Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-12-17

fanatical divines and the influences of a political
nature tending to excite sympathy tor the
race, with all the supposed horrors OF slavery
fresh in the memory very little has indeed been
accomplished in arousing that sympathy. On
the other hand, by the continued injustice and
unprecedented recklessness of the most tyranni-
cal power ever exercised in this country, the
whites of the South deprived of all the rights
of American freemen, will, one day, reap the
benefit of reactionary sentiment, that will
brand the violators of our constitutional rights
as traitors to their country, deserving the scorn
Of all true republicans.
But this is not all, it is altogether probable,
that the policy pursued by the wicked ambition
of an utterly corrupt party, will, not only pro
duce reaction in favor Of the whites Of the
South, but, when combined with the ridiculous
pretensions of the blacks will result in strong
er prejudice and enmity against them than has
ever yet existed, or, than rejecting and charita-
BILE people would wish But, to show the SYM
pathy and active benevolence of the Northern
people to the negroes, as distinct race of free
men, and not as slaves, let us recur, also, to
certain statistical facts which speak with much
significance as to the material aid and sympathy
to be expected by them in the future. We
hold that the fostering care and christian SYM
patty, bestowed upon the slaves of the South,
was plainly indicated by facts, showing the SUI
to that of the free negroes of the North
By the census of 1850, among the free ne
groes of New England, one out of every three
thousand and five was found to be deaf or dumb,
while among five slave States, Of which num-
Der, there was only one slave in every six thou.
sand five hundred and fifty In New England,
one free negro was blind for every eight hun
dred and seventy, while in the five slave States,
there was only one slave blind for every two
thousand six hundred and forty-fve. In New
England there was one free negro insane or an
idiot for every nine hundred and eighty, whilst
in the slave States alluded to- there was only
one slave in every three thousand and eighty in
like condition. Now these results must have
sprung in great measure from the different mo-
raj and physical conditions of the two classes,
and, 1t the moral advancement and physical
comfort Of the race is to be thus affected by
emancipation, it may be inferred that the form
er slaves Of the South will, one day, curse the
blind fanaticism that did not adopt some prac-
tical scheme for their social and political wei
fare.
Assuming as data, all the indications of the
past and present, and remembering that the
political equality of the negro deprives him Of
all the sympathy excited in his favor in a con-
dition of servitude, we are forced to the belief
that he can never maintain the position of So
cial or political equality, which infamous rulers
are endeavoring to force upon him.
1t is utterly impossible that three millions Of
an ignorant and degraded population, liable to
a continual decrease can, in the midst Of ten
times their number of intelligent and enterpris-
ing whites, ever hold, for any considerable time,
any position forced upon them by e1traneous
influences. 1t is in the nature of things impos-
sible the popular sentiment of this country will
not always sustain them and they do not pos
sess the native energy to sustain them. K.