Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-07-26

there is little from debate.
@. VIII you state whether you
are not a believer in slavery, and
whether most Southern men share
your opinion? A. Emphatically
so. l believe that SO far from the
black mans degradation by sla-
very, he was exalted by it, and
that to the best condition he has
ever enjoyed, and to the best of
which, as a race, he is capable
For some thousands of years he has
been in contact with white civili-
cations, and has ever aspired to
serve the master race. He seeks
the menial employments, wherev-
er he is found. Even in North
ern States, after half a century of
freedom, find him nowhere teach
ing your schools, filling your pull
pits or legislative halls, but black
ing your boots and cleaning your
stables and bitches. By appro-
priating him to this department
and to manual industry, taking his
service and paying him, by think
ing and providing for him, we be-
lieve we served God and the cause
of humanity.
And as the questions have led to
this point, please to indulge me in
reciting some of the evidence that
my researches have furnished, that
this people have seen their best
condition and will never flourish
again.
@. Certainly. Proceed. A.
Our census takers furnish indus
trial vital statistics from which
there is no appeal. They show
three points that will state from
memory.
!. The free blacks in the North
ern States, in spite of the con-
tinual supplies from the South,
decreased, in the last biennial peri
cd, nearly eight per cent. in num-
bers.
2. The free blacks of the South
ern States increased about as much,
making a difference of sixteen per
cent, while
3. The slave black by his side
increased twenty-four per cent. In
numbers.
Taking, then, the axiom of po-
litical science, that the reproduct-
iveness of a people is the most un-
failing evidence of their social
condition, the black slave has been
in better condition than any 9th
er people, white or black, on this
continent. 1t is to this conclu-
sion that you may impute our te-
nacity in defending the system.
Our experience has taught us how
to consult the best interest of both
races, and we found them in pre-
else harmony; believed the blacks
were designed by Providence as a
supplement to the white race, and
that to this institution, in part, we
owed the higher civilization we
claimed.
@. Please define what you mean
by "higher civilizations"
A. The pride of character, the
chivalrous tone, and the liberallty
and hospitalities of our people
the broad views and great genius
of our public men; the delicacy.
nodesty, refinement, and yet the
lofty spirit of our women. We
had society without gossip, envy,
or fanaticism; a population OF
millions without beggars or pau
pers. Whether this is higher
civilization is matter of opinion
Certainly it had a different type
and one which would not longer
harmonic with yours; and hence
the necessity, as we believed, of
separation.
@. Then you were secessionist
originally?
A. No, I was revolutionist
and this merged, in my view, al
minor questions of State right tt
secede. The right of a people t.
change their rulers and their form
of government was questionable
only with tyrants, and such l wa
ready to resist, from the date OF
| Mr.. Lincoln's election.
@. Was that the. general view ol
Texans, or were there many wh'
opposed it?
A. There were many who votet
against secession, but a large ma
| jority for it. ! do not remembe