The Portland daily press., 1867-02-14
and penalties which the law now ,hro.,
but never executes. '''ehs
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.

| From the Portland Argns1
MISCEGENATIoN STILL Uni
Quite contrary to our expectation the Hons
of Representatives at Augusta put yeto on
the attempt to repeal the law forbiddng the
intermarTiage of whites with negroes and In
dians, by vote of II to 4G. The result oc
casions prolonged whine of grief from th,
social equality neglophilists. There is eyi
IDENTIFY very considerable portion OF the rad
ical party who desire TO see the races thus in
termingled with view to bring the negro
brother up to the desired standard. These
people should, however, be informed that
their proposed process would be perfect fail
uie, as most of their hair-brained schemes
urn OUT 10 De. The Creator has set his seal
VI Ionuehhation upon miscegenation The
hitliatto Is hybrid that possesses neither tbe
mental capacity of the white nor the physical
power ana endurance of the black A. n
ciass they are inferior to both and are inca
pable OF seli-perpetuation The otIsn,inm 81
h'iialtoes are generally feeble and short lived
and the third generation almost inva,af,,
dle before maturity. The stamp of condem-
nation bas been set by the Almighty nnon
the amalgamation of these races, and the
law OF the State, which sentimental neeroph-
lists sought to repeal, is; simply reiteraton
or animation of the Divine law. We are
therefore gratified that the House had the
good sense not to repeal it.
l.. lFrom the Portland Evening Start
Ierhaps there is not SO pitiable a spectacle
On the eafth as some communities show bv
the mixing up of the races-utterIy destrov-
ing nationaty-and we regard legislation
against the intermarrage of whites with ne
groes and Indians just as proper and necessa-
ry as any disability ever created or limited at
by any other provisions of our marriage laws.
Put IL is SAID they will marry. Let them if
they must, but let us not put premium upon
incest or even invite state OF things that
social order instinctively tries to avoid. W
we are not ready to accept this thing as
one OF the necessary or even natural results
OF the issue of the war, and we do not like to
see II urged on such grounds. We believe
tnat the prohibition of marriage between par-
ties ior the purpose OF preserving the purity
and the force OF character OF our race is emi
nently proper and demanded by all consider
tions OF personal instinct and public
poiiey. We accord to all men the right OF
expression OF opinions, but we repudiate the
insinuation that by opposing this, we or anv.
body else, do anything to establish or tolerate
caste" We oppose it upon an instructive
sense OF propriety and a conviction of duty to
the community. .li .,....l .-l.s -
GFrom the Bath Times.l i b..
The majority OF the House OF Representa-
tive at Augusta have said to the world by their
Vote on the mtermaIriage question, that all
their professions OF regard for the rights of the
negro ON the ground OF his manhood. were
but professions merely. Ifthe negro is a man.
why have they not treated him as a man. why
nave they not made the law OF the State to
cease speaking of white men and of black
men; why have they not made it like the law
Oh God, TO speak only of men? Ii the negro is
tyhu haxr II, A
our southern buethren" treating them as thew
did any other cattle? ra i-f. ~..sispii :
There is nothing, that we are aware of, in
the Constitution prohibiting Legislators from
sttatiiylng themselves, and therefore perhaps
we are captions in suggesting that they have
done so. But ifthe Republicans of the House
who voted with the majority, had no regard
for their own consistency, they should NOT
nave been unmndful OF their duty to main
tam the fundamental principles OF the Repnb-
llcan patty, whenever and wherever they are |
I'D issue. And will they please tell us what
are the principles of the Republican party IL
negro manhood be not one. aa 80
There has been no agitation, no rebellion,
no war about sheep, or horses, or mules or
jackasses, and had we reckoned the negro in
the same category, the halcyon days OF peace
never would have fled. But we would main
tain that the negro was a man; and by the
mouth OF Daniel Webster we declared that
wherever he was already free. free he
should remain. Did we do this on anv other
ground than that he is man. And now Sian
We listen to the clap-trap of the men who have
been the oppressors OF the negro from time
umemoriai, or give heed TO their Stimulated
fear that their babies will be piccaninnies?
ttrom the Brunswick Telegraph
We don't know that it is matter of orava
Importance whether the present Leaisiat,,re
enacts bill or not, to remove the DISABILITY
IN quesuon,Calways excepting that some Of
the members OF the Senate NAV have been in
ciosecorrespondence upon ~ postaa ae stamps
with some lovely Dinah, proposing marriage.
Ii TINS be SO, as we rather fancy it is, then en-
act the bill by all manner of means. for Il is
injurious to the cause of good morals to have
lawmakers turn law breaker. Give than
latitude, and thus discourage a DpiscelIooed,,o
As to the House of Ren,a.
sentatives- lacking the dig,,itu and hiob
moral excellence of the Senate. its members
probably don't regard marriage as of any sne-
clal binding importance. ltTtr $50 -
PerhapS the repeal had better come. Not
many such marriages will take place i'm Maine
lhe fruits OF such unions are SO palpably dis
gusting, and public sentiment working direct
Iy upon the sinners so stern, no great or per
nanent injury can result from intermarrjaoes.
BESIDES, II you tell these misceeenatiop peo-
pie they may marry, they win get mad and
won't do 1t. Boys will steal apples like fury.
and eat them too, who will not touch an annie
you give them. =