The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-28
EHE QUESTION: OF RACES in THE SOUTH.
Another Letter from the Hon. John BeII
of Temme asqa

Another Letter from the Hon. John He'll.
of Tennessee.
( The Louisville Journal publishes another in
teresting letter from the venerable John Bell of
Tennessee, devoted to the consideration of the
future relations between the black and white
races in the South. He says that for some time
to come, with the destitute whites as well as the
blacks, the great need, the most urgent want,
bread breadp
He holds that the institution of slavery in the
South was far from being an unmitigated evil
that it greatly improved the black race, and was
preparing the way for their peaceable, happy en-.
lranchisement, IN accordance with natural laws,
when the civil war was precipitated by Northern
fanatcism. He admits that there were traces of
hardship and scandal, but contends that the
general tendency was ameliorative. As an evil
dence of this, he contrasts the condition of the
slaves in the time of his boyhood with their inn
proved status at the commencement of the war.
He states that the blacks were quiet and appa-
rently contented during the civil war; until Pre-
sident Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation
appeared. He thus describes the RESULT
After the Government of the United States adopted
the policy OF emancipation and OF recruiting their
armies from the freedmen, 1t appeared that the
presence or the approach of the Federal army
the signal of discermble sensation among the
lection would be extended to them in the Federal
lines, 1T was a greater temptation than many of
them could resist, and many OF them, male and
female, left their homes and joined their berators
some openly, but in my observation, they generally
lett quietly and in the night apparently not wish
tresses
In the rapid march of General Wilson through
Alabama and part OF GEORGIA, two divisions of his
army, one directly from Columbus and the other
from West Point, passed by the place where re-
sided, maping short stop Colonel Lagrange COM
mandlng one division, and General McCOok the
other. From conversation with them, or with some
OF their staff learned that while they felt obliged
TO protect the slaves THAI joined them on this march,
they felt that they were an incumbrance to them as
they moved without any baggage train. There were
a considerable number OF negro men in the army
mounted on horses and mules gathered right and
lhere were also many women so intoxicated with
the idea of freedom that they were content jaded
foot in the rear Of the army, with not few children
struggling after Jhem--a piteous spectacle. con.
jectured that they would sink by the way and that
they were about two days. march A few weeks
afterwards many of the negro men came trudgtng
back, declaring their intention to return to their
masters, apparently satisfied with the experiment
they had made of freedom. These were such
supposed had no fancy for the military service, or
perhaps they such the officers refused to re-
ceive INTO the Federal service, but the women and
children saw or heard no more of.
Mr.. Bell intimates that the blacks made as
much, if not more, progress in slavery, than
the peoples of Europe without it. He says:-
1t may be objected that the great experiments
which represent as offering the best practicable
test OF the equality of the that could be
presented 10 the world, If still going on, could afford
no fair test of the relative capacity of the races be-
cause it IS said the time and employment OF the
African race were by our system of slavery wholly
under the control of their masters; and it may be
fairness can be predicaed OF any trial of the capa
blities OF the African nnder such circumstances.
The only rational answer that can be made to
such an inquiry is that in no other way under no
different or otner circumstances, could an expert
ment be made upon large and satisfactory scale, of
the capacity of race of people commencing with
them IN state of barbarism.
The civilization which masses Of men acquire,
taken from their primitive barbarism, with no other
wants or desires than such as are common with the
beasts OF their native forests and higher grade
OF reason than the instincts wild beasts manifest
is not the work of single or even OF many
generations.
To have attained the present stage of civilization
by the most enlightened people OF Europe of the
Caucasian race, has been the work of aRes-of nine
centuries taking the OF the Norman conquest as
the commencement OF modern civilization, having
all the advantages of what remained of the Roman
civilization to start with; and STILL all the boasted
improvements of the nineteenth century cannot save
q large proportion OF them from becoming the dupes
and often the victims of the widest and most prepOs-
terous deluslons and superstitions corrected with
subjects that directly concern their own interests
and welfare.
1t was only in the century before the last, or
during the seventeenth century tnat the most civil
lied people of all Europe could boast that they had
freed themselves if indeed they have entirely done
so to this day. from the degrading deusion or super
stitious belief witchcraH next to idol worship
badge OF the lowest grade of intelligence and the
grossest ignorance.
The application of the above views propose to
make to the present STATE of the country IN another
letter in few days.
Respectfully yours, etc., JOHN BELL.