The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-08-11

Of a monstrous forgery, Gen. Cox the Re-
publican candidate for Governor of Ohio,
has lately brought the people of Oberlin to
grief. They had heard that Gen. Cox had
declared himself opposed to giving the
elective franchise to negroes, and COM
mite was appointed to salty themselves
in regard to the matter. This Committee
performed their duty, and the result is
spread before the country in all the jour-
mails, the St. Paul Press only excepted.
The Press has not yet alluded to the cor
respondence. We know there is tender
chord of sympathy between the editor Of
the Press and the distressed people Of
Oberlin, but can hardly conceive such an
agonized state of mind THAT would lead
him to utterly ignore the letter of Gener-
al Cox.
To show how completely aoored were
the Oberlinites, we quote from their letter
to Gen. Cox:
So decided are our people on the subject,
that they could by no means be persuaded to
vote for q man known to be opposed to it.
The Union party of this country, 60 far as we
know, are unanimous on this subject, and we
believe that throughout the country the party
can be rallied on this platform with greater en-
nent religious papers, and, with one or two
exceptions, all the leading Republican papers,
are in favor of universal suffrage. We believe
nothing could be more suicidal to our party
and the cause of freedom than to reject this
doctrine.
Gen. Cox met these anxious inquiries
and menaees like true soldier, though
not in q style to please the Oberlinites.
He told them that after, four years of close
and thoughtful observation of the races
where they are, he is unwillingly forced to
the conviction that the effect of the war
has developed rooted antsgonism which
makes their permanent fusion in one po-
icaleommunity an absolute impossibility.
On the part Of the former master. it takes
the form of an indomitable pride which ut
terly refuses to entertain the idea of politi-
cal or social equality, mingled with ha-
tired intensified by the circumstances and
results of the war; On the part of the
freedmen, it is manifested in an utter dis
trust Of the dominant race, and an enmity
as real and as implacable as the other. Nor
is the antagonism against the negro con-
fined to his late master, for, says Gen. Cox,
among our white soldiers the tendency of
battling for the old flag was uniform in in
oreasing and deepening their pride Of race.
He cites history to show the permanenee
and durability Of the prejudices and enmi-
ties Of the race, and ssks:
If fifteen centuries of common government
and political union have not been able to Oblit-
crate the distinctions and even the instructive
enmity " Of races which were physiologically
similar. what encouragement have we that sue
cess will attend q forced political fusion of Bit
terly hostile races from the antipodes of the
human family?
The General declares that the only basis
of permanent nationality is to be found in
complete homogeneity of people, Of man
ners, and of laws. Because, says be, there
could be no real unity of people between
the Southern whites and Southern blacks,
there could be no political unity, butrather
q strife for the mastery, in which the weak
or race would be reduced to hopeless sub.
lection or utterly destroyed.
We beg leave to inform our Republican
friends who may wish to read Gen. Ooxs
important letter, and have been unable to
find it in the Press, that it has appeared
in the PIOnKxR, and may be obtained at
oar Office.