, 1867-08-30
Coming Collision of Races.

The events which are transpiring around US
indicate a situation of peculiar delicacy and iu>
vest the future with anxious spprehensions. The
times require Of us great prudence and selfcom.
mAud, 10 the presence of the irritating questions
that are thrust upon US.
The tendency at t5is time seems vesy distinctly
towards a conflict Of races. 1t is evidently the
anxious effort Of the agitators of the day to
bring about this result. The negroes are piled
with incendiary haIrangues, and are iustigated
to throw themselves in collision with the whites
10 every possible way. They are urged not
merely to insist on equal accommodation, but TO
demand indiSerimiadte accommodation to be
rode in the same cars tO be seated in the same
schools to be accommodated in the same ho,
tells, &c.
Where all this will end, no man can doubt !;
and least Of ell is it doubted by the instigators
1t is their manifest purpose to bring about
conflict ofraces-in order to make party use of
the disorders to which it would give rise.
II should be the earnest effort of the white race
ofthe South, to disappoint this diabolica scheme
Let US bear ourselves with the most conspicuous
prudence and the most exhaustless patience.
And still more vital is it TO the colored people TO
shrink from the encounter Of races in which they
are urged, and to withdraw themselves from the
counsels Of the bad men who would engage them
IN the fatal step. Let them delude themselves
by no absurd calculations. II a war of races
should be joined, let them not suppose that they
will receive any white support. When once the
cry OF the black man against the white man is
raise-it will quickly be the blacks on one side
against the whites on the other. The very white
men who are now leading them to ruin, will de.
sert them when the storm bursts. How was.it
in the late war; There were men at the North
who encouraged the South to assert iudepeu.
dence, with promise of support. But when war
came, and when it became a struggle of North
against South, these men deserted us and took
sides with their own section and people. Daniel
Z. Sickles, for example, who was one of these,
even set himself to raise troops, and lost a leg in
the battle while fighting us ; and now, even
after peace has come, be is tyranizing in Charles
ton. We might mention many other examples
all going to show that when it became u strug-
gle of the North against the South the North
united. So did the South The former "UnIon
men, when it became distinctly marked secs
tional contest, stood by their homes and their
people, and united to present an unbrokeu front
Ii this were SO in conflict of sections-and it
was obliged to be so-still more will it prove
true in conflict of races for the prejudices of
of races are infinitely stronger than the preju- |
dices of sections. Blood is thicker than water |
Wo, even, to the black man when the country is |
divided into a white mans party aud a black |
mans party In the country at large it will be |
a contest Of thirty millions against four in the |
Ooutn, contest OF elgnt mllllOnS against less |
than fonr. 1t would require only a short sum in |
arithmetic to calculate how soon the contest
would end in black determination.
Aud yet his is the contest ou which the vast |
majority OF the blacks in the cities and towns, |
have been induced to enter, by the malignant |
leaders who fOment public disorders as a source
of party capital Hence already, the struggle to
enter the white mans cars, and even the cars
for ladies. Hence the attempt to take
the seats Of the whites in the theaters. Hence
the demand for a confscaton of the white mans
property, that it may be shared among them.
1t is obvious that peace between the two races,
demands that while recognizing equality OF
privilege there shall be social separation. To
set aside this principle is to declare war, and
war in which, while the whites will suffer, the
negroes will perish. If the latter are wise, they
will unite with the whites in even demanding this
social separation. This distinction of the two
races would by no means prevent friendly rela>
lions or the Interchange of kind Offices. 1t would
promote them, by rendering them possible and
easy. 1t would establish peace aud amty be-
tween the races, instead of collision and war, IN
which the weaker would perish. We trust pains
will be taken to explain these truths to the col
pred people. 1t will be much better to deal thus
frankly and nationally with them, than to en-
courage delusions and errors, by vainly bidding
gainst the bad and reckless agitators who are
them. The well disposed can be won
by what is reasonable, while those whose
thoughts have been illed with mischief and
their hearts with hostility, cannot be conciliated
by anything, and must needs 20 on to their ruin.
Richmond Enquirer.