, 1865-12-29

AAND EV& A1tH r AE kAOsRE ENs
The report Of Gen. schurz shows that the
colorcd people Of the South, now that they
are declared free, desire two things above all
others, VIZ. land and education homes, and
The means OF maintaining them, the Bible,
newspaper, and the ability to read them.
We're every negro Solomon or Moses, fully
learned, not only in a1l the wisdom Of the
Egyptians and the Hebrews Of ancient times,
but also in the unlnspsred elements Of com
1'lctc modern university education, they coulo
not frame wiser or more reasonable Hash.
They ought all 10 have the means OF Obtain
Ing land and education, and every tac1hty
which can lit them up into ntc]1genI 1ree-
holders should be extended 10 them. Tho
obstacles existing In the wny Of thts consist
merely In The popular nnsj.ncEro slnyeholdfnE
sentiment Of the South, which must E1adu-
nlly succrmh. Tlesc obstacles arc formida-
bic, bccause, ercn though VIC annul
the Stale ard municipal laws against
negroes owning or leading land,
VIC cannot annul 50 easily the prevailing scn-
timcut ot which these laws are the legislative
expression. A community which II Let alone
would pass laws preventing the blacks from
owing or having real estate, will, If such laws
bc oycEruled, still refuse very generally to sell
or lease land to negro. This is the effect In
Mississippi. That feature Of the black code
which forbids negro to OWL or hire 1and, is
anuullcd from Washington, but few or no
white men wouid dare disobcy tho spirit Of
sisslppi can buy or hire land for any money.
In Georgia, where law has bceu enacted that
every white person selling or leasing land to
negro shall be responsible for MI the debts
lie incurs while he remains up It,
is m ou,growth Of the Fame sentiment, It
il almost useless to annul the law unless the
mischicrous and despotic motive which
prompts II can be abolished. We may yet
learn TINT mistake was made In not carrying
on the work OF contscation to IN extent
which would have inspired more wholesome
sense OF changge IRON the old order Of things
among the whites, and at the same time pro-
vidcd tue Government with the means Of pro-
ridfng lnnds for the freedmen. The negroes
seem TO have expected something of this
Kind, and very naturally, for the rebel jour
Eass proclaimed this to be our programme
Throughout the war. Is 1t strange that what
all tue whites 50 eolemnly reiterated, tho ue-
.-rocs believed to be truc9 But III the ab.
scnce Of confiscation, VIC have eight
millions Of Whites owning all the
land. and substantially unit On the policy OF
not selling or leasing dollars worth Of it to
The four millions OF negroes. This outrageous
policy is arowedy based on the determine
ton that the negroes must never become
Independent ftccholdcrs, Int must rcmuin
homeless, landlcss plantation 1aborers forever.
Such policy is lraueht with untold mis-
chiefs and dangers to the South. 1t will rs
ceitainly involve the country in another civil
war. rs it shall be adhered to. Exactly what
kinds Of pressure are to be brought to bear
to rid the South Of its Incubus, we are not
prepared to state. But until it shall be faIrly
cradicatcd, no Southern State Is fit for associ-
ntion with the free Statcs Of the North.
We doubt II It will be eradlcated,
should Congress consent to regard the negro
as IN outlaw, by readmittins the Southern
States on the present voting basis. But
should the. place all the rcconstruetiug
Estates or Territories under one general
enabling act, pre+cribing new and more
democEatic basis Of suffrage, which shall in
clrdc all Intelligent tax-paying citizens With
out distinction Of color as voters, It will work
n vnst change in tie Southern sentiment on
the question whether the negro can own OF
least mud. have home, work at mechani-
cal s.udc, keep etorc or learn to rrnd