The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-12-29

The Negro-His Position.

brought, and finally the action of sover-
eign Conventions consummated the iber-
ty of the slave. But alas the condition
of the emancipated slave to day but fur
nishes mourufuI evidence of the truth of
the exclamation of the gifted and hesuti
full Madame Roland--"Oh, Liberty how
many crimes are committed in thy name.'
A perfect and splendid animal in the de-
velopment Of his physical nature, a perfect
child in the feebleness of his intellectual
powers, the negro possesses immense Ca
pacities for evil, with little, OF none, for
good. Deprived of the wholesome re.
straints of involuntary servitude, his des-
tiny is now inevitable relapse into his ma
tive African barbarity; and the fiat Of his
freedom, instead of being fraught with
blessing and benefit to him, has been Ia
tai blunder in craftsmanship and posi-
tive curse. Iu his servitude be looked to
his master for food, clothing, aud manage
ment, and he got it. The master was ne
cessarily ilnpeIed to give these from the
various considerations of selfinterest, pub
lie opinion, State laws, and the generous
teachings of humanity generally. There
may have been Instances Of personal cru
city, but they wero few, constituting the
exception and not the rule. La proof Of
this the world saw exhibited the spectacle
of this race, born under tropic sun, and
in the most degraded barbarity, transpor-
ted to the cold cline of the Generate zone,
under the government of their masters
steadily progress in mind and increase in
physical qualities.
But the chief interest Of the master now
in the care Of the slave is removed lie is
no longer property, and in that sense he
is nothing to his former owner. lie is
free; no oompulsi9n for him now but that
crueleSt and most tyranuical of masters
dread necessity and absolute want. To
say nothing Of kis unborn, iuvincible. aud
incradlcable inclination to idleness, it may
be regarded IS almost impossible for the
negro ever to work well here in the South,
because he can not and will not be as well
fed and clothed as in his condition Of sla-
very. These two things are indispens4bly
necessary to ? good days work from the
Negro. Where is his pork, vegetables,
bread, comfortable wooden clothing, warm
houses, and lire-wood, to come from now?
There now exists no watchful and provi-
dent master to provide them. He must
look to himself. Will bis sloth, idleness,
aud ignorance supply them ? Never
Aud thus free, though he be, his only pos
sessions are degradation, imbecility aud
barbarism. Opposed to him is the white
race, panopied with civilization and all It's
subtle forces, its genius, science, its
learning, its discoveries, its energy, its en-
terprisc, bouudless and infinite as the re.
sources of the globe itself. Thus the con-
file! begins, aud one race or the other
must lower lie-ouo or tue other must 20
to the wall, without escape lrotn the inc
yitabio Consequences. Just as the red
man, once rem wild ia the wilderness and
prairies Of this Western Continent, receded
and vanished before the advancing civili-
cation Of the white man, so will the negro
retire and perish 10 the "irrcpressible con.
fict' of race, which his emancipation has
subjected him.
We write the above in no inimical spir-
it to the negro, for we believe that we are
and have been his best friend. We write
in sorrow, not in hostility, for VIC pity him
rather than dospise. But it is but stern
truth, that his condition and prospects are
frightful, and men are now living whom
we honestly believe will survive to wit
Dess his extinction upon this Continent.
In his slavery he bad ample and abundant
comforts, but under this "grievous bond
age" Of freedom, what comforts does he
enjoy? 1t is no abuse of language to say
that they are abridged to the scantiest ne-
cossity, bis diseases have superseded JOY
Gus animal health, while his morals and
religion are fading, perishlng, dying to.
gether.
The civil war annihilated oue-fourtb
ESQ estlmated) of the entire black popua.
ton, large proportion Of the remainder
it dispersed in conjunction with their no.
madic procliyities, broadcast over the land
aud all were at once hurled into want and
degrade lisn. With family ties disrupted,
houseless, destitute, he is driven out upon
the cold charity of the world True, the
healthy and strong may get work and
wages, but the old, the intirnl, the sick,
and the young, combined with his constitu.
tional improvidence, will speedily consume
his hard and small earnings. Thus he is
brought face to face with Winter, totally
destitute of any provision to meet its cold
hunger.
No Africa here with its oveiflowing lap
Of tropic fruits and loots to I'LL his stomach,
merely by tie gathering, but an unconge-
NAL cline and the strong and austcrc an
tipathy Of tho Anglo Saxon race, terri
bic contest awaits him merely for the boon
of life. No human power can now avert
the result His real friends would have
preserved him in slavery-his real enemies
have sealed his doom with the curse of
freedom.
0+n---
/ II