The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1865-08-09


all the trouble. believe that il would
rather he like the decisions in that outer
darkness OF which Milton speaks, where
"Chaos umpire sits,
And by decision more embroils the fray"
Yet, as | believe with you, that the right
to life and liberty are inalienable, and more
than admit the danger of leaving lsborlng
class at the entire mercy of those who for
merly owned them as slaves, you will say
am bound to furnish some solution ct the
problem which shall not deny the right or
incur the peril. So am, and the only real
solution which | can sec is the peaceabe
separation of the races. But, you reply,
foreign colonization will break down hope
leSSly under the very yastness of the labor,
evrn If il were not tyrEDnical enough TO ex-
Ell these unfortunate people from the land
of their birth. | grant the full weight of
the objection, and therefore say the solution
is thus narrowed down to peaceable sepa-
ration of the races on the soil where they
now are.
The essential point in the discussion thus
appears to be the actual relations of the two
races in the Southern States as question
of fact, and the probable future conscquen-
ces of these relations as u question OF the
Ory.
Upon the question of fact, think | may,
with all modesty, claim that my antecedents
and my opportunities Of observation entitle
my testimony to have some weight, even
with the most radical anti-slavcry men OF
the North.
The antagonism of which have spoken
is not entirely one-sided. On the part Of
the former master, it takes the form OF an
indomitable pride, which utterly refuses to
entertain the idea Of political or social
equality. mingled with a. hatred intensified
by the circumstances and results OF the war.
This feeling is not confined to the slave
owners alone, but the poor whites share 1t
fully, and often show it more passionately,.
On the part of the freed men, 1t is mani
tested in an utter distrust Of the dominant
race, and an enmity which, although made
by circumstances more passive and less
openly manifested, is as real and implacable
as the other. They have the mutual attracc-
ton of race among themselves, and repul-
sion of the whites as another people, devel-
oped to degree which surprised me. 1t Is
not as individuals of a nation common to us
all, that they speak of themselves, but, to
use the language Of one Of them, speaking
to myself, they feel that they have long
been an oppressed and downtroddcn peo-
pie. ;" 49,.
Hildreth, in his desrotism in America,
declared slavery to be, in itself, a state oil
war, and this character is indelibly impress
ed upon both races in the South. The cap,
tive learns dupEcity toward his .captorT, and
in the slave it has become marked charac-
tcristic. 1t is fair strategenl tor which he
feels no guilt. have seen a master boast
ing Of the fidelity of his servant, and dis
cussing the subject of slavery i'll his presence
while the negro waited upon him with an
impassive humility which would make you
believe no intelligent idea Of freedom had
ever penetrated his brain. Yet have seen
that same negro afterward in camp, trans
formed into clear headed ally of our troops
leading them to his masters buried stores,
or guiding them to the fanks Of the enc
my's lines, with an intelligence and steadl-
ness of purpose which left NO doubt as to his
understanding Of the conflict between HIM
self and his master.
The daily and hourly repetition of proof;
of this fact, many of them too subtle Tor
description, hut none the less convincing. to
the observer, has fully convinced me that
never between Norman and Saxor, nor bt-
tween Gaul and Frank, was there more
conscious hatred, or an antagonlsm more
likely to prove imveteratc, than between
black and white on our Southern soil. The
negroes will have no sense Of security nor
faith in their former masters. even if they
offer them ibolitacal rights; they viii fear
them as Dnt,0S dcnd foc1teS.
What does history teach us in regard to
=, al J,,rn hilitIy 0f a1fb
iudices and ennlties of race? Speaking Oh
this subject, Augustin Thiery, in mis- History
of the Roman Conquest, says.
Whatever degree Of territorial unity the
great modern States Of Europe may appear
to have attained whatever may he the com,
munity Of manners, language, and public
feeling, which the habit Of living under tho
same Government, and i'll the same stage OF
civilization, has introduced among the IN
habitants of each of those States, there is
scarcely one of them which does not even
now present living traces of the diversity
of the races of men, which in course Of
time, have come together in It. This var,
iety shows itself under different aspects,
with features more or less marked. Some
times it is a complete separation OF ldlom>
of local traditions, of political sentiment
| and sort of instructive cnmity distinguish.
| ing from the great national mass the popu
| lationof few small districts; and sometimes
a mere difference Of dialect, or even Of ac
cent, means, though more teebly, the limit
| of the settlements Of races OF men, once
thoroughly distinct, aud hostile to eacf
other"
Fifteen centuries of common government
and political Union had not been able to OBJ
| literatc the distinctions and even the I'm
stingtiye enmity" of races which were ply
siologicaly similar, what encouragement
| have we that success will attend forced
| political fusion of bitterly hostile races from
| the antipodes of the human family?
The process by which even the compare
tive unity of the English people was achiey
cd, is described by the same philosophiC
historian, whom | have quoted, near thu
close of his great work, as complete
analgamation of the Norman and Saxol
idoms, and mixture Of the two races,
which it took four years of sanguinary wa
to accomplish.
Just stepping as we are from the battle
field on which defendants of a common an
cestry, so little removed from us. that w
can literally reach back our hands to grasl
those of our common sires, have waged thu
most tremendous and terrible Of moderr
wars, it does not become US to orgue tina
peaceful discussions will quietly settle diff
terences, which 10 former times were settlet
by the sword; but the memory Of the al
most present, as well as the remote past
calls upon us to build cur polity solidly upOr
principles which experience, as well as rea
son, prove to be durable, and more thar
ever to avoid deluding ourselves with thu
cry Of peace, peace, when there is NJ
pence. -
As, during those weary years of war,
have pondercd this problem in the interval
Of strife, or by the camp fire at night
have been more and more impelled TO tn,
belief that the only basis of permanent ma
tionality is to be found in complete homo
geneity of people, Of manners, and of laws
Tho r1nid fusinn of the races of Wesfer,