The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-06-02
O. Z. SHANNON.
ILLUMINATION vs., Amalgamation.
Chm. Dem. Co. Committee

Negro slavery being practically abolished, the
question arises what is to be the civil status OF
the liberated race. Shall the freed negro be-
ceme a citizen of the United States and Of the
State in which he resides, equal in rights and
privileges TO the white man! Shall he vote, sit
upon juries, become legislator, governor, or
presidents Shall he be regarded as 4 permanent
resident of our country, mipgling his blood with
that of the white inhabitants, or shall he, like
the Indian, be looked upon as but temporary
sojourner, and his stay among Us as incompati-
BILE with our interests, or those Of his own raceg
These questions are pertinent to the present po-
iitical era and demand our serious and earnest
consideration.
Guided by the high. cf history, we must come
TO the conclusion that it would be a dangerous
experiment to invest the negro with the poh.i-
cal privileges exercised, in this country, by the
white man. The right to vote, hold office, and
sit upon juriea, involves the social, as well as
POLITICAL equality Of the races. You cannot
avoid association with a man who sits with you
10 the jury box, who runs for Office with you on
the same ticket, who is constable OF the same
district in which you are justice of the peace.
Nothing can be more certain than that social
sfiniiies wond spring from the political equality
of the whites and blacks; and the Just as Ger
tain physical corollary Of mixture of blood,
would inevitably follow this social comningling
of the races. Now, we haze endeay ored 20
clear our mind Of all prejudice on this subject,
and we think we have succeeded in doing so.
We desire the good Of cur own race and the
welfare of the colored people. But we do not
believe that either can be attained through po-
ltical and social equality. Under such an or
der Of things, our population would become
Mexicanized, degraded into hybrid race, whose
history Is written in the domestic broi.s and pet
~ revolutions and bloody governmental failures
Of the South American continent. Let US be
taught by the experience of our neighbors. Let
the history Of Mexico and Colombia and Bue-
nos Ayres, be unto us en- all-suffcient lesson in
regard to the instability of governments depend
ing, intellectually and physically, upon the re-
sources of a mixed race Let US understand,
too, that the Emperor of Hayti, and the Pres
ident of Liberia, who are negroes ruling negro
subjects, are more successful in maintaining
peace and order within their dominions, than
the hybrid chiefs that rule the mixed races of
Central and South America 1t being, then,
the testimony Of history that it is better for the
happiness Of mankind, that the European and
African races should live separate from each
other, we conclude that the government should
adopt q plan Of gradual colonization, by the op-
GRAFTON Of which the African population in our
country would be, by degrees, deported to Ii
IBERIA, or some ether portion Of the land which
God himself gave ttem as dwelling place
Judging from some declarations recently made
by President johnson, we have no doubt that
he is q colonizationist, and that he viii not fa-
Eos the doctrine OF political and social equality
now being promulgated by Sumner and Chase.
Il wculd be, indeed, consummation devoutly
TO be wished, if the regeneration and christian
izstion Of Africa, were finally to result from
that negro slavery which has SO long been the
source of contention and strife among our peo-
pie. The finger of God could be plainly dis
cerned in such wonderful course and issue of
events. Yet we are almost within reach Of this
great eonsummation Let the people Of the
United States but will it, and African colonial
ton viii coon become fixed fact.