The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1867-03-06
Negro Government IN the !South---
the end of Freedom iM tie North.

Negro Government IN the soath---
tie end Of Freedom Ia Tie North.
Only the laws Of Draco were written
in blood, and they governed Athens for
Of years, well and wisely. But
Rome was cOnvulsed for ages with civil
wars, private murders, uSurpatlOns, and
wrongs, while the luminous and trans
parent code of sJustinian was in full
force in law. Paris smoked with blame
less blood under DEGREES couched in lofty
and gentle phraseology. How does the
law read? is for the lawyer; but auliot is
it made for is a question for the people.
By many the astonishing measure for
the dissolution of society in the South
which has been offered to the President
for approval by the two Houses of Con-
gress is declared to be unaccountable as
a fact, except upon the hypothesis that
the Jealous partisans through whose ur-
gency it has passed, fearing popular
reaction in the North and West unfavor-
able to their personal and party ascen-
dancy, have recourse to this stupendous
innovation as an eXpedient for effecting
the popular will at their several homes
with the full political weight of the
sovereign States Of the South the
scheme to become practicable through
the unnatural and shameful substitution
of negro bodies polite, one for each
State, in the place of the constituent
people, the brethren and peers of the
North. Can this be? If so, history is
dumb Of all example, blank of all pre-
cedent, and ignorant of all analogue for
such an oppression. Carthage, indeed,
was destroyed, for Rome dared not let
hn 1c1 al
impossible, even to that unsparng and
unprincipled people-a crime, too,
against race divided from them by
mountains and seas, and by the more
insuperable borders of instructive re-
pugnance, without affinity of blood, of
language, Of religion, or of origin. Yet
even these Romans, a Scipio foretold,
by this crime darkened the national
conscience, and drove each other down
ward, step by step, into final desolation.
Then, if this scheme be the real animus
of the bill, is Southerner, more than a
Carthaginian or a supporter of it, better
than Roman? All mankind bear wit
ness that submission to a cOnquerOr is a
calamity so great that the sternest Of
them have, among the cruelest nations,
generally contemplated the vanquished
with compassion, and frequently with
tenderness. The exceptions are exhibit
ed to our youth only for adherence.
Yet this would be so much worse, that
the vanquished must be denied the
miserable privilege of obeying their
subjugator, and be subjected to the UNI
heard-of shame of being governed by
his delegates, consisting of their own
freed negro slaves! No man is bad
enough-we care not what tyrant's
name he bears in human annals-to inn
pose on his felloW-man such burden
grotuitously. Only some object in the
highest degree stimulating to his evil
nature could crafty the most unnfeeling
human being to thus dishonor the arm
of strength and blacken the name of
manhood. 1t is creditable to the con-
science OF the American people that
they are slow to believe such motive
for such a bill. They are told on the
stump that the object of it is to restore
the Union, and that the object of it is
not to abolish white bodies polite in the
the South, and yet organize the negro
population into the semblance of States
against the will of their people; that it
is not the object to strike forever from
the Union the equal sovereign members
in half the territory of the nation, and
erect in their stead a hideous and bar
barrie mochery of constituent sovereign
ties, for an equal fellowship with the
brilliant communities of the North--in
a word, that it is not the object to commit
the liberties Of white men to negroes.
But what is the object?
1t cannot be to restore the Union, for
the word does not, nor the idea, appear
in the bill. The possibility of It's resto-
ration, even after compliance with at
least twenty substantive conditions,
enumerated, dramatically in four or
five every one of which is grossly UNI
constitutional, yet which helpless
people might prefer to utter 0ut!aWry,
is studiousIy guarded against by Il pro
vision under which the fulfilment OF ali
possible conditions would amount to
nothing at all for the tolerance of that
unhappy people is expressly committed
to the pleasure Of future Congress.
Thus, even the very obedience 8. in
humanity, beeatSe 80 unnecessarily OK
acted, is made ~ hateful as possible, by
cutting Of ali rational incentive to il.
But the biz docs not pretend to alma
at restoration Of the Union. Think of
II. \ war 81 four year, and nearly
two long, anxious, and disastrous years
since is total oassstio /, All having been
suffered for the Union, and The only
measure projected on the suhieet by the