Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-23

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TIE Presidents Policy in Relation 10 Negrs
SgSrnge-Hs 70 be Lefto Each Of tt States
10 Dscide-Dbsafisfsetion Of the Negroes 1ith
the Presidenf's Recent Speeoh-W What The Pres-
a,nf told the NEGROES Wholesome 5Hf Inpal-
ataJle Airioe-TAe Dream Of Negro Suffrage
and negro Equality BIosen 10 the Winds.
WAsHIxsToS, Oct. IL, 1865.
DSsATIsFAcTIeS OF THssEosoEs AsD rHEJR PRE-
T~ESDEDrRTEsps
The pretended friends, bat real enemies, OF he
negroes here are endeavoting 20 stir Up trouble
among them, by q PeTversion OF President John
son's remarks 20 the negro regiment a few dsys
ago. Every Sunday the negroes hold meetings,
Al which their affairs are eagerly discussed, and
upon which certain busy white men. who ought
to know better. often intrude themselves. At
the last Of these meetings there was a very
general dissatisfaction expressed az the Presi-
dents speech, resnlling from what these pretend
ed friends OF theirs had told them about il. The
grounds Of their complaints are as follows:
WHAT THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT.
l.. The Presidents definition of liberty, in
which, they say. Mr. Johnson made an M war
ranted distinction between the liberty that white
P00HAQt wv IL A1A1 0AlNA . aAs 49, 80 Aa@N
is 10 be vouchsafed to the black people.
2 That the Presidents words implied. If they
did not directly assert, that the negroes were in
competent TO become citizens.
;. That Mr. Johnson absolutely and u~neeniy-
ocally denied that negroes sere equal to white
people. or ever could become so.
4 That be imputed to the negroes Of the Uni
ted States, habits Of gross RIGHTEOUSNESS, which
he asserted to be characteristic of the whole ne
gro race. WtB #a.
5. That presiden, johnson evidently looks TO
the ultimate extinction of the negro race if they
remain in this country, or to their expatristion TO
some other country 10 order to avoid the extinct
ton of the race.
6. That the President believes that the AL.
mighty, in creating the two races. made them so
radically different that they can never live to-
gether 10 the same country on terms Of equality
TIE COMPLAINTS WELL FOUNDED.
Such sre the substance of the complaints Of
the negroes and their pretended friends against
Mr.. johnson. They are not couched In the Ian
guage that | have used of course, but such is
their substance, and no one can read attentiyely
q correct report Of the Presidents speech with
out seeing that they are well founded. For ex-
ample, the President told the negroes, LIST. That
the liberty which had been conferred upon them
was not liberty to do as they pleased, to live in
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social and political rights of white people; but
that it was simply liberty to work. to work q
great deal harder than they had ever done be-
fore, and TO enjoy the fruits OF their labor. ID
That this right was the only one which had been
conferred on them by the war, and which the
Government had guaranteed TO them, but that il
they wished TO continue 10 enjoy even that right
they must give evidence that they are compe-
tent to do SO. Sd. That there really was nc
equality, and could be no equality among men
because some men are more meritorious thas
others, and are gifted With greater ability. 4th
That the licentious habits or the negro race bad
been INDUCED by she negro soldiers during the
var to an extent that required what he admins.
tered, namely, a severe rebuke. 9th. That i
was very doubtful whether the negro popula'
ton Of The country would, even after q long trial
and a fair opportunity, prove themselves worthy
and at TO exist among white people and with Ihs
white race, with advantage TO both races, and if
in time, they proved themselves unworthy or In.
competent TO become citizens, that ProyiGenc,
will open the way for their ultimate separation
from the white race, aud for their removal e
some other country where they can live by them
selves. 6th. That he, the President, could no
and did not assume TO be stronger than the laws
OF nature, which bad planted in the breasts 81
the people OF the white race an uncoDquerabl'
a~ntipathy to anything like equality with tb'
negro race: or that be was wiser than PrOvidepc,
itself, which for six thousand years had, for som,
mysterious but doubtless wise purpose, kept ID,
negro race in a condition of interiority and servi
tude. 9Th. He did not tell them, or give then
the slightest assurance, that they might eve
hope to be admitted to the right to vote; but. OF
the other hand, that the utmost that they Nigh
ever hope to enjoy was the right which the Gov
eminent now guaranteed to them, of being al
lowed TO work for themselves.
PRINCIPLE or THE PRESIDENTS ACTION IN TIL
MATTER.
such is a fair summary Of the substance OF to,
Presidents speech to the negroes. 1t will b,
seen-on a careful examination of a correct re-
port Of the speech itself-that it contains moth
ing inconsistent with President Johnson's for
mer and recent declarations on the subject Of
negro suffrage; a question which he has empha'
tically declared must be decided by the people
(the white people, OF each State for themselves
1t will be seen also that the whole tenor of the
speech is c~onfirmatory OF the recent declaration
Of the President TO the effect that "ihis is a
white mans Government, instituted by white
men for white men, and that as long as be was
President he intended 10 administer the Govern
ment upon that principle" | stated some weeks
ago that this was one of the cardinal principles
OF President Johnson's administration. Every
day confirms the truth of this statement. j
asked then, as | ask now. are the editors OF those
newspapers to be considered as disloyal or trail
tors, who refuse to sustain the President in up-
holding this principlef
GOOD CONDUCT or SOM OF THE NEGROES.
IL is no more than justice to the negroes 20
state that many of them had the good sense to
see the wisdom of the Presidents remarks and
have already followed his advice. A large num-
Der of them, Immediately after receiving their
pay. left this city and proceeded to various points
in Maryland. where the farmers are suffering for
the want of laborers. and made contracts with
them, for yearly service, at $l4 per month
These are excellent wages, and the alacrity with
which these negroes have returned TO the pur-
suits of honest industry is in the highest degree
commendable. There is plenty of work in Mary
land. al remunerative wages, for all the negroes
who are willing to follow the Presidents advice
The stories about i'll treatment OF negroes in
Maryland are proved to be groundless.
lHE NEIONAI A~UTUTATInN