The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-07-15
The future Of the Negro.

A glance at the Newspapers .ot lhe Jay VIII
convince any one that Emancipation has not re-
moved the Negro from the politics of the coun-
try. The question of suffrage is now pressing
itself upon public attention. Education, colon
ization and other questions will come up in time.
And naturally so. The Negro forms about one
sixth of our entire population, and II is impossi-
BILE quietly to discard so large an element from
onr Legislative Halls and public discussions
We are not Of those who believe the Negro final
" disposed of; that his position in history is
fixed that by Emancipation he has reached
the acme of his hopes and privileges. 1.-The were
q savage untamed and unttmable, it might be
so. But he is domesticated. Though held in
bondage for many years, he has to a certain ex-
tent been under the influence of civilization
He is naturally tractable and little inclined TO
wander. Savage nations sometimes become civ
ilized, but civilized never savage. And we be-
lieye in progression for the black race, as well as
for any other. s4lt.tl-,,l !. ,tj. oei.eia9ct 3g,v
Emancipation is probably but a round IN the
ladder, of his destiny--an opening wedge to 9TH
or and perhaps grander Developments. Toour
mind one Of two results await him First, full
citizenship among us !; or, Second Colonization
On the ground Of natural right and as an act 81
deserved justice, most thinking men would be
willing to grant him. the privilege iofaNoting.-
We exact of him the dates of citizenship, such
as paying taxes, and military service, and these
give ground for corresponding privileges. IN
deed, faithful military service forms the strong
est claim for citizenship, "A foreigner becomes
citizen by bearing arms for us, without waiting
the operation of the NATURALIZATION Laws But
there are questions of ezpediency inyolve which
deserve consideration; and the feelin "of preju-
dice against the Negro is SO strong and SO UNI
versal, that the rights of citizenship may not be
conferred on him for many years. no. -rt6T
Hence we think Colonization will eventually
be his fate. Colonization efforts heretofore have
not met with much success. This country bad
become the home ofthe Negrogg Here were his
kindred and his life long associations, and here
he generally preferred remaining even in a state
of bondage, TO risking his fortunes in an I'M
known country under the uncertain experiment
of self-goyernment Under the evil discipline
of slavery the mass of the coiored people came to
look upon their condition as fixed, Interchangeable
They had lost their hope in a better day, and
with it they lost the strong desire. Without
education, without power or, privilege, without
single great idea or national emotion, taught
to believe that they were fit only to be slaves,
how could any one expect them to1be enthusiast
tic in favor of an independent nationality :? But
the war has STIRRED their sleeping energies it
has revealed to their darkened intellect the dawn
of a new day ). it has awakened aspirations for a
higher destiny. The military service itself was
thorough training for them 1t gave them an
idea of their own power and of their importance
in society. They came out of the war a freed
people They now have privileges and opportu-
mites they never had before, and in so much
their condition is improved. They have an am
bition before them. There is something TO en-
courage and stimulate their long dormant euer-
gies Schools, Churches, and all the elevating
machinery of civilization will aid in their devel-
opement Having tasted the blessings Of Free
dom they will naturally want larger draughts
thereof. They cannot be content as freemen
without citizenship. Being denied this, their
position will become more CALLING than was that
of bondage, and their only relief will be TO seek
these privileges na country Of their own, settled
exclusively by their own race -. ;ses 9aT