South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1867-12-06
HELPER ON THE PRESENT CRISIS.

of the South" has, through the columns of the
National InteiliSeReer, addressed from Ashcville,
North Carolina, long and earnest appeal 10
The Good People the Old Free States" When
the Impending Crisis appeared il was accept
ed by thousands upon thousands of people in the
North almost rs a Evangcl. Mr Ilelpcr's
words were quoted conclusive authority, and
his character was said 10 be such rs to cnttle his
suggestions TO considerable and serious attention
We epublsh therefore, for the benefit of his for
iner admirers, some of his views upon the present
condition of public affairs and the situation Of
the South. We hope the influence of Mr.. Helper
is undiminished in New England, and that he
may be listened to as eagerly now as he was
few years ago. lie says;
almost every day, for several months
past-ever since | last returned TO the State
have | seen whole families, and some
times two or three together, leaving North
Carolina, some going in the direction of IL
linois, some travelling towards Indiana, and
others, Of the more able and venturcsome
sort, bound for Brazil and elsewh here, far
beyond the utmost limits of their own ma
tive soil. While thus, under the oppressive
and tyrannical operations of Radical mill
tary despo.isms, our own native white peo-
pie arc rubbed Of their natural freedom and
forced to flee to foreign lands. European
emigrants and emigrants from the North
are restrained almost entirely from coming
to the South. And thus swiftly and iufa-
mously are the narrow minded and revenge
full Radicals converting all the States of the
South into one vast Hayti, or Jamaica, or
Mexico-drivng from the country the white
people, who are, whether here or elsewhere,
the only worthy aud saving elements Of po-
pulation, and surrendering it completely to
the pollution, devastation and ruin of stupid
and beast-like hordes of black barbarians.
"Of the extreme poverty and distress of
many of the poor whites who are now emf
grating from the State, and of still larger
number who, rather than submit to the fur
ther danger and disgrace of Radical negro
and negro Radical domination, arc anxious
to leave, but are destitute even of the scau-
ty means necessary to take them away, /
have scarcely the heart to speak. To en-
ter adequately into details or particulars
upon this subject in mere newspaper arti-
Gle is quite out of the question, and so
will only remark here, in general way, but
with all the emphasis Of earnestncss aud
truth, that do not believe any people in
any part of America were ever subjected to
such unjust and oppressive straits, such
miserable and wretched shifts, as the poorer
classes of white people of North Carolina,
and of the South generally are now having
to struggle against; and all this mainly in
consequence of the laundering and uncon-
stitutional enactments, the unstatosmanlike
aud infamous legislation Of that oligarchy
of sectional dcmagogucs known as the rump
Congress.
Scarcely anywhere can one travelin the
South, at the present time, without meet
ing, on every hand, especially among the
poor whites-and there are few now who
are not poor-numerous cases Of actual
want, sickness, suffering and despair.
Because of its gross excuses, its short
comings, and its corruptions, the first and
most important thing necessary TO be done,
IN order to remedy existing evils, is to ut
terly break down and destroy the whole
Radical pariy-a party which, in it's mon
strous utilization with negroes, is bringing
utter abjectness and ruin upon at least ten
States OF the Union, and disgracing and
gripping all the others. Here, in the South
crb States, the Radical influence, which is
just as black and bad as i. can be, coupled,
not in name, but in reality, with the old
slayeholding influence, keeps the negro IN
naturally and disscniiously interlarded be-
tween the two great white elements Of the
South, thus preventing here, among the
eight millions Of people who alone ave good
for anything that unity Of sentiment and
purpose, and that harmony Of plan and ac-
ton, without which il is impossible for US
ever to attain anything like permanent
peace, prosperity,or greatness. Indeed, un-
der The actual military despofisms which an
unrepublicau aud malignant Radical Con-
gress have foistcd upon Us, and under the
atrociOus Radical threats Of unlimited con-
Gscaiion and perpetual Acknowledgement,
leading Us 10 fear that a still more oppress-
i've and calling yoke Is held in reserve for
"a, there is already an almost total suspen-
sion Of all public and private works; men
have no heart to DO anything, their hopes
aud their energies have been crushed their
dwellings, their outhouses, aud their fen
ces are, 10 most cases, in a state Of dilapi.
datlon; their Institutions of learning, their
churches and their public buildings Of all
kiuds-snch as were not actually burned
70 ashes during The war, having been great
~ nisused and abused--are goiugto decay
aud ia many places, where at least ordinary
instructors aud schools are still 20 be found.
the children, il not Of necessity required TO
remain at home aud work, are TOO frequent
~ 50 destitute Of clothing that their parents
arc ashamed TO let them 20 beyond the no