Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-08-05

, and sort OF instructive enmity distinguish.
, ing from the great national mass the popu-
! lation of few small districts; and some.
times mere difference of dialect or even
, of accent, marks, though more feebly the
limit of the settlement of races of men
once thoroughly distinct, and hostile tc
each other" e.'
| If fifteen centuries of common govern
ment and political union have not been
} able to obliterate the distinctions and even
, the ''instinctive enmity" Of races which
: were physiologically similar, what encour.
agement have we that success will attend
a forced political fusion of bitterly hostile
} races from the antipodes of the human
family?
The process by which even the compara-
tive unity of the English people was
achieved, is described by the same philo-
sophie historian, whom have quoted, near
the close of his great work, as q" complete
amalgamation T" of the Norman and Saxon
idions, and mixture of the two races
which it took four centuries of sanguinary
war to accomplish.
just stepping as we are from the battle
field on which descendants OF a common
ancestoryso little removed from us that we
can literally reach back our hands to grasp
those of our common sires, have waged the
|
wars, it does not become us to argue that
peaceful discussion will quietly settle differ
ences which in former times were settled by
the sword; but the memory of the almost
present as well as of the remote past calls
upon us to build our polity solidly upon
principles which experience as well as
reason prove to be durable, and more than
ever to avoid deluding ourselves with the
cry of peace, peace, when there is no
| peace!"
AS, during these weary years of war, |
have pOndered this problem in the Intervals
of strife orby the camp fire at night, have
been more aud more impelled to the belief
that the only basis OF permanent nationali-
ty is to be found in complete homogeneity
of people, of manners, and of laws. The
rapid fusion OF the races OF western Eu-
rope as they have met upon our shores has
secured the former of these requisites, and
the Yankee race U adopt the epithet as an
honorable one), marked as it is with salient
characteristics, isso complete an amalgama-
tion of all families from the eastern boun-
| dairy of Germany to the western coast of
ireland, that there are few of us whose
veins are not mixed the blood of several
But this unhappy race of which we are
speaking does not amalgamate with the
rest. 1J is entirely immaterial to discuss
why it is so; the tact no one can deny; nor
can it be denied that its salvation or its de-
structiOn will surely be worked out in its
family isolation.
Because there could be no real unity of
people between the Southern whites and
Southern blacks, it seems manifest to me
that there could be no political unity, but
rather strife for the mastery, in which
the one or the other would 90 to the wall.
| The struggle for supremacy would be di-
rect and immediate, aud see no hope what
ever that the weaker race would not be re-
duced to hopeless subsection, or utterly de-
stroyed. There is no reason to suppose that
Missouri border-ruilianism could never be
repeated on new fields, and the strife once
inaugurated, the merciless war would con-
tinue as long as the obnoxious race had an
existence. You have expressed your an
ticipation of such result in one state of
the case, how is it that you do not see that
direct struggle for power at the ballot
box would make the contest more deadly?
hold that there is great philosophic truth
in the words of GuiZot, in summing up the
eight centuries of bloodshed out of which
the French emerged into nationality from
the strife of petty races and tribes. He says,
I'm the life OF nations, that union which Is
exterior and visible, the unity of name and
of government, although important, is by
no means the first in importance, the most
real, or that which makes indeed one ma
ton. There is a unity which is deeper and
more powerful: it is that which results not
merely from identity of government and of
destiny, but from the homogeneity of social
elements, from the likeness of institutions,
of manners, of ideas, of tastes, of tongues;
the unity which resides in the men themselves
lchOn. society assemblies and not IN The forms of
their associations; in short, that moral unity
(runite naordle) which is far more important
than political unity, and lohich is the OnlySOlid
foundation for the latter"
| have watched with deep interest the
educational effect of the war upon our own
army, and assure you that while our white
soldiers have uniformly and quickly learn
ed to appreciate the fact that the existence
of our free government could only be pre-
served by the destruction of the system of
slavery, and so became radically and
thoroughly anti-slavery, the tendency of
battling for the old flag was almost equally
uniform in increasing and deepening their
pride of race. The fact is one which can
not safely be overlooked in any calculation
involving their action upon the political
problems before the country, and it is one
in regard to which think l can hardly be
mistaken.
The details of any system of separation
could only be determined by careful study
and wide comparison of views. Suppose,
however, that without breaking up the or
ganization of any State, you take contigu-
Gus territory in South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama and Florida, and there, under the
sovereignty of the United States, and with
all the facilities which the power and wealth.
of the Government can give, we organize
the freedmen in dependency of the Union
analogous to the western territories. Give
them schools, laws facilitating the acquire
ment of homesteads to be paid for by their
own labor, full ana exclusive political priv
ileges, aided at the start, should it seem
necessary, by wise selection from the larg-
est brains and most philanthropic hearts
among anti-slavery men, to give them a
judiciary or executive which would COM
mand their confidence in the first essays of
political existence. There need be no CO.
ercive collection of the colored race in the
designated region, the majority are there
now, and the reward of political power |
would draw thither the remainder quite as
rapidly as their place could be supplied by
white immigration into other States. The
forts and seaport cities could remain under |
the direct control of the Federal Govern |
ment as the basis Tor that common trade and |
intercourse with other parts of the country
and the world, which would be necessary. !
The fullest opportunity to develop the high |
est civilization they are capable of, would |
there be given. Colored men of talent and |
intelligence would not then make a vain |
struggle for the empty name of being law
yers without briefs, or merchants without |
trade, but would have what a leading Jour-
mol OF tho Fact has fraouantlu damn m dod for 1