The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-12-04
The Negro Question--yieyys Of the
Governor Of North Carolina.

Governor Worth, of North Carolina,ih
his annual message to the Legislature of
that State, makes the following practical
suggestions on the negro question:
at behooves every patriotic mind to
solve the problem-what is best to be
done to avoid this sectional strife in rela-
ton to the negro? Is it possible, in en-
tire consistency with the we'll being of the
African race, to avoid this enduring
source of animosity between the sections2
"It seems to me that the course to be
pursued is obvious, if the parties to the
controversy sincerely desire reconcilia-
tion The cause of the trouble is the
unequal distribution Of the race between
the sections. The plain and practical
remedy is their more equal diffusion. Ex-
listing circumstances invite such diffusion.
The people of the South iwhether from
prejudice or not is immaterial to the view
| take) do not regard the negro as their
equal. He is not allowed the right of
suffrage. The North insists that this
prejudice of the South does cruel wrong
to the African. Among US they are very
poor, and few of them have acquired To-
cal attachments by ownership of land
The results Of emancipation and war have
made the whites poor also; and the un-
certain conditions Of our Federal rela-
tions prevent the influx of capital or pop
ulation. Enterprise is paralyzed. Few
are able to employ laborers and pay them
literally. On the other hand the domi-
nant States are rich. In all of them the
wages of labor are much greater than we
can pay. In many of them are public
lands of great fertility which the laws
give to the natural settler at nominal
price. In one of these States portion
of the people have given substantial
earnest of the principles they profess by
electing two Africans as members of their
State Legislature. Everything seems to
invite their emigration to the dominant
States; but most Of them are too poor to
pay the expenses OF moving. This diff
Guilty may be overcome by diverting the
appropriation made to sustain the Freed
mans Bureau to defray the. travelling ex-
penses of those who may choose to move
allowing each one to choose the State OF
Territory to which he would go. When
thus left free, and aided to go where they
may think their condition will be better.
ed, no grounds will be left for further
sectional strife as to their government
"Who that would avoid the rock or
which our ship of State is threatened with
wreck, will object to this scheme of re-
conciliation? 1t is clear that the Northern
States will not object to it. 1t will place
the negro voluntarily emigrating to then
under their immediate guardianship, where
they can look after their personal protec
ton and mental and moral culture much
more discreetly than they can by Freed
mems Bureau or any other machiner!
while they remain here"
The above idea of Governor Worth
should be modified by sending the negr'
into those States and localities in th
North where the people give the larges
Radical majorities. For instance, Ney
England-except perhaps, Connecticut
ought to have great body of negroes il
its midst. So should our Western Re
serve, and Northern New York and Hi
nois, and Western Pennsylvania. 1t i
but fair and proper that those portions o
the country which are the most concern
ed about the negro and his condition
should have him under their immediate
care and supervision. The negro shoult
be brought to them, instead of their send
ling Bureaus to look after him at a dis
tance.