The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-05-09
FVr tie Herald.
Our Situation.
so. ).


| It is stated in our newspapers that =. J.,
Stephens has given it as lis opinion that tie
labor of the negro will be more profitable tliis
ycar, than it will be in any year after this
This OPTION is based upon the assumed prin-
ciple that the more ignorant races will 1T iii It
! Oe disposed to exert themselves faithfully
but when they see that many Years InuSt
elapSe before they can acquire wealth And
mach property, and consequent reSpectahllty
growing out of q competency and intelligence,
most of them will despair OF elcvatins Them
! selves above their present condition and grad
| ualIY sink into state much below the one
! they HOW fill. If this be so, md we 10 not
pretend to contravcrt it, it is manifest that
! the negro must work better and more faith
. fully in his cmlloyme"tS now, than he his
! ever heretofore doac, if he desires to control
! the labor Of the country. Upon this control
! depends his elevation, aud not only his clcva-
ton in the scale of society, but Lis actual PIE
servatoa in being. If he is lille he will not
obtain employment. Competition will come
in ar!<! dive him from the soil I've is accuStoH:-
/ al to cultivate When this takes place, if lie
will no, exert himself more vigorously than
! ever bot sets down Ii idlcneSs he is prcpal-
! Ing the way far his extinction.
! 1t would be lamcntahlc result to see four
npi}Iinns Of human beings, just nav rs entered
upon career ofiIccdom, loo>ing al the henc-
/ fits which would flow from that state. Bnt it
is true, and ii is 4 truth that cannnt he gain
said, that no good is worth having whi"h does
not REQUIRE perpetual! vigilance 10 preserve It.
Hence the emancipation Of the slave does re-
quirc industry, excltiou and economy to keep
the freedman IL that state in which he is placed
by The law which has released him from the
service Of his former Owner. There is scarce
" any former owner Of slaves, who would n"t
anxiou>iy desire to see his former Slaves, and
! not only them bnt ali Others DO well, but
vould aid them in the work Of ian royrncnt.
+ This requires CO operation on the part Of tie
frecdmen-and if they will only Go their duty,
th,y will receive that aid fr"m intelligence
/ which will enable them to prosper
The opinion of Mr.. Stephens is based upon
! the idea that the ncgro stimulated by the nov
eltv Of the new situation he fills, will at first
exert himself lno,e than he i'll SuhS qncnt!y
! when he sees t at long time mast clap>c be-
! fore he can reach the elevated position of the
( white ,uan-evrn if it is possible for him ever
! to attain it. No matter what the theoretlra!
view S of men may be on this subject, yet it is
! tie par, Of wise ard judiciouS men t" place
! such Inducements before the freedmen as to
! induce them, if possible, to act worthy OF tree
dom. Liberty is rot >lencSS, nor licenio0s-
neS>-it is directly the opposite Of thcS> vices;
and il is fact that no individual wholadugcS
il such vices, will ever be respectable or IN
telligent--and it is equally sure that no pco-
pie can become people worthy Of being no
ticcd in the fluri!y Of nations, unless they act
upon the principles Of honor and good t;sith.
These principles exclude everything dcr"@&-
tory to the moral Status Of 4 people. Nations
| aud people must act upon, and be governed
! by the principles Of rectilude. There cannot
be one rule for one nation or people, which
does not equally apply to all nations and peo-
pie.
Such are some Of the general principles
which embrace all nations, no matter what
their condition may be. They have been sag
gested by the facts stated in the commence
ment of this number. They are important
and worthy of attention, and are as applicable
to rs, in our present condition, as they have
been, or will be hereafter on any occasion.
MACON.