The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-02-14

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IN sfs za Ths Negroes reply. lFs- -
We Published, yesterday, the an
swer Of President johnson to Fred.
Douglass: and his associates. They
publish the following as their rejoin-
der: .eis. sses .s-g>s's aec-ss
, Mr.. PRESIDENT: In consideration
Of q delicate sense of propriety, as
well as your animation of indisposi-
ton to discuss or listen to reply to
views you were pleased to. express to
us in your elaborate speech to-day,
the undersigned would respectfully
take this method of replying thereto,
believing, as we do,, that the views
and opinions expressed in that ad-
dress are entirely unsound and preiu-
dicial to the highest interest of our
race as well as our country. We can
not do otherwise thar expose the
same, and, as far as .nsy be 81 our
power, arrest their dangerous infu-
ence.
It is not necessary at this time to
call attention to more than two or
three features of your remarkable
address.
The first point to which we feel
especially bound to take exception, is
your attempt to found a policy op-
posed to our acknowledgment upon
the alleged hatred on the part of the
former slaves towards the poor white
people of the South. We admit the
existence of this hostility, and hold
that it is entirely reciprocal, but you
obviously commit an error by draw
ing an argument from an accident of
state of slavery and making it the
basis for policy adapted to state
of freedom. Hostility between the
whites and blacks of the South is
easily explained. It has its root and
sap in the relation of slavery, and
was melted on both sides by the
tyranny of slave masters. Their mas
ters secured their ascendancy over
both the poor whites and the blacks
by putting enmity between them.
They divided both to conquer each.
There was no earthly reason why the
blacks should not hate and dread the
poor whites when in a state of slave
ry, for it was from this class their
master received their slave -catchers,
slave-drivers and overseers. They
were the men called on upon all occa-
sions by masters when any fendish
outrage was to be committed upon the
slave. Now, sir, you cannot but per-
celve that the cause of this dread is
removed; also. slavery is abolished.
The case is antagonistic. You
must see that it is altogether inogi-
cal 1t is putting new wine into old
bottles; mending new garments with
old cloth; to legislate from slow hold
ing to slow driving of the persons of
people whom you have repeatedly
declared it your purpose to maintain
IN freedom. Besides, even were it
true. as you allege, that the feelings
OF hostility which they entertained
toward the poor whites, while in
state of slavery, must necessarily
remain now they are free, how in the
name of Heaveu-we reverentially
ask-can you, in view of your ex-
pressed desire and proffered aid to
promote the welfare of the black
man, deprive him of all means of de-
fence, and clothe him whom you
regard-as his enemy with the mono
poly of political power? Can it be
possible that you would recommend
a party which would arm the strong,
and cast down the defenceless? Can
you, by any possibility of reasoning,
regard this as justice? Experience
proves they are often abused; men
are whipped oftener who are whipped
easiest. Peace between races is not
to be secured by degrading one and
raising the other, by giving power to
one and Withholding it from the
other.
There can come day when we can
be removed from this country with
out terrible shock to its prosperity
and peace; besides, the worst enemy
OF the nation could not cast upon it's
fair name a greater infamy than to
suppose that negroes could be tole-
rated among them in a state of the
most degrading slavery.
G. F. DOWNING,
FRED. DOUGLASS,
JOHN JONES',
LEWIS n. DOUGLAS,
VIM. WHIPPER,
AnG others.