Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-09-27
The Negroes Of the South ia be Put
,,,.. on n War Footing.
from the National Intelligencer.l

From the National Intelligencer.I
The organ Of the Radicalsih this city is
urgent for the passage of laws by COn-d
gress to organize the negroes of the South
ern States OIL a military footing. 1t say :,
that it cannot be expected that the Stat
governments (South) win organize on any
basis the loyal black militia. Congress
must therefore take the matter in hand,
The black militia can be organized into
separate companies and regiments, just rs
they were during the war. The negroes
North and South, must be educated to be-j
come soldiers .ff ..,..,,. .r,, ,...r,,,
II any thing could surprise us in the
course of the Radicals, it would be the
avowal OF such policy as this at the pres,
ent time. That they should gradually and
eventually urge this measure was certainly
to be expected, but that they should atthis
early day, without any preliminary prepa-'
ration, announce openly so dangerous and
revolutionary programme as this, Is cal
culated to 'give US pause" .. ...-.
Can anything be Imagined more danger
Gus to the relation of the two races South
than the military Organization of the ne
groes at this time into separate companies
and regiments, Just as they were during
And why is this to be dore? Is there
any danger of foreign war; And if there
were such danger, is there any fear of our
not having the means of raising sufficient
armies, without organizing the negroes
nOwp It is evident that there is no ne
cessity whatever for this military negro Or
ganization. growing 0ut; of the apprehen7
sionS of a foreign war. ' ~
Then why is it urged? The key to this
policy is furnished i'm the very article
from which we have been quoting. It.
speaks of the "loyal black militia" The
white race. OF the South are 10 be distrusted
as disloyal, and the Government Is to fos-
ter '.the loyal black" element as its only
reliance. ...r ,.....I -cr.I..fr s.r..u..Or
The idea of considering the blacks of the
South as par excellence The loyal part of
the population, is absurd in the extreme to
begin with. The negroes of the South, as
mass. were perfectly quiescent during
the entire war, and to single them out as
the loyal class is simply ridiculous. But
this is done as part of settled policy
by which the Radical party are to jOin
hands with the black race South, and
by antagOnZing them with the white race,
control the politics of the South. Every
enlightened and honest person must see,
who can look without prejudice at the
problem of two races living III juXtapOsi-
tiOn on the same territory, where one was
lately the ma ter anl the other the slave,
that it is one full of peril to society," 1t is
impossible TO overcome in moment the,
Ir iudicrS of education and custom, forth
fed by the literature and legislation Of
centuries. Hence, the great mission of
states nanship at the South is, to harmOn-
ize the two races, to eradicate prejudices,,
to gradually give birth to a new set OF
ideas and new philosophy in regard to
the relations of the two races. True, gem
une kindness and good intention between
the two races South will do more to inn,
prove and elevate the cOlored race than all
the military drilling which can be given to
the negroes by regiments of drill sergeants.
We feel the deepest interest in the bappi-
ness of the cOlored race South. We wish
to sec them prosperous and happy, and ris-
ing in the scale Of intelligence and ci7ili-
zation, ana will Zealously concur in any
line of action which tends to this result
1t is because of these sentiments that we
earnestly deprecate the policy of stirring
up strife between the whites and the blacks
of the South, and we cannot but consider
all such efforts AS are made to disturb the
harmony of these races as in the highest
degree prejudicial to the blacks.
We cannot imagine anything more fatal
to the peace of the South than the PROPOSE
tion to enroll the loyal black militia
We predict that if it is attempted at an
early day it will produce brood of dire
calalnities which humanity will deplore.
We would appeal to thpse Radical fanat-
les to pause in their reckless career. a,.D
1t was this same maduess that prOduced
the horrors OF ST. Domimgo. Do they want
to unchain all the turies at the South, and
deliver that unhappy S ction oyer to the
saturnaia of blood, and all the horrors and
enOrmties of which the imagination can
conceive?
And we would appeal to the Am merican
people to say whether party so reckless
in the pursuit of their fauatical purposes
as to be blind to the most obvious sugges-
tions of reason, and the melancholy admon-
itions of history, alc fit to be entrusted
with the reins of government in this coun-
try. q, ,rpu rn....t ....,-i ..-... ..,...f
This proposition to call the negroes of
the South to arms is just such proposition
as would have ehnanated from Robes
pierre or a Danton in the fury of the
French revolution. Will it, can it receive
a. favorable response from the American
people,? If 1t does, 1t requires no prophet
to foretell the most dire Galamities to our
unfortunate country. ~ aUt-i Hug J. u