Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1866-02-24
THE FATE OF THE NEGRO.

What will be the fate Of the negro 3
This is a question often asked and as often
meets with an unsatisfactory reply. Yet
the student of history can give the proper
answer. and that answer ~is-frcedom has
pronounced his doom !! Whatever may
be the theories advanced by the social
cd friends of the black man, the PLAN
teachings Of history cannot be controvert7
ed. There is a result which always follows
the antagonism of the races-the weaker
mustgive way to the superior, or perish
When the first white men landed upon
this continent, they found it thickly set
tied with races far inferior to themselves
in intelligence, skill, the arts and sciences
and all that tend towards making a perm
anent and progressive people. Those
races did not possess the hardy stamina
of the "blue-eyed men," usually called
" Anglo-Saxon," and they faded away like
the mist before the rising sun at the steady
tramp Of those who fear no danger and
dare all Odds" The great wilds west Of
the Mississippi, contain all that are now
left to tell the story Of their former great
ness, and are a living evidence of the
white mans superiority. But they are
eventually destined to perish, and a few
years more will see the last Indian upon
the shores of the distant Pacific, fleeing
from that civilization the God of Nature
never intended he should embrace.
How is it with the negro! Far inferior
to the aboriginees of this country, they
lourished like transplanted e%xotics, only
SO long as they were nourished and pro.
tected. Left to his own exertions, i'm
provident, careless Of the morrow" with
out the intelligence necessary for his own
welfare, he will disappear far more rapid
ly than did the red men of the country.
How many, since the cruel wal in their
behalf was inaugurated, have persisted
from the curse of freedom? Even now
disease stalks among them to a fearful
extent, carrying death and misery into
their Households, while the poisonous rum
bottle brings up the rear, aud ruins those
whom the fell destroyer may leave I'm.
touched. Around, about and every where,
the cry comes, where are the freedmen
where have they gone 2" and the silent
grave, the wretched form and haggard
visage answer in melancholy accents
The negro has no friends now--they par
ted with him when his slavery ceased
No Freedmen's Bureau, no "equalitJ
%shriekers" of the North, can ever bring
comfort and protection to the poor, untu
tored African. Philanthropy is hollow
mockery with them, a thing "full of sount
and fury, signifying nothing" A few re
ligious tracts, some foolish newspapers, Z
vast amount of legislation and specula
tive school-nasters, and the freedmen ar.
supposed to be amongst the most favored
of the PEOPLE of this earth. What is tn,
consequence? ldleness, Indifference ant
a total negligence of that they shoult
most attend to, and the fatal effects o
such teachings are far and wide spread
1t needs no prophetic eye to forese'
the duration of the colored man upon thi
continent. Far more rapidly will he dis
appear than the savage. His natura
vices, if no other cause presented itself
would soon work his humiliation /: bu
precipitated by a false condolement of
portion Of our people, who know nothin,
Of his habits or bis nature, it will be ia
more speedy. twenty-five years hence
and the freedman will be a rarity wher
he once fourished and p%rospered. Tht
white laborer will drive him from the fele
from every employment he has hitherto
engaged, and then poor negro your tim
has come.
NO. When ! Oh, when I shall we hay
~