiekest Of
the fight, without even the few months
Of training which the white recruit ab-
solutely requires TO g. him for aesive
service.
May ws not demaud too much Of a
race in proof their of manhood, tsas in
which even we would fail1
They tell Us, moreover, that the negro
is too lacy for free laboreF, that he il
shiltless aud idle and in a state Of free
dom would become charge upon th'
industrious public. Yet by careful ob
servation We ind that this class Of per
sona is never so dissatisfied as wheE
they fnd tbs negro doing well. Thel
3 cry out against him for ignorance, lazi
ness and improvidsnee, yet in the mex
breath tell you that his freedom vii
throw vast mass of laborers upon th
country aud work hardships to the ~hit
BY bringing down the price of lal C
Charming eonsisteneyl The negro
idle aud improvidene but bis freed, I
will reduce the price Of laborl
!, They tellus that the negro ia ignc
ran. and uu6t for freedom !. but strangel
. enough they resist or neglset ell mean
Of educating him. They wosld max
Us believe that old aud exploded theor.
that if certain kind Of labor is valul
= bic, its value is lost when the workme
become Intelligent
ef Il is now well understood that II
= capitalist is interested in having intslli
sc gent labor. The OK or ths horse ca
h. furnish brute force. bat wisdom
q, profitable 10 direct" Il is not pressnds
!. 10 these remarks that the black race
,he equal in intellect of the whit
Such a claim would be ridieulouA b
surely be is good for somsthiug. Al
capable of improvement Wonld '
gain or loose by his elevAiiou7 Must
wait in slavery till he becomes sc {
freedom2 About what period of d
Christian era would be become 6s for
Do men Of any race generally heeor
ct for freedom by being slaves7
well might man declare that he Won
70. not go near water till he bad learn
Sle. & how to swim
Is ss Common sense dictates that such
,sIs Government as ours-the perfection
Ky, ell the systems of the Old World, |
& Nj. Improvement on their mistakes, the
!, . tinement of the wisdom Of ayes aud |
, in product of the highest eivlGzatiou a
Sns. %s. Christianity-should not be delivered
assa once, and furnished ready.made, 70
sue, hands of such beginners As our te
sl, rssl men. Not at sll Such unskillful hsr
3 would soon make wreck of the hi
wrought machinery. But there i.
middle course. 5 high eonservai
ground, consistent both With humal
and the nations safety, which s.
II teach the freedman the best use Of
new privileges and raise him TO bic
and positions only when he shows himself
a for them. ~