Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-12-20
The CoIorcG Pe"plc.

Our 81 Stale News column to-day con
tains the account Of mort depreaatlons by
negro desperadoea whose lawiessness III
some sections Of the State IS increasing TO
such an extent as to become really alarm
ing, and demanding the most rigorous
measures to check it. For bOldness, des-
peration and cold -blooded ferocity, the &C
counts which VIC have recently published
of crimes committed by negroes are almost
without parallel in this State, and their
frequency is becoming as startling as the
deeds themselves. We refer 10 them
again in order to call the attention Of the
more thoughtful and tho well-disposed Of
the race to the terrible reality and the les
sons which it teaches, and the result to
which its continuance must lead.
The wicked teachers who have prepared,
directly and Indirectly, the colored people
gor the commission OF these terrible crimes,
cndeavor TO keep them under the same
baneful Influences by giving all advice
from OLD friends political coloring, thus
cngendering prejudice and hate in return
FOR kindly feeling and sympathy. The
cars and hearts Of the colored people arc
closed TO the advice and teachings Of those
70 whom they formerly came for aid, and
oven tho prolfcrcd counsel and kindly warn-
ings Of real friends are made the founda
lion Of increased alienation and estrange-
ment, by men who have no interest in the
race except as a means of political or pccu-
mary advancement
We certainly can approach these people
with no preiudiced claims. We have re-
ceiyed from them and return to them the
most respectful consideration. 10 those
who were connected to lis by former rela-
ton of muster and slave, and by other
less sacred attachments, VIC have aided
with our advice and solid assistance. We
have loand them means; We have given
them the use OF our name IN their aGricul-
tural enterprises, for the rent of their lands
and the purchase of their necessary stock
and tools; with our consent they have oc-
cupiCd our houses without remuneration,
and to this day we have known no differ
ence of treatment towards them, OF expert
enced change of feeling towards u.s.
Their welfare lies very close ~ our heart,
and that some of them, we fear majority,
have not improved in the moral and social
scale, is Il subject of earnest concern and
deep regret.
The Southern people lt1va not become
50 prejudiced to the colored population as
TO forget their former services and good
conduct. They have overlooked many
thinga--n.urh they have excused on ac-
count Of evil and corrupt influences under
which the negroes have been thrown. But
It is the height of folly to attempt to justify
through political bias, the slow but sure
haired which is growing up between the
races, or defend, from partiZan considera-
tons, the sad decentralization of the blacks
under present associations and teachings.
We have previously discIaime3 tha5 wo re-
garded the mere fact o. freedom IS leading
10 their rapid decline in morals and indus
try, but the negroes will yet learn that their
degeneracy and rapid decay will be Owing
to the race being r2a6c the tools of party
schemes and characterization welfare
will be destroyed in the vain attempt 70
prevent Radical defeat, as their lives have
been freely sacrificed to insure Radical sue
cess. With no attachment for them in the
past, and with no considerations for them
now not connected with selfish ends and
purposes, they arc driving on these people
to their destruction with cold and hcartless
calculations of continued party ascendancy
at tho expense of the moral AMI physical
prostration of these people. The daily
chronicle of events-the mirror held up to
nature, which shows "the very age and
body of the time, his form and pressure, -
tells with too unerring certainty the effect
OF all these evil Vaccinations. Under re-
morseiess leaders, selected evidently for